Rural Mental Health – Resources

Veteran Suicide Prevention: Innovative Research and Expanded Public Health Efforts
Presents a full committee hearing discussing expanded public health efforts to address veteran suicide by the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Features testimonies by representatives of the Veterans Health Administration, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, the Wounded Warrior Project, the National Indian Health Board, and the Rand Corporation.
Additional links: Bill Smith Testimony, Jennifer Silva Testimony, Kaitlynne Hetrick Testimony, Kameron Matthews Testimony, Rajeev Ramchand Testimony, Tammy Barlet Testimony
Date: 09/2021
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: House Committee on Veterans' Affairs
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Mental Health System Development in Rural and Remote Areas during COVID-19
Report highlights the barriers faced by rural, remote, and tribal communities to accessing mental healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic. Details rates of mental health treatment over the past year and compares rural and urban communities. Discusses factors affecting access in rural areas such as workforce shortages, lack of telehealth services, and lack of culturally competent care for American Indian and Alaska Native populations, among others.
Date: 09/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors
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Ready to Respond: Mental Health Beyond Crisis and COVID-19
Report highlights strategies for addressing the need for mental health services in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Details seven recommendations for state mental health programs post-pandemic and discusses workforce challenges and how telehealth can be used to expand access to care to rural and underserved areas.
Date: 09/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors
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Telephone Veteran Peer Coaching for Mental Health Treatment Engagement among Rural Veterans: The Importance of Secondary Outcomes and Qualitative Data in a Randomized Controlled Trial
Presents a study of telephone motivational coaching for veterans receiving primary care in rural VA clinics in Northern California and Louisiana. Compares 272 veterans who screened positive for mental health problems, examining impacts of veteran peer motivational coaching on depression, quality of life, posttraumatic stress disorder, and self-care. Discusses barriers to mental healthcare for rural veterans.
Author(s): Karen H. Seal, Jeffrey M. Pyne, Jennifer K. Manuel, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 37(4), 788-800
Date: 09/2021
Type: Document
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Improving Behavioral Health Services for Individuals with SMI in Rural and Remote Communities
Discusses behavioral health workforce shortages in rural and remote areas and the effect this has on healthcare access for people with serious mental illness (SMI). Highlights strategies for reducing barriers to access and improve workforce retention. Provides examples of programs to improve access in various states.
Date: 08/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: American Psychiatric Association, SMI Adviser, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Mental Health and Substance Use Among Adults with Disabilities During the COVID-19 Pandemic — United States, February–March 2021
Examines symptoms of anxiety or depression, new or increased substance use, and suicidal ideation among adults with disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Includes data for urban and rural locations.
Author(s): Mark É. Czeisler, Amy Board, JoAnn M. Thierry, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 70(34), 1142–1149
Date: 08/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Telebehavioral Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Analysis of Provider Experiences and Perspectives
Examines behavioral health provider perspectives on use of telebehavioral health before and during the pandemic, based on interviews with 31 behavioral health providers in Michigan. Describes how policy changes affected access to and use of behavioral health services, especially among rural residents. Includes statistics on provider characteristics, with breakdowns by urban or rural primary practice location.
Author(s): Victoria Schoebel, Caitlyn Wayment, Maria Gaiser, et al.
Citation: Telemedicine and e-Health, 27(8), 947-954
Date: 08/2021
Type: Document
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An Evaluation of Firearm Injuries among Rural versus Urban Veterans: Data Validity and Early Findings
Webinar recording discussing rural and urban differences in rates of firearm injuries among veterans. Breaks down data pertaining to injuries, suicide, homicide, and unintentional fatalities related to firearms.
Additional links: Audio Recording, PDF Handout, Webinar Transcript
Date: 06/2021
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
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Mental Health and Substance Use Treatment Services Utilization
Summarizes the results of a poll conducted between April 29-May 2, 2021, regarding patients' experiences receiving mental health and substance use treatment services, including telehealth services, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Examines the utilization of these services and barriers to treatment by gender, age, education, income, ethnicity, and urban-rural status. Explores the preferences of individuals seeking mental health or substance abuse treatment.
Date: 05/2021
Type: Presentation Slides
Sponsoring organizations: Bipartisan Policy Center, Morning Consult
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Pain in the Nation: Alcohol, Drug, and Suicide Epidemics - Special Feature: COVID-19 and Trauma
Explores the effect the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent trauma it has had on rates of suicide and alcohol- and drug-induced deaths across the nation. Breaks down data by a number of indicators, such as by age, race, and rural versus urban location.
Date: 05/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Trust for America's Health
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