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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Mental health

Impacts of COVID-19 on Rural Mental Health
Presentation slides from an American Farm Bureau Federation poll of 2,000 rural adults in December 2020, comparing results to a similar April 2019 poll. Addresses perceived importance of mental health, issues of stigma, impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health, barriers to care, and other mental health topics. Tracks response trends between 2019 and 2020, highlighting consistent aspects of the survey and changes in impressions and experiences.
Date: 12/2020
Sponsoring organization: American Farm Bureau Federation
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The Surgeon General's Call to Action to Improve Maternal Health
Describes the state of maternal health in the United States, including data and statistics on mortality and morbidity. Discusses risks to maternal health, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, infectious diseases, mental health conditions, intimate partner violence, and more. Recommends strategies and actions that individuals, organizations, and communities can implement to improve maternal health and reduce maternal morbidity and mortality. Includes rural references throughout.
Date: 12/2020
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
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Healthy Women, Healthy Pregnancies, Healthy Futures: Action Plan to Improve Maternal Health in America
Action plan outlining steps the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is taking to reduce maternal mortality and address disparities that endanger women before, during, and following pregnancy. Four main goals include: improving prevention and treatment services to promote positive health outcomes for every woman of reproductive age; prioritizing quality improvement efforts to support healthy pregnancies and births; improving postpartum health; and enhancing data and research to inform future interventions. Includes data and statistics on maternal health and morbidity, and addresses rural considerations throughout.
Author(s): Dawn Alley, Andre Chappel, Nancy De Lew, et al.
Date: 12/2020
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
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An Observational Study of Telemental Care Delivery and the Context for Involuntary Commitment for Mental Health Patients in a Group of Rural Emergency Departments
Examines telemental healthcare delivery in Critical Access Hospital (CAH) emergency departments (ED) in 4 Indiana counties, with a focus on the context surrounding subsequent psychiatric involuntary commitment (IC) or noninvoluntary commitment (non-IC) of mental health patients who presented to the participating EDs. Provides information on patient demographics, ED wait time and length of stay, ED costs and reimbursement, and telehealth parity laws.
Author(s): Roseanne Fairchild, Shiaw-Fen Ferng-Kuo, Hicham Rahmouni, Daniel Hardesty
Citation: Telemedicine Reports, 1(1), 22-35
Date: 11/2020
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Promoting Access to Care for Women of Reproductive Age with Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders in Rural Communities
Report highlights the barriers to mental healthcare and substance use disorder treatment for rural women of reproductive age. Discusses continuity of care, access to medication-assisted treatment (MAT), and workforce shortages among other barriers. Presents recommendations, such as telehealth and care coordination, and provides program examples from different states.
Date: 11/2020
Sponsoring organizations: Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs, Georgia Health Policy Center
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Psychiatrist and Psychologist Experiences with Telehealth and Remote Collaborative Care in Primary Care: A Qualitative Study
Discusses delivery of mental health services to rural patients through telehealth referral and remote collaborative care based on focus group sessions with 10 telepsychiatrists and 4 telepsychologists working in primary care clinics in Washington, Michigan, and Arkansas. Summarizes participant experiences of challenges and successes with telehealth delivery models.
Author(s): Molly Howland, McKenna Tennant, Deborah J. Bowen, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 37(4), 780-787
Date: 10/2020
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Association of Rurality With Availability of Youth Mental Health Facilities With Suicide Prevention Services in the US
Presents a study on the availability of suicide prevention services for youths age 15-19 at mental health facilities in rural versus urban areas. Compares the rates of prevalence of mental health facilities, youth-serving mental health facilities, and youth-serving mental health facilities with suicide prevention programs by rural-urban continuum codes.
Author(s): Janessa M. Graves, Demetrius A. Abshire, Jessica L. Mackelprang, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 3(10), e2021471
Date: 10/2020
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American Indian Addendum for the Suicide Prevention Toolkit for Primary Care Practices
Highlights suicide prevention guidance for primary care providers in tribal communities. Accompanies the Suicide Prevention Toolkit for Primary Care Practices and provides information specific to American Indian and Alaska Native populations. Includes risk assessment and intervention information on suicide prevention strategies in tribal settings.
Date: 10/2020
Sponsoring organizations: Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services, Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education
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Rural/Urban Differences in Children's Health
Examines differences in child health conditions by rural and urban residency. Explores differences in mental and behavioral health, weight status and physical activity, adverse childhood experiences, and access to healthcare.
Date: 10/2020
Sponsoring organization: Maternal and Child Health Bureau
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Costs of Emergency Department Visits for Mental and Substance Use Disorders in the United States, 2017
Examines the costs of emergency department (ED) visits with diagnoses of mental and substance use disorders compared to total ED visits, with data on total costs and cost per visit. Includes information by hospital location for large metropolitan, small metropolitan, micropolitan, and rural areas.
Author(s): Zeynal Karaca, Brian J. Moore
Date: 10/2020
Sponsoring organization: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
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