Rural Mental Health – Resources

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
Type: Document
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
Type: Document
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
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Rural-Urban Mental Health Disparities in the United States During COVID-19
Explores rural and urban mental health access during the COVID-19 pandemic. Discusses the expanded use of telehealth, the lack of broadband access, and mental health provider shortages in rural areas.
Author(s): Nicole M. Summers-Gabr
Citation: Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, 12(S1), S222-S224
Date: 08/2020
Type: Document
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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
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Commonwealth Fund
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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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