This resource was selected by SMI Adviser content partners and approved by the SMI Adviser clinical expert team for inclusion in the knowledge base.
The paper provides an overview of behavioral health (BH) in rural America. The goal is
to help rural leaders and providers understand the issues related to rural mental health and substance use and give them resources and tools to develop targeted strategies to address the unique needs of their communities. Topics include: the prevalence of BHDs in rural populations generally and among certain high-risk population groups (e.g., veterans, children); a review of what is known about rural access to BH services, focusing on the challenges of providing prevention, treatment, and recovery services in rural areas; promising program and policy strategies that have been tested in rural communities targeting improvements in rural BH systems; and a discussion of opportunities for policy and system changes to improve rural BH systems and outcomes.”