Skip to main content
Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Behavioral health

Evidence Brief: Safety and Effectiveness of Telehealth-Delivered Mental Health Care
Presents an overview of research evidence on the safety and effectiveness of telehealth-based mental healthcare for veterans. Discusses outcomes and studies of telehealth treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, substance use, and multiple mental health conditions.
Additional links: Supplemental Materials
Author(s): E.H. Beech, S. Young, J.K. Anderson, B.E. Belsher, N.J. Parr
Date: 10/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
view details
Tips for Disaster Responders: Understanding Historical Trauma and Resilience When Responding to an Event in Indian Country
Describes historical trauma and its impact on Native American populations, and offers guidance for behavioral health responders when engaged in disaster preparedness and response efforts for tribal communities.
Date: 10/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
view details
Use of and Retention on Video, Telephone, and In-Person Buprenorphine Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Examines modality of treatment delivery for patients with opioid use disorder (OUD) and how various modalities are associated with 90-day patient retention. Analyzes 17,182 Veterans Health Administration (VHA) patients who received buprenorphine for OUD treatment from March 2020 to March 2021 by video, telephone, in-person care, or a combination of the modalities. Includes data broken down by age, sex, race/ethnicity, VHA eligibility, housing status, substance use, mental health, comorbidities, and rurality, including urban, large rural, small/isolated rural, and unknown location.
Author(s): Madeline C. Frost, Lan Zhang, H. Myra Kim, Lewei (Allison) Lin
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 5(10), e2236298
Date: 10/2022
Type: Document
view details
Suicide Prevention: Resource for Action
Presents a compilation of best practices for suicide prevention. Explores 7 different approaches to suicide prevention for communities to implement, such as strengthening economic supports, creating protective environments, and improving access and delivery of suicide care, among others. Includes discussion about how different strategies function in rural communities.
Additional links: Summary
Date: 10/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
view details
The Future of Telehealth After COVID-19: New Opportunities and Challenges
Provides an overview of the current evidence regarding telehealth's impact on equitable access to care and on quality of care, patient outcomes, and cost. Describes the COVID-19 pandemic-related regulatory flexibilities for mental health and substance use disorder services. Discusses the importance of telehealth on primary and specialty care during the public health emergency (PHE). Offers recommendations for Medicare telehealth policies to promote better outcomes for Medicare beneficiaries and value for the Medicare program.
Additional links: Medicare Telehealth Utilization and Spending Impacts 2019-2021, Webinar Recording
Author(s): Julia Harris, Sabah Bhatnagar, Brady Newell, et al.
Date: 10/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Bipartisan Policy Center
view details
Behavioral Health: Available Workforce Information and Federal Actions to Help Recruit and Retain Providers
Examines the available information on the behavioral health workforce, including federal data on the number of providers nationwide and the projection of the supply and demand for behavioral health providers in 2030. Identifies key barriers to recruiting and retaining behavioral health providers, as well as actions federal agencies have taken to support recruiting and retaining these providers. Outlines federal loan repayment, scholarship, and training programs designed to address workforce challenges in rural and other underserved areas.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 10/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
view details
Association of Co-Occurring Mental Health Problems with Hepatitis C Status among Young People Who Inject Drugs in Rural New Mexico, 2016–2018
Study examining mental health problems and hepatitis C virus (HCV) for young adult people who inject drugs (PWID) in 2 rural New Mexico counties. Analyzes data from a parent study of 263 patients, discussing implications for addiction treatment and HCV prevention in rural settings.
Author(s): Akash Gupta, Fatma M. Shebl, Yao Tong, et al.
Citation: Addiction Science and Clinical Practice, 17, 58
Date: 10/2022
Type: Document
view details
How Alaska Supports Rural and Frontier Behavioral Health Services
Describes Alaska's Behavioral Health Aide (BHA) program, a non-licensed provider type designed to promote behavioral health and wellness in Alaska Native individuals, families, and communities through culturally relevant training and education. Discusses qualifications for the BHA certification, payment, and next steps for other states seeking to develop similar programs.
Date: 10/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Academy for State Health Policy
view details
Suicide and Self-Harm in Youth Presenting to a US Rural Hospital During COVID-19
Presents a study on rural emergency department utilization and hospital admission for suicide or self-harm in children ages 5 to 17 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Analyzes hospital data from January, 2017 to May 2021. Breaks down data by demographic factors, such as race, gender, and rurality, as well as length of stay and visit type, among other measures.
Author(s): Mary Arakelyan, Jennifer A. Emond, JoAnna K. Leyenaar
Citation: Hospital Pediatrics, 12(10), e336–e342
Date: 10/2022
Type: Document
view details
Suicide Surveillance, South Dakota
Illustrates South Dakota's current suicide rates and trends, and compares this data with national rates. Includes county data, method of suicide or self-injury by age and sex, and suicidal ideation by high school students.
Additional links: One Page Summery
Date: 09/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: South Dakota Department of Health
view details