Rural Mental Health – Resources
Selected recent or important resources focusing on Rural Mental Health.
Mental Health Treatment Among Adults: United States, 2019
Reports on the percentage of adults who have taken prescription medication for mental health or received counseling or therapy from a mental health professional in the past year. Includes data for adults living in large metropolitan, medium and small metropolitan, and nonmetro areas.
Author(s): Emily P. Terlizzi, Benjamin Zablotsky
Date: 09/2020
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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Reports on the percentage of adults who have taken prescription medication for mental health or received counseling or therapy from a mental health professional in the past year. Includes data for adults living in large metropolitan, medium and small metropolitan, and nonmetro areas.
Author(s): Emily P. Terlizzi, Benjamin Zablotsky
Date: 09/2020
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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Frequent Mental Distress Among Adults, by Disability Status, Disability Type, and Selected Characteristics — United States, 2018
Reports on prevalence of mental distress among adults with and without disabilities, by disability type and selected demographic characteristics. Features statistics with breakdowns by metropolitan or nonmetropolitan designation.
Author(s): Robyn A. Cree, Catherine A. Okoro, Matthew M. Zack, Eric Carbone
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 69(36), 1238-1243
Date: 09/2020
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Reports on prevalence of mental distress among adults with and without disabilities, by disability type and selected demographic characteristics. Features statistics with breakdowns by metropolitan or nonmetropolitan designation.
Author(s): Robyn A. Cree, Catherine A. Okoro, Matthew M. Zack, Eric Carbone
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 69(36), 1238-1243
Date: 09/2020
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Emergency Department Visits Related to Suicidal Ideation or Suicide Attempt, 2008–2017
Examines trends in emergency department (ED) visits related to suicidal ideation or suicide attempt by age group for those 5 years and older. Includes data by patient location for rural, medium/small metropolitan, and large metropolitan areas. Includes maps showing by state whether rural, medium/small metro, or large metro areas had the highest rate of ED visits related to suicidal ideation or suicide attempt for those age 5-24, 25-64, and 65 or older.
Author(s): Pamela L. Owens, Kimberly W. McDermott, Rachel N. Lipari, Megan M. Hambrick
Date: 09/2020
Sponsoring organization: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
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Examines trends in emergency department (ED) visits related to suicidal ideation or suicide attempt by age group for those 5 years and older. Includes data by patient location for rural, medium/small metropolitan, and large metropolitan areas. Includes maps showing by state whether rural, medium/small metro, or large metro areas had the highest rate of ED visits related to suicidal ideation or suicide attempt for those age 5-24, 25-64, and 65 or older.
Author(s): Pamela L. Owens, Kimberly W. McDermott, Rachel N. Lipari, Megan M. Hambrick
Date: 09/2020
Sponsoring organization: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
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Crisis Services: Meeting Needs, Saving Lives
Presents the National Guidelines for Behavioral Health Crisis Care Best Practices Toolkit and a number of companion papers on crisis care. Toolkit highlights best practices for crisis care and the papers discuss a number of related topics, including homelessness, substance use, opioid-related deaths, and rural and frontier areas, among other issues.
Date: 08/2020
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Presents the National Guidelines for Behavioral Health Crisis Care Best Practices Toolkit and a number of companion papers on crisis care. Toolkit highlights best practices for crisis care and the papers discuss a number of related topics, including homelessness, substance use, opioid-related deaths, and rural and frontier areas, among other issues.
Date: 08/2020
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Strategies for the Delivery of Behavioral Health Crisis Services in Rural and Frontier Areas of the U.S.
Report highlights the challenges of providing behavioral health crisis services to rural and frontier communities. Details the barriers to crisis service delivery such as lack of transportation, travel distance, and broadband access, among others. Includes a discussion on the effect of COVID-19 pandemic rural crisis service delivery.
Author(s): Kristin A. Neylon
Date: 08/2020
Sponsoring organization: National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors
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Report highlights the challenges of providing behavioral health crisis services to rural and frontier communities. Details the barriers to crisis service delivery such as lack of transportation, travel distance, and broadband access, among others. Includes a discussion on the effect of COVID-19 pandemic rural crisis service delivery.
Author(s): Kristin A. Neylon
Date: 08/2020
Sponsoring organization: National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors
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Small Rural Hospital Transition (SRHT) Project Behavioral Health Care Coordination Summit: Summit Findings
Summarizes the findings from a two-day summit on the role of rural hospitals in addressing behavioral health as part of a community-wide initiative. Identifies barriers to behavioral health care coordination in rural areas. Describes four areas of opportunity to advance care coordination. Includes resources for each area of opportunity identified.
Author(s): Amy Harding
Date: 08/2020
Sponsoring organizations: Advocates for Human Potential, National Rural Health Resource Center
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Summarizes the findings from a two-day summit on the role of rural hospitals in addressing behavioral health as part of a community-wide initiative. Identifies barriers to behavioral health care coordination in rural areas. Describes four areas of opportunity to advance care coordination. Includes resources for each area of opportunity identified.
Author(s): Amy Harding
Date: 08/2020
Sponsoring organizations: Advocates for Human Potential, National Rural Health Resource Center
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Urban–Rural Differences in Suicide Rates, by Sex and Three Leading Methods: United States, 2000–2018
Reports on trends in suicide mortality from 2000 through 2018 among all ages for urban and rural counties. Includes data by sex for the leading methods of suicide: firearms, suffocation, and poisoning.
Additional links: Visual Abstract
Author(s): Kristen Pettrone, Sally C. Curtin
Date: 08/2020
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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Reports on trends in suicide mortality from 2000 through 2018 among all ages for urban and rural counties. Includes data by sex for the leading methods of suicide: firearms, suffocation, and poisoning.
Additional links: Visual Abstract
Author(s): Kristen Pettrone, Sally C. Curtin
Date: 08/2020
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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Mental Health, Substance Use, and Suicidal Ideation During the COVID-19 Pandemic - United States, June 24-30, 2020
Reports on the number of adults experiencing elevated adverse mental health conditions associated with COVID-19. Features statistics on self-reported incidence of anxiety or depressive disorder, trauma- and stressor-related disorder (TSRD) related to the pandemic, and substance use, with breakdowns by rural or urban residence.
Author(s): Mark E. Czeisler, Rashon I. Lane, Emiko Petrosky, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 69(32),1049-1057
Date: 08/2020
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Reports on the number of adults experiencing elevated adverse mental health conditions associated with COVID-19. Features statistics on self-reported incidence of anxiety or depressive disorder, trauma- and stressor-related disorder (TSRD) related to the pandemic, and substance use, with breakdowns by rural or urban residence.
Author(s): Mark E. Czeisler, Rashon I. Lane, Emiko Petrosky, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 69(32),1049-1057
Date: 08/2020
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Medicare's Mental Health Coverage: How COVID-19 Highlights Gaps and Opportunities for Improvement
Report explores Medicare beneficiaries' access to mental healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic. Breaks down data by beneficiary type, severity of illness, and rural versus urban location, among other measures. Highlights barriers to care and makes recommendations for the future.
Author(s): Beth McGinty
Date: 07/2020
Sponsoring organization: Commonwealth Fund
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Report explores Medicare beneficiaries' access to mental healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic. Breaks down data by beneficiary type, severity of illness, and rural versus urban location, among other measures. Highlights barriers to care and makes recommendations for the future.
Author(s): Beth McGinty
Date: 07/2020
Sponsoring organization: Commonwealth Fund
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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
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute
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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
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute
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Additional resources are available related to this guide. See the full list of resources by topic for:
- Behavioral health
- Behavioral health workforce
- Mental health
- Mental health conditions
- Suicide and suicide prevention
Last Updated: 10/23/2025

