North Carolina’s Mental Health Access Crisis | Wilmington News

Wilmington News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Aug 28, 2026 · 1m

North Carolina’s mental health care access is in dire straits, ranking sixth-worst nationally with a shocking score of 27.5 out of 100 — far below the national average in both facility density and travel distance. With only 3.4 facilities per 100K residents and an average trip of 6.6 miles, the state lags behind the national benchmark of 4.1 facilities and 5 miles. While some areas like New Hanover County fare better, others — including Brunswick (12) and Columbus (11.9) — face crippling barriers, forcing residents to travel over 10 miles for care. Robeson County led the state, but Sampson…