February 7, 2024
Hoarding disorder can lead to serious health risks and a hazardous home environment, with older adults especially vulnerable – but in rural places, diagnosing and treating the condition can be a challenge.
September 6, 2023
In rural communities, where funding is often limited and mental health resources may be scarce, ensuring incarcerated people have access to needed care can be a challenge.
June 28, 2023
New HIV infections are on the decline in the U.S. — but in some rural areas, lingering stigma and misunderstanding still stand as barriers to the prevention and treatment of the virus.
June 14, 2023
A December 2021 survey from the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) suggests that farmers and farmworkers are more aware of mental health resources and less likely to see stigma as a barrier to care, compared to previous surveys. Experts from AgriSafe, AgWell, and AFBF share their own success stories of stigma reduction as well as the challenges that remain in addressing farmers' mental health.
April 5, 2023
As Program Chief of the Office of Rural Mental Health Research, Dawn Morales, PhD, discusses recent stressors such as the financial impact of natural disasters on farmers and ranchers as well as the loss of revered elders in indigenous communities due to COVID-19. She also stresses the importance of cultural competency in mental healthcare and rural-specific protective factors.
January 25, 2023
Rural teens face a higher prevalence of behavior problems, anxiety, and suicide rates than their urban peers, but there are fewer behavioral health providers in rural areas to help these teens. A trauma therapist in rural West Virginia and a school program in rural Wisconsin incorporate teenagers' strengths and interests and connect them with trusted adults in order to improve their mental health.
August 31, 2022
A skilled nursing facility in New Hampshire and national experts share the benefits telehealth services can bring to the residents and staff of rural long-term care facilities as well as the challenges some facilities face in providing these services.
May 4, 2022
A new library initiative in Texas and an established crisis line in Georgia are bringing mental health services directly to rural residents through teams of lay mental health workers and mental health professionals.
November 24, 2021
When Henry County Medical Center (HCMC) and the community of Paris, Tennessee, wanted to combat behavioral and mental health challenges in their community, they used the technical assistance and resources provided by the Delta Region Community Health Systems Development (DRCHSD) program to address their needs.
April 7, 2021
Though often considered an urban problem, homelessness also affects rural individuals and families, impacting their health and well-being. A Vermont nonprofit leader shares her organization's work using the evidence-based solution Housing First and reminds us that for many, homelessness is just "one catastrophic event away."