Rural Mental Health – Resources

Rural Social Isolation and Loneliness: Rates, Importance, and Identifying Risk
Three-part webinar recording discussing loneliness and isolation in rural areas before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Part one details isolation rates and risk assessment; part two highlights programs working to make connections with the aging rural populations during the pandemic; and part three explores community building and grief support during COVID-19.
Additional links: Session Three: Rural but Reachable: How to Build Grief Support by Creating Community, Session Two: The Evolving Nature of Social Connections: Promoting Well-Being in Times of Crisis
Date: 07/2020
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: Mountain Plains Mental Health Technology Transfer Center
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Responding to Behavioral Health Needs in Rural America
Presentation slides discussing behavioral health issues and needs in rural America. Describes approaches to enhance behavioral health service delivery and implications for public policy.
Author(s): Keith J. Mueller
Date: 07/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute
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American Communities Experience Deaths of Despair at Uneven Rates
Analyzes nationally representative data from 2014-2018 on deaths of despair (DoD), or deaths resulting from substance use or suicide. Includes county-level statistics on DoD, with information broken down by rurality and race/ethnicity.
Author(s): Dante Chinni
Date: 07/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: American Communities Project
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Supporting the Health and Wellbeing of Middle-Aged Adults Living Alone in Rural Counties
Results of a study exploring the characteristics of adults ages 35-64 who live alone, and the heightened health risks and challenges related to social isolation, especially in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Uses data from a survey of 14 healthcare providers in rural counties with a high percentage of middle-aged adults living alone. Features a county-level map with breakdowns by percentage of people living alone in rural areas.
Author(s): Carrie Henning-Smith, Mariana Tuttle, Ashley Hernandez, Jonathan Schroeder, Katy Kozhimannil
Date: 07/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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Suicide Rates on the Rise: National Trends and Demographics in Suicide Deaths from 2000 to 2018
Brief details the national trends in deaths by suicide from 2002-2018 by demographics, such as age, race, gender, and urbanization, among others. Includes a state-level brief that highlights suicide trends by state.
Additional links: State-level Brief
Date: 06/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: State Health Access Data Assistance Center
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Improving Mental Health Care by Understanding the Culture of Farming and Rural Communities
Session one of a four-part webinar series on the interplay of COVID-19 and the mental health crisis in rural and agricultural communities. Discusses co-occurring substance use disorders, telehealth, and provider compassion fatigue, among other issues.
Additional links: Session 2: Approaching and Treating Co-Occurring Mental and Substance Use Disorders in Farming and Rural Communities, Session 3: Providing Mental Health Telehealth Services in Farming and Rural Communities, Session 4: Co-Occurring Mental and Substance Use Disorders in Farming and Rural Communities: Assessment, Ethics, and Preventing Compassion Fatigue
Date: 06/2020
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organizations: Mental Health Technology Transfer Center Network, Mountain Plains Mental Health Technology Transfer Center
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A Qualitative Evaluation of the Impacts of a Strength-Based and Youth-Driven Approach to Suicide Prevention in Rural and Minority Communities in Hawai'i
Evaluates a suicide prevention initiative aimed at Native Hawaiian youth. Bases conclusions on feedback from interviews with community coordinators and youth leaders and discusses the perceived impact of the program.
Author(s): Mapuana C.K. Antonio, Jane J. Chung-Do, Deborah A. Goebert, et al.
Citation: Hawai'i Journal of Health and Social Welfare, 79(5 Suppl 1), 96-100
Date: 05/2020
Type: Document
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Report to Congress: Reducing Barriers to Furnishing Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Services Using Telehealth and Remote Patient Monitoring for Pediatric Populations under Medicaid - Final Report
Details methods to reduce barriers to the use of telehealth for mental health and substance abuse disorder treatment for pediatric patients covered by Medicaid. Highlights barriers, best practices, and costs, among other measures. Features several case studies across the U.S., including in rural communities.
Date: 05/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Pain in the Nation Update: Alcohol, Drug, and Suicide Deaths in 2018
Report details updated rates of deaths related to drugs, alcohol, and suicide for 2018. Breaks down data by race, age, and regionally, including rural versus metro areas.
Date: 05/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Trust for America's Health
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Rural-Nonrural Differences in Telemedicine Use for Mental and Substance Use Disorders Among Medicaid Beneficiaries
Presents a study on the rural and urban differences in use of telemedicine for mental and substance use disorder treatment among Medicaid beneficiaries. Breaks down data by patient demographics, year studied, and behavioral health disorder, among other measures.
Author(s): Timothy B. Creedon, Kristin E. Schrader, Peggy L. O'Brien, et al.
Citation: Psychiatric Services, 71(8), 756-764
Date: 04/2020
Type: Document
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