Addressing America’s Mental Health Crisis—Especially in Rural Areas—Starts by Making Care More Accessible
September 09, 2022
A recent opinion piece argues telepsychiatry can help meet the mental health needs of rural communities. With limited access to health care facilities, rural areas may be disproportionately impacted by an ongoing shortage of mental health providers in the U.S. There may be additional cultural barriers in these communities, such as stigma against help-seeking. Providing services remotely via telehealth could help make mental health care easier and more discreet to access. To help address technological gaps such as internet shortages, providers could partner with telepsychiatry organizations that offer ways to integrate with local health care systems. “With options available at home or at the clinic, telepsychiatry can truly meet people where they are—regardless of their technological resources,” the author writes.
Spark Extra! Find tips for treating suicide risk via telehealth.