HPU Poll: Majority of North Carolinians Said Significant Improvement Needed for Mental Health Education of Youth

Two in five respondents said significant improvement needed to access mental health care in the state.

HIGH POINT, N.C., May 31, 2024 – A new High Point University Poll, conducted in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month in May, finds that majorities of North Carolina residents (50%) said significant improvement is needed in North Carolina when it comes to mental health education for young people. Another one-quarter said slight improvement is needed (26%), and less than 10% said not a lot of improvement is needed (7%) or there is no need for improvement (2%) when it comes to mental health education for young people.

When asked how much improvement is needed in North Carolina when it comes to the ability to access mental health care, about two in five respondents said significant improvement is needed (42%). Just over one-quarter said a slight improvement is needed (27%), and less than 10% said not a lot of improvement is needed (9%) or there is no need for improvement (3%). About one in five respondents did not offer an opinion (20%).

Mental Health Crisis Policies

Poll respondents were asked how much they would support or oppose policies that require all health insurers to cover mental health crisis services, considering everything they know about mental health. Majorities said they would strongly support it (60%), and another one-quarter said they would somewhat support (25%) such policies. Less than 10% said they would somewhat oppose (6%) or strongly oppose (1%) policies that require health insurers to cover mental health crisis services.

“I fully agree with the poll results indicating strong support for policies requiring all health insurers to cover mental health crisis services. Personally, I find it incredibly encouraging that 60% of respondents strongly support this initiative,” said Dr. Lorrie R. Davis-Dick, an assistant professor in HPU’s Teresa Caine School of Nursing. “It shows a shared understanding of the critical need for accessible mental health care. Ensuring comprehensive coverage is essential to meet the mental health needs of our communities, and it’s a cause I’m deeply passionate about.”

Mental Health in North Carolina

Almost half (48%) of North Carolinians said they were either very familiar or somewhat familiar with the mental health care system in North Carolina. Another 37% said they were not very familiar with it, and 10% said they had heard of it, but that’s it.

Only one-third (31%) of respondents have a very favorable or somewhat favorable view of the current state of the mental health care system in North Carolina. Some respondents (17%) said they leaned favorably. Less than 10% said they have a somewhat unfavorable (8%) or a very unfavorable (6%) view of the current state of the mental health care system in the state. Only 11% leaned unfavorably. Over one-quarter (27%) did not offer an opinion either way.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) has a local Guilford County chapter.

“It is clear that mental health resources and education in North Carolina are currently lacking, but that desire for improvement is evident,” said Mary Welker, board secretary of NAMI Guilford. “NAMI seeks to promote advocacy, educate individuals on mental health and eliminate stigmas. A visualization of this data is imperative to our mission.”

Mental Health in General

Poll respondents were asked for their agreement on several statements regarding mental health. A majority of respondents said they either strongly agreed or somewhat agreed that young people need more mental health resources dedicated to them and their unique needs (80%), people with mental health conditions face discrimination in their everyday life (74%), they have close friends or family that they feel comfortable turning to for help if they were in a mental health crisis (72%), mental health impacts all major policy issues in the country right now (69%), they are not content with the status of mental health treatment in this country (67%) or they would be afraid the police may hurt their loved one or themselves while responding to a mental health crisis (59%). Just less than half said they either strongly agreed or somewhat agreed that they don’t know what to do if someone they love were experiencing a mental health crisis (40%).

Federal Funding for Mental Health

When asked about various items that may receive federal funding, mental health care (40%) received the highest priority that Congress should place funding on. Other items that should receive highest priority were affordable housing programs (39%), Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (33%) and forgiving student loan debt (20%).

988 Lifeline

Less than one-third (28%) of North Carolina residents have heard of the new 3-digit line, 988, while a majority (64%) said they have not heard of the 988 Lifeline. Majorities (76%) have not used it or have known someone that has. Only 7% said that they have used 988 or known someone that has.

“While many of us are familiar with 3-digit numbers like 911 and 311, it’s concerning that fewer people know about the new 988 mental health crisis line,” Davis-Dick said. “Personally, I find it alarming that so many are unaware of this critical resource, which offers immediate support in times of need. We must spread the word about 988 to ensure that everyone has access to the help they deserve during a mental health crisis.”

North Carolina residents – Mental Health Awareness Month (May 2024)

You likely have heard of some 3-digit telephone lines, such as 911 and 311. Have you heard of the new 3-digit line, 988?

Yes – 28%

No – 64%

Unsure – 8%

Have you or someone you know used 988?

Yes – 7%

No – 76%

Unsure – 17%

How familiar are you with the mental health care system in North Carolina?

Very familiar – 17%

Somewhat familiar – 31%

Not very familiar – 37%

I have heard of it, but that’s it – 10%

Unsure – 5%

Consider the current state of the mental health care system in North Carolina. Do you have a favorable or unfavorable view of this system?

Very favorable – 12%

Somewhat favorable – 19%

Lean favorable – 17%

Lean unfavorable – 11%

Somewhat unfavorable – 8%

Very unfavorable – 6%

Unsure – 27%

How much improvement, if any, is needed in North Carolina when it comes to the ability to access mental health care?

Significant improvement is needed – 42%

Slight improvement is needed – 27%

Not a lot of improvement is needed – 9%

There is no need for improvement – 3%

Unsure – 20%

How much improvement, if any, is needed in North Carolina when it comes to mental health education for young people?

Significant improvement is needed – 50%

Slight improvement is needed – 26%

Not a lot of improvement is needed – 7%

There is no need for improvement – 2%

Unsure – 15%

Please indicate how much you agree or disagree with each of the following statements: [Items presented in a random order]

Taking into account everything you know about mental health, how much would you support or oppose policies that require all health insurers to cover mental health crisis services?

Strongly support – 60%

Somewhat support – 25%

Somewhat oppose – 6%

Strongly oppose – 1%

Unsure– 8%

Thinking about various items that may receive federal funding, how much of a priority, if at all, should Congress place on funding each of the following? [Items presented in a random order]

HPU Poll 103 was fielded by the High Point University Survey Research Center (SRC) on May 2 through May 9 as an online survey using a panel of respondents recruited and maintained by Marketing System Group (MSG). MSG sent invitations to its panel of N.C. respondents and the SRC collected 1,002 total responses on its Qualtrics platform. The SRC verified that the demographics of this sub-sample were similar to those of the full sample. The SRC did all data analysis. The online sample is from a panel of respondents, and their participation does not adhere to usual assumptions associated with random selection. Therefore, it is not appropriate to assign a classic margin of sampling error for the results. In this case, the SRC provides a credibility interval of plus or minus 3.2 percentage points to account for a traditional 95% confidence interval for the estimates (plus or minus 3.1 percentage points) and a design effect of 1.1 (based on the weighting). The data is weighted toward population estimates for age, gender, race, ethnicity, and education based on U.S. Census numbers for North Carolina. Factors such as question wording and other methodological choices in conducting survey research can introduce additional errors into the findings of opinion polls. Percentages may not add to 100 because of rounding.

Further results and methodological details from the most recent survey and past surveys can be found at the Survey Research Center website. Materials online include past press releases as well as memos summarizing the findings (including approval ratings) for each poll since 2010.

The HPU Poll reports methodological details in accordance with the standards set out by AAPOR’s Transparency Initiative, and the HPU Survey Research Center is a Charter Member of the Initiative.

You can follow the HPU Poll on X.

Dr. Martin Kifer, chair and associate professor of political science, serves as the director of the HPU Poll, and Brian McDonald is the associate director of the HPU Poll.