This brief, published by the Center for Rural Affairs, found significant deficiencies in the mental health care system in rural America.  The report found that rural Americans remain underserved in both access to mental health care providers and insurance coverage for mental health services.

Full report:

Living and working in rural America presents a variety of distinct stresses and strains as varied as rural America itself. Regardless of differences, state leaders from across the nation indicate that mental and behavioral health problems are a major, widespread rural concern. Mental health is one of the top 10 leading health indicators targeted by Healthy People 2010, the nation’s blueprint for improving health. And mental health care is the most expensive care for people, accounting for nine percent of their personal health spending. Unfortunately, this need for mental health care has not been met with widely available and accessible mental health services in rural areas. Among other factors, the problem of inadequate mental health care is strongly tied to a lack of affordable, meaningful health insurance coverage. This problem must be addressed for prosperous rural families, economies and communities.

Full report: Mental Health: Overlooked and Disregarded in Rural America (PDF | 143.09 KB)

Center for Rural Affairs. (2009). Mental health: Overlooked and disregarded in rural America. Gustafson, D.T., Preston, K. and Hudson, J.