Rural Mental Health – Resources
Selected recent or important resources focusing on Rural Mental Health.
Depression and Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviors Among Adolescents Aged 12 to 17 in the Rural and Urban U.S., 2021
Offers information on the percentage of adolescents reporting a major depressive episode or suicidal thoughts and behavior in 2021. Features statistics with breakdowns by 7 levels of population density.
Author(s): Janessa M. Graves, Gina A. Keppel, Lisa A. Garberson, C. Holly A. Andrilla
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Offers information on the percentage of adolescents reporting a major depressive episode or suicidal thoughts and behavior in 2021. Features statistics with breakdowns by 7 levels of population density.
Author(s): Janessa M. Graves, Gina A. Keppel, Lisa A. Garberson, C. Holly A. Andrilla
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Reported Receipt of Mental Health Services by Adolescents Aged 12 to 17 in the Rural and Urban U.S., 2021
Describes the mental health services received by adolescents in rural and urban counties nationwide in 2021. Presents data on the percentage of adolescents that received mental health services by rurality. Includes data on rural and urban adolescents' receipt of inpatient and outpatient mental health services across Census regions; services provided in specialty mental health settings; and services provided by a therapist or counselor, in a general medical setting, or via telehealth.
Author(s): Janessa M. Graves, Gina A. Keppel, Lisa A. Garberson, C. Holly A. Andrilla
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Describes the mental health services received by adolescents in rural and urban counties nationwide in 2021. Presents data on the percentage of adolescents that received mental health services by rurality. Includes data on rural and urban adolescents' receipt of inpatient and outpatient mental health services across Census regions; services provided in specialty mental health settings; and services provided by a therapist or counselor, in a general medical setting, or via telehealth.
Author(s): Janessa M. Graves, Gina A. Keppel, Lisa A. Garberson, C. Holly A. Andrilla
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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NSDUH Short Report: Substance Use Disorder and Major Depressive Episode among Females
Report explores rates of substance use disorder (SUD) and major depressive episode (MDE) among women from 2022-2024. Breaks down data by a number of factors, such as demographic factors, adolescents versus adults, SUD/MDE severity, and rurality, among other measures.
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Report explores rates of substance use disorder (SUD) and major depressive episode (MDE) among women from 2022-2024. Breaks down data by a number of factors, such as demographic factors, adolescents versus adults, SUD/MDE severity, and rurality, among other measures.
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Expanding Behavioral Health Teams in Care Deserts With Community Health Workers and Peer Support Specialists
Report explores the role community health workers can play in expanding behavioral health access to rural areas and care deserts. Highlights how community health workers can support behavioral health access through outreach activities, serving as community liaisons, screening for behavioral health concerns, and providing community education, among other measures.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Report explores the role community health workers can play in expanding behavioral health access to rural areas and care deserts. Highlights how community health workers can support behavioral health access through outreach activities, serving as community liaisons, screening for behavioral health concerns, and providing community education, among other measures.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Model Standards for Crisis Care Workers
Proposes national standards for crisis care workers responding to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline and other behavioral health hotlines. Outlines 10 different standards for crisis care workers, such as core values and competencies; education, training, and qualifications; and standards for supervision, among others. Discusses some considerations for rural communities, such as lack of transportation and workforce shortages.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Proposes national standards for crisis care workers responding to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline and other behavioral health hotlines. Outlines 10 different standards for crisis care workers, such as core values and competencies; education, training, and qualifications; and standards for supervision, among others. Discusses some considerations for rural communities, such as lack of transportation and workforce shortages.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Methamphetamine Use, Mental Health Comorbidities, and Treatment in Rural and Urban Areas, 2016-2019
Examines the prevalence of methamphetamine use by level of rurality and U.S. region, with data on methamphetamine use and mental illness, suicide and suicidal ideation, concurrent alcohol use, treatment for methamphetamine use disorder, method of use, and other relating to methamphetamine use prevalence and associated risks.
Author(s): Signe E. Burchim, Lisa A. Garberson, Sara C. Woolcock, et al.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Examines the prevalence of methamphetamine use by level of rurality and U.S. region, with data on methamphetamine use and mental illness, suicide and suicidal ideation, concurrent alcohol use, treatment for methamphetamine use disorder, method of use, and other relating to methamphetamine use prevalence and associated risks.
Author(s): Signe E. Burchim, Lisa A. Garberson, Sara C. Woolcock, et al.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Mental Health Treatment among Adults Who Had Serious Thoughts of Suicide
Offers 2024 National Survey on Drug Use and Health data showing adults that received mental health treatment and had thoughts of suicide. Includes a breakdown by county type at the large metropolitan, small metropolitan, and nonmetropolitan levels.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Offers 2024 National Survey on Drug Use and Health data showing adults that received mental health treatment and had thoughts of suicide. Includes a breakdown by county type at the large metropolitan, small metropolitan, and nonmetropolitan levels.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Health Professional Shortage Areas: Mental Health
Printable map that shows nonmetropolitan and micropolitan mental health HPSAs on one color scale and metropolitan mental health HPSAs on another. Data source: data.HRSA.gov
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Printable map that shows nonmetropolitan and micropolitan mental health HPSAs on one color scale and metropolitan mental health HPSAs on another. Data source: data.HRSA.gov
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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State of the Behavioral Health Workforce, 2025
Offers demographic and occupational data on the behavioral health workforce including current and projected shortages. Data sources range from 2022 through 2024. Offers comparisons of shortages between rural and urban counties. Discusses challenges driving workforce shortages.
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Health Resources and Services Administration, National Center for Health Workforce Analysis
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Offers demographic and occupational data on the behavioral health workforce including current and projected shortages. Data sources range from 2022 through 2024. Offers comparisons of shortages between rural and urban counties. Discusses challenges driving workforce shortages.
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Health Resources and Services Administration, National Center for Health Workforce Analysis
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Calendar Year 2026 Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) and Ambulatory Surgical Center Final Rule (CMS-1834-FC)
Fact sheet providing an overview of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) final rule regarding updates and changes to the Medicare payments for hospital outpatient and Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) services for calendar year 2026. Summarizes provisions regarding changes to hospital price transparency; Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) and partial hospital program rate setting; updates to the Hospital Outpatient Quality Reporting (OQR), Ambulatory Surgical Center Quality Reporting (ASCQR), and Rural Emergency Hospital Quality Reporting (REHQR) Programs; hospital quality start ratings; and more.
Date: 11/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Fact sheet providing an overview of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) final rule regarding updates and changes to the Medicare payments for hospital outpatient and Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) services for calendar year 2026. Summarizes provisions regarding changes to hospital price transparency; Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) and partial hospital program rate setting; updates to the Hospital Outpatient Quality Reporting (OQR), Ambulatory Surgical Center Quality Reporting (ASCQR), and Rural Emergency Hospital Quality Reporting (REHQR) Programs; hospital quality start ratings; and more.
Date: 11/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Additional resources are available related to this guide. See the full list of resources by topic for: