SMI Adviser, in partnership with the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD) and the NASMHPD Research Institute, has published a report on how to improve the availability, accessibility, and acceptability of mental health care in rural and remote areas. Improving Behavioral Health Services for Individuals with Serious Mental Illness in Rural and Remote Communities offers solutions developed by professionals actually working in rural and remote settings.

“Even before the pandemic, rates of serious mental illness were higher in rural areas,” said Saul Levin, MD, MPA, American Psychiatric Association CEO and medical director. “To ensure continued improvement in care, we need to remember that tailored solutions for the resources, workforce, and community in rural areas are critical.”

To improve mental health care availability, the report suggests expanding rural primary care providers’ knowledge about serious mental illness, implementing collaborative care, expanding peer support networks, and training emergency medical technicians and community members on suicide risk assessment and crisis intervention.

Telemental Health Capabilities Key for Current, Future Public Health Crises

To better accessibility, the guidance advises mobile mental health offerings, telehealth and telepsychiatry options, and hotlines to connect rural residents in crisis with services.

A culture of self-sufficiency combined with a lack of anonymity in smaller communities can affect the acceptability of seeking mental health help among rural residents, experts noted. To address stigma-related barriers, the report suggests supporting youth-based mental health literacy initiatives, working with community and spiritual leaders to destigmatize mental health care, and running suicide awareness campaigns.

“The powerful part about this report is that its recommendations come from the clinicians, administrators, and staff who work directly with people with serious mental illness in rural communities,” said Amy Cohen, PhD, director of SMI Adviser. “What they told us was not exactly what you’d learn in your training, but rather smart, creative, and practical ways to connect individuals with serious mental illness with the care they need. Anyone who is involved in the provision of mental health care in rural areas should examine its recommendations.”

References

SMI Adviser. Improving Behavioral Health Services for Individuals with SMI in Rural and Remote Communities. National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD) and the NASMHPD Research Institute; 2021. Accessed November 22, 2021.

National report offers solutions to overcome the three major obstacles to rural mental health care. News release. American Psychiatric Association. November 18, 2021. Accessed November 22, 2021.