APR News reported last week on how philanthropist Melinda French Gates invested $5 million dollars in a Tuscaloosa women’s health center that features mental health treatment. A new study by CNBC ranks Alabama as one of the worst places to live in the U.S., and a lack of mental health treatment is one reason. The network said Alabama ranks dead last for mental health providers per capita, even though nearly a quarter of residents have been told by a health professional that they have a depressive disorder.
The report also says Alabama also ranks at the bottom for its worker protections, which include only two of the 16 measures that Oxfam America considers critical, like mandating equal pay by gender and race, and restricting access to salary history. Workers lack other basic protections including mandatory paid sick leave and protections against sexual harassment. The National Conference of State Legislatures. Alabama is one of five states with no public accommodation law protecting non-disabled people against discrimination.
Among the other states ranking badly in the CNBC report, Arkansas is a most-improved state overall this year in the network’s annual rankings. Still, almost 20% of its households food insecurity, which puts Arkansas last in the nation, according to the United Health Foundation. Last year, Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders guaranteed free breakfast in public schools. But, the FBI reports Arkansas has one of the highest violent crime rates in the nation.
Oklahoma imposes one of America’s strictest bans on abortion, even though studies found abortion bans increase the departure of migants. Oxfam America says the Sooner State ranked 40th for worker protections last year. Critics complain the state’s $7.25 minimum wage covers only about 20% of the cost of living for a family of four. A ballot measure last month to let voters approve a minimum wage increase failed.
Missouri is among America’s most violent states, with the FBI reporting close to 500 violent crimes per 100,000 residents in 2024. The Show-Me State also ranked in the top 10 for firearm deaths last year. Governor= Mike Kehoe signed a sweeping crime bill last June to get the situation under control. It includes tougher sentences, a greater ability to charge juveniles as adults, and several new offenses involving cyberstalking and the use of drones.
