Researcher Releases Detailed Look at Rural Mental Health

By TED MEBUST

What are the unique aspects of rural communities and culture that may contribute to mental health concerns and increased risk of suicide in rural New York? What factors contribute to positive mental health and well-being?  How do community members seek help for behavioral health concerns, and what factors influence these help-seeking preferences? How can rural communities—individually and as a whole—improve availability, awareness, access, and utilization of mental health services, resources, and support?

These were the questions Dr. Brett Harris sought to answer as she embarked on an 18-month rural listening tour, the first of its kind in New York State, from March 2020 to September 2021. Dr. Harris, a senior research scientist at NORC, an independent research institution at the University of Chicago, and a professor of public health at the University at Albany, heard from almost 300 residents and healthcare professionals across 16 rural counties to produce a report detailing possible strategies to “improve mental health in rural areas in New York and beyond.”