Rural/urban disparities in mental health and substance abuse

For the past 20 years, the Maine Rural Health Research Center’s research agenda has focused on some of the most intractable health access problems facing rural residents, especially those with mental health and substance abuse issues and those facing financial barriers due to lack of insurance and under-insurance.  Increasingly, we recognize that ensuring health care availability in rural areas is a necessary but insufficient response to the health needs of rural residents. There is a new access paradigm that focuses on the appropriateness, quality, and coordination of the services that residents receive, as well as economic, cultural, political and demographic intra-rural variability.  In this session, we will discuss urban-rural and intra-rural variations in key behavioral health issues such as substance abuse, depression and anxiety, with sub-analyses by age, sex, and other demographic variables.  We will also explore the distribution of mental health and substance abuse services and professionals.  We will then consider new models for improving access, including tele-mental health, rural veterans outreach initiatives, and mental health first aid.