Rural Mental Health – Resources
Selected recent or important resources focusing on Rural Mental Health.
Understanding the Optimal Balance of Using Telehealth and In-person Services to Support Adults with Serious Mental Illness and Children with Serious Emotional Disturbance
Explores the balance between telehealth and in-person care for serious mental illness (SMI) and children with serious emotional disturbance (SED). Summarizes findings from an environmental scan and focus groups with mental health providers, adults with SMI, and parents of children with SED. Discusses how focus group participants made decisions about using telehealth versus in-person mental healthcare and how telehealth impacted access to care and engagement in treatment relative to in-person services.
Author(s): Jasmine Little, Megan Dormond, Sarah Croake, et al.
Date: 11/2024
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Explores the balance between telehealth and in-person care for serious mental illness (SMI) and children with serious emotional disturbance (SED). Summarizes findings from an environmental scan and focus groups with mental health providers, adults with SMI, and parents of children with SED. Discusses how focus group participants made decisions about using telehealth versus in-person mental healthcare and how telehealth impacted access to care and engagement in treatment relative to in-person services.
Author(s): Jasmine Little, Megan Dormond, Sarah Croake, et al.
Date: 11/2024
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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State of the Behavioral Health Workforce, 2024
Offers demographic and occupational data on the behavioral health workforce including current and projected shortages. Data sources include both 2022 and 2023. Offers comparisons of shortages between rural and urban counties. Discusses challenges driving workforce shortages.
Date: 11/2024
Sponsoring organizations: Health Resources and Services Administration, National Center for Health Workforce Analysis
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Offers demographic and occupational data on the behavioral health workforce including current and projected shortages. Data sources include both 2022 and 2023. Offers comparisons of shortages between rural and urban counties. Discusses challenges driving workforce shortages.
Date: 11/2024
Sponsoring organizations: Health Resources and Services Administration, National Center for Health Workforce Analysis
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CY 2025 Medicare Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System and Ambulatory Surgical Center Payment System Final Rule (CMS 1809-FC)
Fact sheet providing an overview of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) final rule regarding updates and changes to the Medicare payments for hospital outpatient and Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) services for calendar year 2025. Summarizes provisions regarding changes to Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) and partial hospital program rate setting; incorporating an add-on payment to the Medicare outpatient hospital all-inclusive rate (AIR) for certain high-cost drugs for people with Medicare who receive care at Indian Health Service (IHS) or tribal hospitals; updates to the Hospital Outpatient Quality Reporting (OQR), Ambulatory Surgical Center Quality Reporting (ASCQR), and Rural Emergency Hospital Quality Reporting (REHQR) Programs; a new Conditions of Participation (CoPs) for hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) for obstetrical services; Medicaid and CHIP continuous eligibility; Medicaid clinic services "four walls" exceptions; and more.
Date: 11/2024
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Fact sheet providing an overview of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) final rule regarding updates and changes to the Medicare payments for hospital outpatient and Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) services for calendar year 2025. Summarizes provisions regarding changes to Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) and partial hospital program rate setting; incorporating an add-on payment to the Medicare outpatient hospital all-inclusive rate (AIR) for certain high-cost drugs for people with Medicare who receive care at Indian Health Service (IHS) or tribal hospitals; updates to the Hospital Outpatient Quality Reporting (OQR), Ambulatory Surgical Center Quality Reporting (ASCQR), and Rural Emergency Hospital Quality Reporting (REHQR) Programs; a new Conditions of Participation (CoPs) for hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) for obstetrical services; Medicaid and CHIP continuous eligibility; Medicaid clinic services "four walls" exceptions; and more.
Date: 11/2024
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Symptoms of Anxiety and Depression Among Adults: United States, 2019 and 2022
Examine trends related to symptoms of anxiety and depression between 2019 and 2022. Utilizes 2022 National Health Interview Survey data to examine symptoms by severity, age, sex, education, income, region, and urbanization level, including large central metropolitan, large fringe metropolitan, medium and small metropolitan, and nonmetropolitan.
Author(s): Emily P. Terlizzi, Benjamin Zablotsky
Date: 11/2024
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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Examine trends related to symptoms of anxiety and depression between 2019 and 2022. Utilizes 2022 National Health Interview Survey data to examine symptoms by severity, age, sex, education, income, region, and urbanization level, including large central metropolitan, large fringe metropolitan, medium and small metropolitan, and nonmetropolitan.
Author(s): Emily P. Terlizzi, Benjamin Zablotsky
Date: 11/2024
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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Provider Perspectives on Healthcare System Barriers to Engaging Caregivers of Rural US Veterans in Firearm Suicide Prevention
Discusses the relationship between secure firearm storage and a decreased risk of firearm related suicide, especially among veterans. Explores the potential of providers in the VA to engage caregivers on methods of secure firearm storage and firearm suicide prevention.
Author(s): Claire Houtsma, Katherine MacWilliams, Sarah Pardue-Bourgeois, et al.
Citation: Journal of General Internal Medicine, 40, 3675-3683
Date: 10/2024
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Discusses the relationship between secure firearm storage and a decreased risk of firearm related suicide, especially among veterans. Explores the potential of providers in the VA to engage caregivers on methods of secure firearm storage and firearm suicide prevention.
Author(s): Claire Houtsma, Katherine MacWilliams, Sarah Pardue-Bourgeois, et al.
Citation: Journal of General Internal Medicine, 40, 3675-3683
Date: 10/2024
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Intakes of Lean Proteins and Processed Meats and Differences in Mental Health between Rural and Metro Adults 50 Years and Older
Presents a study on the relationship between diet and mental health status of adults over 50 in rural and urban counties in North Dakota. Focuses specifically on lean versus processed protein intake and their correlation with reported rates of depression and anxiety. Breaks down data by demographic characteristics, including rural and urban location, and discusses food access issues in rural communities.
Author(s): Nathaniel R. Johnson, Sherri N. Stastny, Julie Garden-Robinson
Citation: Nutrients, 16(18), 3056
Date: 09/2024
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Presents a study on the relationship between diet and mental health status of adults over 50 in rural and urban counties in North Dakota. Focuses specifically on lean versus processed protein intake and their correlation with reported rates of depression and anxiety. Breaks down data by demographic characteristics, including rural and urban location, and discusses food access issues in rural communities.
Author(s): Nathaniel R. Johnson, Sherri N. Stastny, Julie Garden-Robinson
Citation: Nutrients, 16(18), 3056
Date: 09/2024
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Suicide Prevention in Wisconsin's Farming Communities
Podcast episode discussing the Farmer Angel Network, a support group devoted to suicide prevention in Wisconsin's farming communities. Describes the origins of the group, the impacts of suicide in farming towns, how local hospitals contribute to the initiative, and the resources available to support families and loved ones.
Date: 09/2024
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Podcast episode discussing the Farmer Angel Network, a support group devoted to suicide prevention in Wisconsin's farming communities. Describes the origins of the group, the impacts of suicide in farming towns, how local hospitals contribute to the initiative, and the resources available to support families and loved ones.
Date: 09/2024
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Vital Signs: Suicide Rates and Selected County-Level Factors — United States, 2022
Examines differences in suicide rates by county-level health insurance coverage, broadband Internet access, and household income. Includes data on suicide rates for these three county-level factors for rural compared to urban areas.
Author(s): Alison L. Cammack, Mark R. Stevens, Rebecca B. Naumann, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 73(37), 810-818
Date: 09/2024
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Examines differences in suicide rates by county-level health insurance coverage, broadband Internet access, and household income. Includes data on suicide rates for these three county-level factors for rural compared to urban areas.
Author(s): Alison L. Cammack, Mark R. Stevens, Rebecca B. Naumann, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 73(37), 810-818
Date: 09/2024
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Implementing Individual Placement and Support in Rural Communities: Barriers and Strategies
An issue brief focused on individual placement and support (IPS) programs for people with mental health conditions to help sustain their employment. Utilizes interview data with 27 IPS specialists to discuss barriers and strategies to implementing IPS in rural areas, focused on issues such as mental healthcare workforce availability, funding, transportation, internet access, job opportunity, and local cultural perceptions.
Author(s): Gary R. Bond, Monirah AI-Abdulmunem, Deborah R. Becker, Robert E. Drake
Date: 08/2024
Sponsoring organization: ASPIRE: Advancing State Policy Integration for Recovery and Employment
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An issue brief focused on individual placement and support (IPS) programs for people with mental health conditions to help sustain their employment. Utilizes interview data with 27 IPS specialists to discuss barriers and strategies to implementing IPS in rural areas, focused on issues such as mental healthcare workforce availability, funding, transportation, internet access, job opportunity, and local cultural perceptions.
Author(s): Gary R. Bond, Monirah AI-Abdulmunem, Deborah R. Becker, Robert E. Drake
Date: 08/2024
Sponsoring organization: ASPIRE: Advancing State Policy Integration for Recovery and Employment
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Place-Based Differences in the Association Between Greenspace and Suicide-Related Outcomes Among Young People
Presents a study on the role of greenspace and suicide-related outcomes (SROs) in young people. Explores the efficacy of greenspaces as protective factors for SROs in different levels of rurality by metrics such as quality, quantity, and accessibility.
Author(s): Sophia C. Ryan, Jennifer D. Runkle, Luke Wertis, Margaret M. Sugg
Citation: Journal of Adolescent Health, 75(2), 305-313
Date: 08/2024
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Presents a study on the role of greenspace and suicide-related outcomes (SROs) in young people. Explores the efficacy of greenspaces as protective factors for SROs in different levels of rurality by metrics such as quality, quantity, and accessibility.
Author(s): Sophia C. Ryan, Jennifer D. Runkle, Luke Wertis, Margaret M. Sugg
Citation: Journal of Adolescent Health, 75(2), 305-313
Date: 08/2024
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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: 12/4/2025