Health Effects of Local Access to Mental Health Treatment Facilities

I examine the health impacts of mental health treatment facility access across U.S. counties. Using County Business Patterns data from 1999-2016 and a difference-in-differences design, I find that increased access to mental health treatment facilities reduces mortality related to behavioral and mental disorders. My preferred specification indicates that each additional facility reduces MBD mortality by 0.079%. Event study estimates reveal no pre-trends and show persistent effects following facility establishment. The effects are particularly pronounced among elderly populations and those with lower educational attainment, suggesting important heterogeneity in treatment impacts across demographic groups.