Most state mental health funding goes to centers and clinics operated by private firms. A much smaller portion funds state hospitals.
One way to assess spending is to examine state mental health agency spending per capita. By this measure, the District of Columbia and Maine reported the highest per capita rates in fiscal year 2010. Idaho's mental health spending for the year was $36.64 per person, the lowest of any state.
Many states have reduced mental health funding in recent years as part of budget cuts.
Multiple factors account for discrepancies in state spending totals. Services cost more in certain states, and hospitals perform different functions from state-to-state.
The following table shows FY 2010 state mental health agency total expenditures, including per capita rates for the entire population and those living in poverty:
