Related Guides on this Topic
You may also want to see these guides on related topics:
Substance Abuse, Suicide
Prevention
Introduction
Mending a Broken Heartland is such a compelling title, how could
anyone resist the temptation to pick up this publication? Written in the
1980s by Joyce Barrett, it details how rural communities find ways to survive through the farm crisis. However, even with all the concern, it is well documented that rural America still lags behind its urban counterparts in mental health care, with little difference between the prevalence of clinically defined mental health problems in urban America versus rural. Rural America continues to suffer from an economic crisis; besides farming, there are other struggling industries related to natural resources - such as mining and logging - that are experiencing a net loss in economic strength. Jobs are scarce
in rural America, local businesses and services are closing, and young people
are moving to the urban areas leaving the elderly back home. The need for
outreach and community-based mental health services is as critical in rural
communities as it is in urban regions but the health care just isn't there
to do the mending.
Frequently Asked Questions
Tools
APA Help Center
Web site
An online resource for brochures, tips and articles on the psychological issues that affect an individual's physical and emotional well-being, as well as information about referrals.
Beyond Depression Toolkits
Web site
Toolkits intended to increase best practice treatment, appropriate help-seeking and self-care for those diagnosed with depression, and effective family and community support for people with major depression.
Children's Mental Health Facts: Children and Adolescents with Attention-deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Web site
Provides basic information on attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children and describes an approach to getting services and supports.
CMHS Mental Health Services Locator
Web site
Provides comprehensive information about mental health services, substance abuse treatment programs and resources nationwide for professionals, consumers and their families, and the public.
CMHS Mental Health Services Locator
Web site
Provides comprehensive information about mental health services and resources for professionals, consumers and their families, and the public.
Coping With Traumatic Events
Web site
Resources for coping in the aftermath of a tragedy. Consists of various publications for specific audiences, such as responders, schools, and families.
Cultural Competency Toolkit: Ten Grant Sites Share Lessons Learned
Web site
Provides an overview of ten model cultural competency programs. Includes their project goals, implementation plans, and program materials. This information will assist other consumer supporter organizations to launch similar cultural competency outreach programs.
Depression Medicines To Help You
Web site
A guide to help patients talk to their doctor or pharmacist about medicines called antidepressants that can help treat depression.
Factline: Tracking Health in Underserved Communities
Web site
Information and resources on health disparities in underserved communities. Includes sections on women's health, mental health, minority health, and health care access.
Finding Stone Counseling Center Hotline Telephone Numbers
Web site
A list of mental health agencies and their toll free telephone numbers that provide hotline (therapy) service regarding child abuse, domestic abuse, self abuse, drug abuse, and runaway children.
Foundation Funding Guide: Mental Health
Web site
Lists national and state foundations with an interest in mental health.
Grading the States: A Report on America's Health Care System for Serious Mental Illness
Web site
Provides information on the mental health care system for each state.
Hurricane and Other Disaster Relief Information
Web site
Provides resources to aid in the hurricane recovery process.
Mental Health: It's Part Of All Our Lives
Web site
Provides a variety of resources designed to reduce the stigma and discrimination experienced by persons with mental illnesses in our society. Includes facts and myths about mental health.
National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
Web site
An educational resource on PTSD and traumatic stress, for veterans and also for mental health care providers, researchers and the general public.
National Consumer Supporter Technical Assistance Center (NCSTAC)
Web site
The purpose of the center is to strengthen consumer organizations that support mental health by providing technical assistance in the form of research, informational materials, and financial aid.
National Mental Health Consumers' Self-Help Clearinghouse
Web site
A directory of Consumer-Driven Services (CDS) that provides consumers, researchers, administrators, service providers, and others with a comprehensive central resource for information on national and local consumer-driven programs. These programs have a proven
track record in helping people recover from mental illnesses.
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
Web site
Provides immediate assistance to individuals in suicidal crisis by connecting them to the nearest available suicide prevention and mental health service provider through a toll-free telephone number: 1-800-273-TALK (8255). It is the only national suicide prevention and intervention telephone resource funded by the Federal Government.
Participatory Dialogues: A Guide To Organizing Interactive Discussions on Mental Health Issues Among Consumers, Providers, and Family Members
Web site
Designed to stimulate and promote dialogue among States, local communities, providers, managed care organizations, advocates, family members, and consumers.
Resource Center for Rural Behavioral Health
Web site
A resource for providers, purchasers, and consumers of mental health care in frontier and rural areas. Includes full text documents, links to resources on the Internet, and a listing of rural psychology internship and training programs.
Resources for Returning Veterans and Their Families
Web site
Provides information for returning veterans on accessing mental health and substance abuse services and for military families on coping with trauma.
Rural Health Research: Mental health
Web site
Provides summaries of current and completed rural health research projects and related publications addressing the topic of mental health, produced by the Office of Rural Health Policy's funded rural health research centers.
Rural Mental and Behavioral Health: A Web Portal for Rural Communities
Web site
Works to help communities to enhance social and emotional outcomes for children and families in rural and frontier areas.
SAMHSA's National Mental Health Information Center
Web site
A resource of organizations and more than 600 documents regarding mental health topics. Provides information about mental health via a toll-free telephone number (800-789-2647). Trained staff directs callers to Federal, State, and local organizations dedicated to treating and preventing mental illness. Includes a Mental Health Services Locator for access to services by state. Includes hurricane and disaster relief information.
Shaping Mental Health Services Toward Recovery: Supported Employment
Web site
Helps people with mental illnesses and other disabilities find and keep competitive employment within their communities.
State Profiles of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services in Medicaid
Web site
Consists of a summary of each states' coverage of behavioral health in Medicaid and in the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).
Suicide Assessment Five-step Evaluation and Triage (SAFE-T) Card
Web site
Guides clinicians through five steps which address the patient’s level of suicide risk and suggest appropriate interventions.
Suicide Prevention Information Guide
Web site
Information, resources and frequently asked questions related to suicide prevention in rural areas.
Suicide Prevention Information State Pages Including Territories
Web site
Highlights suicide prevention information specific to each state and eight U.S. territories. Each page consists of recent developments, history of suicide prevention efforts, and data specific to that territory.
Suicide Prevention Resource Center
Web site
Provides prevention support, training, and resources to assist organizations and individuals to develop suicide prevention programs, interventions and policies, and to advance the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention.
Suicide State Data Fact Sheets
Web site
Individual state data fact sheets that include statistics on deaths by suicide, estimated hospitalized attempts, and data on medical costs, work loss costs, gender, race/ethnicity, age and method of suicide in the U.S.
Maps & Map Collections
Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA) - Mental Health, Clinician Priority Scores
Geographic coverage: United States
Printable map that shows the clinician priority scores of dental HPSAs nationwide. These scores are used by the National Health Service Corps in determining priorities for assignment of clinicians. Scores range from 1 to 25, with higher scores having greater priority. Data source: Health Resources and Services Administration, Bureau of Health Professions, January 2008.
Date: 2008
Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA) - Mental Health, Designated Populations
Geographic coverage: United States
Printable map that shows the location and type of population that is underserved for population group mental health HPSAs nationwide. Data source: Health Resources and Services Administration, Bureau of Health Professions, January 2008.
Date: 2008
Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA) - Mental Health, Designated Type
Geographic coverage: United States
Printable map that shows the designated types of mental health HPSAs, Population Group, Single County, and Geographical Area, nationwide. Data source: Health Resources and Services Administration, Bureau of Health Professions, January 2008.
Date: 2008
Regulations, Forms & Other Useful Documents
2004 Report to the Secretary: Rural Health and Human Service Issues
Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services
Report to the Secretary of the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services. Overview of key issues and trends affecting health and human service delivery in rural communities. Detailed information on the coordination of behavioral health and primary care, access to oral health care, and access to human services for the elderly.
Date: 04 / 2004
Action Plan for Behavioral Health Workforce Development
Author(s): Annapolis Coalition on the Behavioral Health Workforce
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
Describes a broad, national workforce development plan for the behavioral health workforce. Covers workforce issues relevant to persons with
mental health conditions, substance abuse or substance use disorders, and co-occurring mental and addictive conditions. Includes a chapter focused on rural behavioral health workforce issues.
Date: 2007
Are Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses a Solution to Rural Mental Health Workforce Shortages?
Author(s): David Hartley, Valerie Hart, Nancy Hanrahan, Stephenie Loux
Sponsoring organization: Maine Rural Health Research Center
Discusses the role advanced practice psychiatric nurses (APPNs) could play in providing mental health services to rural areas. Includes information on prescription authority and collaboration requirements for each state, as well as state distribution of APPNs.
Date: 04 / 2004
Basics: Medicare's Mental Health Benefits
Author(s): Christopher Loftis
Sponsoring organization: National Health Policy Forum
Describes the mental health coverage policies for Medicare beneficiaries.
Date: 02 / 2007
Blueprint for Change: Ending Chronic Homelessness for Persons with Serious Mental Illnesses and Co-Occurring Substance Use Disorders
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
Offers practical advice for how to plan, organize, and sustain a comprehensive, integrated system of care designed to end homelessness for people with serious mental illnesses and co-occurring substance use disorders.
Date: 01 / 2004
Depression During and After Pregnancy: A Resource for Women, Their Families, and Friends
Sponsoring organization: Health Resources and Services Administration
A booklet on depression during and after pregnancy that contains tips for identifying the condition and offers six steps to help treat it.
Date: 04 / 2007
Depression in Rural Populations: Prevalence, Effects on Life Quality, And Treatment-Seeking Behavior (Executive Summary)
Sponsoring organization: South Carolina Rural Health Research Center
Identifies the prevalence of selected mental health diagnoses across rural populations to explore the depression among rural versus urban residents, with "rural" defined as residing in a non-metropolitan area.
Date: 05 / 2005
Depression in Rural Populations: Prevalence, Effects on Life Quality, and Treatment-Seeking Behavior (Fact Sheet)
Sponsoring organization: South Carolina Rural Health Research Center
To explore the prevalence of selected mental health diagnoses across rural populations, including rural minority residents, they studied information obtained by the 1999 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), a nationally representative survey of more than 30,000 U.S. adults.
Date: 2005
Differential Effectiveness of Depression Disease Management for Rural and Urban Primary Care Patients
Author(s): Scott J. Adams; Stanley Xu; Fran Dong; John Fortney; Kathryn Rost
Sponsoring organization: WICHE Center for Rural Mental Health Research
Examines whether or not there is a differential impact of enhanced depression care on patient outcomes in rural versus urban primary care settings and whether differences are mediated by receiving evidence-based care (pharmacotherapy and specialty care counseling).
Date: 09 / 2005
Family Guide to Systems of Care for Children With Mental Health Needs
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
Provides information to help parents and caregivers seek help for children with mental health needs. Available in Spanish.
Date: 05 / 2005
Forgotten Population
Author(s): Zak Stambor
Sponsoring organization: American Psychological Association
Describes the use of telehealth and home-based health-care interventions to address a mental health crisis among elderly Americans in rural areas.
Journal citation: APA Monitor on Psychology Volume 37 Issue 10 Pages: 52-53
Date: 11 / 2006
Grading the States: A Report on America's Health Care System for Serious Mental Illness
Sponsoring organization: National Alliance on Mental Illness
Overview of the characteristics of a high quality state mental health system, with policy recommendations. Provides a comprehensive grading of state adult public mental healthcare systems for each state. Includes discussion of states' rural mental health needs.
Date: 03 / 2006
Hispanic Female Admissions in Substance Abuse Treatment: 2005
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
Examines substance abuse treatment admissions
among females of Hispanic origin.
Date: 04 / 2007
Information Gaps on the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Population: A Background Paper
Sponsoring organization: Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education
Presents the relevant issues regarding the mental health information needs of deaf and hard of hearing populations, particularly in rural America.
Date: 06 / 2006
Mental Health and Rural America: 1994-2005
Author(s): Dennis Mohatt, Scott J. Adams, Mimi M. Bradley, Chad A. Morris
Sponsoring organization: Office of Rural Health Policy
Provides a summary of the current knowledge base surrounding mental health issues in America's rural and frontier areas and an overview of the environment of mental health in rural areas over three decades. Includes an annotated bibliography.
Date: 2006
Mental Health Care Issues in a Predominantly Rural and Frontier State: Results and Implications from a Comprehensive Survey
Author(s): Theodore W. McDonald, Stephanie M. Harris, Elizabeth A. LeMesurier
Reports on a comprehensive survey sent to all licensed and registered mental health providers in each rural and frontier county of an Intermountain West state asking questions about mental health care access, barriers to mental health care, and prevalent mental health care problems.
Date: 2005
Mental Health Encounters in Critical Access Hospital Emergency Rooms: A National Survey
Author(s): David Hartley, Erika Ziller, Stephenie Loux, John Gale, David Lambert, Anush Yousefian
Sponsoring organization: Maine Rural Health Research Center
Survey indicates patients with mental health issues represent a significant proportion of the visits to Critical Access Hospital (CAH) emergency rooms. Investigates the types of cases that present with mental health problems, as well as the resources available to emergency room staff in CAHs for addressing such problems.
Date: 09 / 2005
Mental Health Risk Factors, Unmet Needs, and Provider Availability for Rural Children (Executive Summary)
Author(s): Charity G. Moore, Michael Mink, Janice C. Probst, Mark Tompkins, Andy Johnson, Shereca Hughley
Sponsoring organization: South Carolina Rural Health Research Center
Children in rural areas have fewer mental health resources available. To assess the need for services among rural children, they studied information from the 2001 National Health Interview Survey, a nationally
representative survey of the U.S. population. Possible mental health problems were identified based on the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ).
Date: 09 / 2005
Mental Health Risk Factors, Unmet Needs, and Provider Availability for Rural Children (Fact Sheet)
Sponsoring organization: South Carolina Rural Health Research Center
Children in rural areas have fewer mental health resources available. To assess the need for services among rural children, they studied information from the 2001 National Health Interview Survey, a nationally
representative survey of the U.S. population. Possible mental health problems were identified based on the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ).
Date: 2005
Mental Health, United States, 2002
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
Describes the current development of mental health statistics in 21 chapters organized in five sections: Looking Back, Looking Forward, Supporting Good Decision Making, Population Dynamics, Insurance for Mental Health Care, Status of Mental Health Services, and National Mental Health Statistics.
Date: 2004
Mental Illness: Myths and Facts
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
Provides facts to disprove several myths about mental illness.
Mentally Healthy Aging: A Report on Overcoming Stigma for Older Americans
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
Results of roundtable discussions on research findings on older adults and mental illness, manifestations of stigma and discrimination, and strategies to overcome these barriers.
Date: 2005
New Freedom Commission on Mental Health Subcommittee on Rural Issues: Background Paper
Sponsoring organization: President's New Freedom Commission on Mental Health
Report on issues relating to rural
mental health accessibility, availability, and
acceptability. In-depth discussion of rural mental health challenges, with policy recommendations. Includes a comparison of rural and urban mental health realities.
Date: 06 / 2004
Preventing Hospitalization in Depressed Rural Patients
Author(s): Scott J. Adams, Stanley Xu, Fran Dong , Kathryn Rost
Sponsoring organization: WICHE Center for Rural Mental Health Research
Investigates the substitution of higher cost hospitalization for lower cost outpatient specialty care for depression and the extent to which insurance barriers impact service substitution patterns of outpatient specialty care for depression in rural and urban areas.
Date: 09 / 2005
Provider System for Children's Mental Health: Workforce Capacity and Effective Treatment
Author(s): Jane Koppelman
Sponsoring organization: National Health Policy Forum
Describes the shortage of qualified providers to address children's mental disorders, including shortages in rural areas. Also discusses evidence-based care in children's mental health.
Date: 10 / 2004
Psychological Needs of U.S. Military Service Members and Their Families: A Preliminary Report
Sponsoring organization: American Psychological Association
Provides an overview of what is currently known
about the impact of military deployments on service members and their families, identifies programs developed to meet their mental health needs, and offers recommendations for improving the psychological care offered to service members and their families.
Date: 01 / 2007
Ranking America's Mental Health: An Analysis of Depression Across the States
Author(s): Tami Mark, David Shern, Jill Bagalman, Zhun Cao
Sponsoring organization: Mental Health America
Compares depression levels and suicide rates in all 50 states and the District of Columbia and uses this information to highlight solutions to improve states’ mental health status.
Date: 12 / 2007
Resource Guide for Implementing the JCAHO 2007 Patient Safety Goals on Suicide
Author(s): Douglas Jacobs
Sponsoring organization: Screening for Mental Health
A resource guide for implementing the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations 2007 National Patient Safety Goals on suicide.
Date: 2007
Rural and Frontier Mental and Behavioral Health Care: Barriers, Effective Policy Strategies, Best Practices
Author(s): Donald Sawyer, John Gale, David Lambert
Sponsoring organization: National Association for Rural Mental Health
The barriers to mental and behavioral health services in rural and frontier America have changed little over the past three decades. Several studies and projects have reported that resources have historically been concentrated in urban areas of the United States, and the limited availability, accessibility and acceptability
of rural mental and behavioral health services have created serious consequences for individuals, families and State mental health authorities.
Date: 2006
Rural and Frontier Mental and Behavioral Health Care: Barriers, Effective Policy Strategies, Best Practices
Author(s): Donald Sawyer, John Gale, David Lambert
Sponsoring organization: National Association for Rural Mental Health
Reports on the mental and behavioral health needs of Americans living in rural and frontier areas with a focus on barriers, policy strategies, and best practices.
Date: 2006
Rural Inpatient Psychiatric Units Improve Access to Community-Based Mental Health Services, but Medicare Payment Policy a Barrier
Author(s): Stephenie Loux, David Hartley, David Lambert
Sponsoring organization: Maine Rural Health Research Center
Investigates inpatient psychiatric units (IPUs) in rural hospitals as well as the community-based mental health services available to patients.
Date: 08 / 2007
Rural Mental Health in the WICHE West: Meeting Workforce Demands through Regional Partnership
Sponsoring organization: Office of Rural Health Policy
Discusses the mental health workforce needs facing the states that are part of the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) and what can be done to effectively meeting the mental health care needs of the region.
Date: 03 / 2005
Rural Vets Return Home to Face New Battles
Author(s): Candi Helseth
Sponsoring organization: Rural Assistance Center
Describes the need for access to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI) treatment among veterans and barriers faced among rural veterans in accessing those services.
Journal citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 2007
Rural Women with Disabilities and Depression, Part One: Characteristics and Treatment Patterns
Author(s): Rosemary Hughes
Sponsoring organization: Research and Training Center on Disability in Rural Communities
An analysis of a study testing the effectiveness of a peer-led depression self-management intervention for rural women with physical disabilities.
Date: 07 / 2007
Safe and Effective Messaging for Suicide Prevention
Sponsoring organization: Suicide Prevention Resource Center
Provides evidence-based recommendations for creating safe and effective messages to raise public awareness that suicide is a serious and preventable public health problem.
SAMHSA Issues Consensus Statement on Mental Health Recovery
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
A consensus statement outlining principles necessary to achieve mental health recovery developed by expert panelists representing mental health consumers, families, providers, advocates, researchers, managed care organizations, state and local public officials and others.
Date: 02 / 2006
School Mental Health Services in the United States 2002 - 2003
Author(s): Susan Foster, Mary Rollefson, Teresa Doksum, Denise Noonan, Gail Robinson, Judith Teich
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
Describes the first national survey of mental health services in a representative sample of the approximately 83,000 public elementary,
middle, and high schools and their associated school districts in the United States.
Date: 2005
Services for Hispanic Children and Families
Author(s): Beth A. Stroul
Sponsoring organization: National Technical Assistance Center for Children's Mental Health
Summarize issues and challenges of providing mental health services for children and their families from diverse populations.
Date: 07 / 2006
Services in Native American Communities
Author(s): Beth Stroul
Sponsoring organization: National Technical Assistance Center for Children's Mental Health
Summarize issues and challenges related to services in Native American communities and identifies effective service delivery strategies.
Date: 07 / 2006
Services in Rural and Frontier Communities
Author(s): Beth Stroul, Joyce Sebian
Sponsoring organization: National Technical Assistance Center for Children's Mental Health
Summarizes issues and challenges related to services in rural and frontier communities, and identifies effective service delivery strategies for local systems of care.
Date: 07 / 2006
Smallest Rural Hospitals Treat Mental Health Emergencies
Sponsoring organization: Maine Rural Health Research Center
Discusses the extent to which rural emergency rooms encounter and treat mental health patients.
Date: 2005
State Estimates of Depression: 2004 and 2005
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
Provides state-level data on depression. Highlights the prevalence of major depressive episodes by youth and adults across states.
Date: 06 / 2007
State Mandates for Treatment for Mental Illness and Substance Use Disorders
Author(s): Gail K. Robinson, Jerome B. Connolly, Melanie Whitter, Candy A. Magaña
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
Reports on state-mandated benefits, state laws regulating mental health and addiction treatment workers, and state-recognized mental health clinicians with authority to prescribe psychotropic medications.
Date: 2007
Suicidal Thoughts, Suicide Attempts, Major Depressive Episode, and Substance Use among Adults
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
Provides a brief overview about the relationships between suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts, and substance use among adults aged 18 or older who have had at least one major depressive episode (MDE) during the past year.
Date: 2006
Telemedicine Mental Health Services Guide
Sponsoring organization: Office for the Advancement of Telehealth
Overview of the critical success factors to be considered when developing telemental health services.
Date: 2004
Transforming Mental Health Care in America: The Federal Action Agenda: First Steps
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
Identifies specific, actionable objectives for the initiation of a long-term strategy designed to move the Nation's public and private mental health service delivery systems toward the day when all adults with serious mental illnesses and all children with serious emotional disturbances will live, work, learn, and participate fully in their communities.
Date: 08 / 2006
Use of Marijuana and Blunts among Adolescents: 2005
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
Discussion on marijuana and blunt use among youths aged 12 to 17. Data are presented by demographic and academic characteristics based on the 2005
National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH).
Date: 03 / 2007
Journals
Journal of Rural Community Psychology
A peer-reviewed, scholarly journal in electronic form. Devoted to sociological, psychological and mental health issues in rural and small community settings.
Organizations
AgriWellness, Inc.
Nonprofit/Foundation
Assists the seven-state Sowing the Seeds of Hope region that includes: Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin. Provides technical assistance for the Sowing the Seeds of Hope projects.
American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP)
National organization
A national professional medical association dedicated to treating and improving the quality of life for children, adolescents, and families affected by developmental, behavioral, and mental disorders.
American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT)
National organization
A professional association for the field of marriage and family therapy representing the professional interests of more than 23,000 marriage and family therapists throughout the United States, Canada and abroad. Maintains a website search engine that allows users to find counselors by zip code.
American Psychiatric Association (APA)
National organization
An organization composed primarily of medical specialists who are qualified, or in the process of becoming qualified, as psychiatrists.
American Psychological Association (APA)
National organization
Scientific and professional organization that represents psychology in the United States.
Association of Clinicians for the Underserved (ACU)
National organization
A nonprofit, transdisciplinary organization of clinicians, advocates, and health care organizations united in a common mission to improve the health of America's underserved populations and to enhance the development and support of the health care clinicians serving these populations.
Center for Effective Collaboration and Practice (CECP)
National organization
Supports and promotes a national preparedness to foster the development and the adjustment of children with or at risk of developing serious emotional disturbance.
CrisisLink
National organization
Gives support to those facing life crises, trauma and suicide, and provide information, education and links to community resources to empower people to help themselves.
Frontier Mental Health Services Resource Network
National organization
Provides an extensive collection of publications on the problems with access to mental health services in rural areas. Defines "frontier" and displays through maps counties designated as frontier areas. Offers technical assistance to rural agencies and advocates mental health/substance abuse topics as they impact upon or exist within rural areas.
Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative
National organization
A national foundation whose mission is to help youth in foster care make successful transitions to adulthood.
Kristin Brooks Hope Center (KBHC)
Nonprofit/Foundation
Dedicated to suicide prevention, intervention and healing: by providing a single point of entry to community-based crisis services; by bringing national attention and access to
services for postpartum depression and other women's mood disorders; through education and advocacy; through formal research and evaluation of crisis line services; and, by championing the need for national funding for community-based suicide prevention crisis services.
Maine Rural Health Research Center (MRHC)
Academic/Research
One of eight Rural Health Research Centers funded by the Office of Rural Health Policy. Works to inform health care policymaking and the delivery of rural health services, focusing on rural health care financing and system reform, rural long term care, and rural mental health.
Mental Health America (MHA)
National organization
A nonprofit organization addressing all aspects of mental health and mental illness. With more than 320 affiliates nationwide, MHA works to improve the mental health of all Americans, with mental disorders, through advocacy, education, research and service.
National Association for Rural Mental Health (NARMH)
National organization
Works to develop and enhance rural mental health and substance abuse services, and to support mental health providers in rural areas.
National Association of School Psychologists (NASP)
National organization
Represents and supports school psychology through leadership to enhance the mental health and educational competence of all children.
National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors
National organization
Advocates for the collective interests of State Mental Health Authorities and their directors at the national level. Analyzes trends in the delivery and financing of mental health services.
National Center for Cultural Competence (NCCC)
National organization
Mission is to increase the capacity of health and mental health programs to design, implement, and evaluate culturally and linguistically competent service delivery systems. Provides a variety of tools, publications and other resources online. Information available in Spanish.
National Child Traumatic Stress Network: Center for Rural, Frontier & Tribal Health (NCTSN-CRFTH)
Academic/Research
Assists rural, frontier, and Tribal communities in the treatment of child traumatic stress through technology-augmented resources.
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Federal government
A biomedical and behavioral research agency that conducts research on mental and behavioral disorders, supports research on these topics at universities and hospitals in the U.S., collects, analyzes, and disseminates information on the causes, occurrence, and treatment of mental illnesses, and communicates information to scientists, the public, the news media, and primary care and mental health professionals about mental illnesses. Some information available in Spanish.
National Latino Behavioral Health Association (NLBHA)
National organization
Established to fill a need for a unified national voice for Latino populations in the behavioral health arena and to bring attention to the disparities that exist in areas of access, utilization, practice based research and adequately trained personnel.
National Rural Behavioral Health Center (NRBHC)
National organization
Focuses on four components of rural behavioral health: Rural Disaster and Trauma, Violence Prevention, Occupational Health, and Health Service Delivery. Houses a team of behavioral health scientists, educators, scholars, and practitioners dedicated to improving the health care status of rural Americans.
Office of Rural Mental Health Research (ORMHR)
Academic/Research
Supports research activities and information dissemination on mental health issues in rural areas, including the delivery of mental health services in rural areas.
Project Relate
Nonprofit/Foundation
A public service campaign that strives to break down the stigma and stereotypes associated with mental illness and help the public relate to those who cope with these issues.
Research and Training Center on Family Support and Children's Mental Health (RTC)
Academic/Research
Dedicated to promoting effective community-based, culturally competent, family-centered services for families and their children who are, or may be affected by mental, emotional or behavioral disorders through collaborative research partnerships.
Screening for Mental Health
National organization
Provides programs that include both in-person and online programs for depression, bipolar disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, eating disorders, alcohol problems, and suicide prevention.
Southeastern Rural Mental Health Research Center (SRMHRC)
Academic/Research
Works to improve the quality of mental health care for rural, impoverished individuals in the South. Focuses on the delivery of formal and informal services to rural, impoverished, minority, mentally ill persons in the southeastern United States, and on the improvement of patient outcomes.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
Federal government
Works to improve the quality and availability of prevention, treatment, and rehabilitative services in order to reduce illness, death, disability, and cost to society resulting from substance abuse and mental illnesses. Part of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.
Terms & Acronyms
Bipolar Disorder A mood disorder characterized by the presence or history of manic episodes, usually, but not necessarily, alternating with depressive episodes.
Clinical Psychologist A professional with a doctoral degree in psychology who specializes in therapy.
Early Intervention A process used to recognize warning signs for mental health problems and to take early action against factors that put individuals at risk. Early intervention can help children get better in less time and can prevent problems from becoming worse.
Emergency and Crisis Services A group of services that is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to help during a mental health emergency. Examples include telephone crisis hotlines, suicide hotlines, crisis counseling, crisis residential treatment services, crisis outreach teams, and crisis respite care.
Evaluation The systematic investigation of the value and impact of an intervention or program.
Evidence-based Programs that have undergone scientific evaluation and have proven to be effective.
Group Therapy This form of therapy involves groups of usually four to twelve people who have similar problems and who meet regularly with a therapist. The therapist uses the emotional interactions of the group's members to help them get relief from distress and possibly modify their behavior.
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) HIPAA is a privacy rule that creates national standards to protect individuals' medical records and other personal health information.
Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) Geographic regions that have shortages of professionals working in primary medical care, dental or mental health care. HPSAs may be urban or rural areas, population groups or medical or other public facilities. Geographically, HPSAs can be cities or towns, counties or groups of counties. HPSA designations are reviewed and revised annually by the Secretary of Health and Human Services based on criteria set forth in the Public Health Service Act.
Health Professional Shortage Area - Mental Health (HPSA - Mental Health) HPSA designation for a shortage of mental healthcare professionals that requires three criteria are met. First, the area must be a rational area for delivery of mental healthcare services. Second, the ratio of population to existing providers must meet at least one of several criteria detailed in the Health Professional Shortage Area Mental Health Designation Criteria listed on the Bureau of Health Professions website. Also, the area under consideration must have mental health professionals in continuous (nearby/adjoining) areas that are over utilized, excessively distant or inaccessible.
Individual Therapy Therapy tailored for a patient/client that is administered one-on-one.
Mood Disorders Mental disorders that are characterized by a prominent or persistent mood disturbance; disturbances can be in the direction of elevated expansive emotional states, or, if in the opposite direction, depressed emotional states. Included are Depressive Disorders, Bipolar Disorders, mood disorders due to a medical condition, and substance-induced mood disorders.
Non-Institutional Services A facility that provides mental health services, but not on a residential basis, other than an inpatient facility or nursing home.
Pastoral Counseling Counselors working within traditional faith communities to incorporate psychotherapy, and/or medication, with prayer and spirituality to effectively help some people with mental disorders. Some people prefer to seek help for mental health problems from their pastor, rabbi, or priest, rather than from therapists who are not affiliated with a religious community.
Psychiatrist A professional who completed both medical school and training in psychiatry and is a specialist in diagnosing and treating mental illness.
Psychoanalysis An analysis that focuses on past conflicts as the underpinnings to current emotional and behavioral problems. In this long-term and intensive therapy, an individual meets with a psychoanalyst three to five times a week, using "free association" to explore unconscious motivations and earlier, unproductive patterns of resolving issues.
Residential Services Services provided over a 24-hour period or any portion of the day which a patient resided, on an on-going basis, in a State facility or other facility and received treatment.
Residential Treatment Centers Facilities that provide treatment 24 hours a day and can usually serve more than 12 young people at a time. Children with serious emotional disturbances receive constant supervision and care. Treatment may include individual, group, and family therapy; behavior therapy; special education; recreation therapy; and medical services. Residential treatment is usually more long-term than inpatient hospitalization. Centers are also known as therapeutic group homes.
Schizophrenia A mental disorder characterized by "positive" and "negative" symptoms. Psychotic, or positive, symptoms include delusions, hallucinations, and disordered thinking (apparent from a person's fragmented, disconnected and sometimes nonsensical speech). Negative symptoms include social withdrawal, extreme apathy, diminished motivation, and blunted emotional expression.
Screening Administration of an assessment tool to identify persons in need of more in-depth evaluation or treatment.
Serious Emotional Disturbances Diagnosable disorders in children and adolescents that severely disrupt their daily functioning in the home, school, or community. Serious emotional disturbances affect one in 10 young people. These disorders include depression, attention-deficit/hyperactivity, anxiety disorders, conduct disorder, and eating disorders.
Stigma An object, idea, or label associated with disgrace.
Substance Abuse Misuse of medications, alcohol or other illegal substances.
Suicidal Behavior A spectrum of activities related to thoughts and behaviors that include suicidal thinking, suicide attempts, and completed suicide.
Suicidal Ideation Thoughts of engaging in suicide-related behavior.
Telemental Health Services All mental health services whose delivery is assisted by telecommunications technologies, including telepsychiatry.
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