Study says New Jersey is one of the Best States for Youth Mental Health in America

In the years after the 2020 Lockdowns as part of the government's response to the COVID-19 Pandemic, there have been more conversations about Children's Mental Health in America.

Many Psychologists and Parents have expressed concerns about how isolation in 2020 impacted young people's mental health short and long term.  The number of Youth who have thought about suicide increased from 2019 to 2021.

According to the CDC, the percentage of students who have feelings of "hopelessness" decreased from 42% to 40% by the end of 2023.  However, there are still many children and teenagers who admit to having mental health struggles.

As part of World Suicide Prevention Day (September 10th), the research team at Manhattan Mental Health Counseling sent out a press release about the state of Youth Mental Health in America.

After analyzing data from the CDC and Mental Health America, the mental health experts at the Manhattan Mental Health Counseling compiled a list of the best and worst states for youth mental health in America.

How Does New Jersey's Youth Mental Health Compare To Other States In America

The Manhattan Mental Health Counseling Team ranked New Jersey as the 9th Best Mental Health Support for Youth in their state. NJ has the fifth-lowest Bullying Rate in America and a low rate of Disconnected Youth (17th best in America).

New Jersey's overall Mental Health Support for Youth Rating was elevated thanks to green spaces. The Garden State has plenty of "essential" nature areas for people to disconnect from modern technology.

NJ received higher scores in multiple categories pertaining to Youth Mental Health compared to neighboring states Pennsylvania (15th overall) and Delaware (36th overall). But New York is ahead of New Jersey at fifth overall in the rankings.

Here are the Top 15 Best States for Young People Mental Health Care:

1. Maine
2. Illinois
3. Wisconsin
4. Utah
5. New York
6. Vermont
7. California
8. Connecticut
9. New Jersey
10. Georgia
11. Massachusetts
12. New Hampshire
13. Ohio
14. Maryland
15. Pennsylvania

One aspect of a better environment for children and teenagers is the quality of the school they attend. Here are the top rated Public Schools in the state of New Jersey: