Cost Of UNTREATED
WORKPLACE Mental Health

Mental health at work is an issue that is too often overlooked. We all rely on our jobs for financial stability, yet few of us discuss the impact mental illness can have. The lack of communication around this topic leads to serious economic and social ramifications that cannot be ignored. In this article, we will look at the cost of untreated workplace mental health in the United States, as well as how the country approaches workplace mental health.

KEY
FINDINGS

Untreated workplace mental illness costs the US 3.7 trillion dollars each year.

Top five states bear the greatest economic burden due to unmet workplace mental health needs.

  • california $452B
  • texas $242B
  • new-york $220B
  • florida $194B
  • pennsylvania $149B

The annual spending on mental health treatment in the United States is 43 billion dollars, which is only 1.1% of the cost of unmet workplace mental health needs.

No state invests enough in mental healthcare to meet the needs of workers with mental illnesses.

Top five states that care the most about workplace mental health.

Top five states that receive highest returns from investing in workplace mental health treatment.

  • california $27B
  • new-york $21B
  • pennsylvania $15B
  • florida $11B
  • new-jersey $8B
01.

The Annual Cost of Untreated
Workplace Mental Health
in the United States

heading

To determine the cost of poor worker mental health, we first collect data on total employment by industry in each state. This information comes from census.gov.

The data was then entered into the National Safety Council's Mental Health Employer Cost Calculator (https://www.nsc.org/mentalhealthatwork#/).

Finally, we compile the information provided by the tool.

the-cost-of-untreated-workplace

Annual Cost of Untreated Workplace Mental Health by State (Billions of Dollars)

map

Top 10 states that bear the greatest economic burden due to untreated workplace mental health

  • 400B
  • 200B
  • 0
  • $452B Califonia
  • $242B Texas
  • $220B New York
  • $194B Florida
  • $149B Pennsylvania
  • $147B Ohio
  • $134B Illinois
  • $116B North Carolina
  • $114B Michigan
  • $112B Georgia

Annual Cost of Unmet Workplace Mental Health Needs by Industry (Trillions of Dollars)

  • Manufactured
  • Information,
    communications
  • Finance, insurance,
    real estate
  • Education, health,
    social services
  • Others
  • Entertainment,
    recreaction, food
  • Public Administration
  • Construction
  • Wholesale
  • Mining
  • Professional, management,
    administration
  • Utilities
  • Agriculture
  • 0.55T
  • 0.49T
  • 0.33T
  • 0.33T
  • 0.30T
  • 0.29T
  • 0.28T
  • 0.25T
  • 0.15T
  • 0.15T
  • 0.14T
  • 0.13T
  • 0.13T
02.

Government Spending on Mental Health:
Is The Government Paying Enough Attention to Workplace Mental Health?

3-billion-dollars

WHICH STATES ARE MOST CONCERNED ABOUT WORKPLACE MENTAL HEALTH?

We rank the states by dividing the Mental Health Spending by the Cost of Untreated Workplace Mental Health. The higher this ratio, the more attention the state pays to workplace mental health. (The data on Government Spending on Mental Health is collected from here)

top-ten-states

TOP TEN STATES WITH THE HIGHEST RETURN ON INVESTMENT IN WORKPLACE MENTAL HEALTH

To calculate the return on investment, we multiply the government's mental health spending by four. (Why 4? - This is because, according to this report, "organizations see a return of $4 for every dollar invested in mental health treatment in improved health and productivity."

  • 30B
  • 25B
  • 20B
  • 15B
  • 10B
  • 5B
  • 0
  • $27B Califonia
  • $21B New York
  • $15B Pennsylvania
  • $11B Florida
  • $8B New Jersey
  • $6B Arizona
  • $5B Michigan
  • $5B Texas
  • $5B Ohio
  • $5B Maryland
03.

Is There a Sufficient Number of
Mental Healthcare Providers
to Assist Those in Need?

By comparing the cost rankings and ranking of mental healthcare providers, we find the relationship between mental health employer costs and mental healthcare providers. From there, we can determine whether there are enough providers to meet mental health treatment needs.

WHERE MENTAL HEALTHCARE FAILS TO MEET THE NEEDS OF WORKPLACE MENTAL HEALTH

  • STATE
  • PROVIDERS
    RANKS
  • COST
    RANKS
  • District of Columbia
    51
    40
  • Alabama
    50
    24
  • Texas
    49
    2
  • West Virginia
    48
    39
  • Georgia
    47
    10
  • Arizona
    46
    21
  • Tennessee
    45
    20
  • Iowa
    44
    30
  • Indiana
    43
    13
  • Florida
    42
    4
  • Mississippi
    41
    34
cost-ranks

REFERENCES

https://rehabs.com/explore/mental-health-spending-by-state-across-the-us/

https://www.census.gov/

https://www.nsc.org/mentalhealthatwork#

https://www.americashealthrankings.org/explore/annual/measure/MHP

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpsy/article/PIIS2215-0366(16)30024-4/fulltext

FAIR USE STATEMENT

If you know someone who could benefit from our findings, feel free to share this report with them. The graphics and content are available for non-commercial reuse. All we ask is that you link back to this page so that readers get all the necessary information and our contributors receive proper credit.

*Complete data is available on requirement.