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Mental Health Status And Access To Health Care Services For Adults In Maine, Erika C. Ziller Phd, Barbara Leonard Mph

Access / Insurance

Maine people with poor mental health describe significant challenges with affordability and access to health care. A new report released by the Maine Health Access Foundation (MeHAF) and the University of Southern Maine, Mental Health Status and Access to Health Care Service for Adults in Maine, describes how adults 18 and older in Maine who report depression and poor mental health have many barriers to getting health care. These results have important implications for planning in a time when major changes in health insurance coverage are expected.

Analyzing data from the ongoing federal/state public health survey, the Behavioral Risk …

Adverse Childhood Experiences In Rural And Urban Contexts, Jean A. Talbot Phd, Donald Szlosek Mph, Erika C. Ziller Phd

Mental Health / Substance Use Disorders

Recent research shows that rural children are more likely than urban children to experience certain kinds of adversity. Researchers at the Maine Rural Health Research Center looked at how adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have affected rural and urban adults. Using data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Assessment, this study found that, while the prevalence of ACEs was comparable in rural and urban adults, over half of rural adults surveyed reported having ACE exposure.Among those with any ACE history, about one quarter experienced four or more ACEs. Policy implications and strategies are highlighted in this brief.

Key Findings:

• Past …

Mental Health Services In Rural Long-Term Care: Challenges And Opportunities For Improvement, Jean A. Talbot Phd, Andrew F. Coburn Phd

Mental Health / Substance Use Disorders

To facilitate reform efforts, more research is needed on the current status of mental health services in rural long-term care. Also needed are new tools promoting the targeted use of provisions in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to address the mental health needs of rural long-term care recipients. In this brief, we explore novel practices that hold promise for enhancing mental health services in rural long-term care, focusing primarily on the needs of rural elders who reside either in nursing facilities or in their own homes in the community. Key Findings: Despite high levels of need, individuals in long-term care …

Challenges And Opportunities For Improving Mental Health Services In Rural Long-Term Care, Jean A. Talbot Phd, Andrew F. Coburn Phd

Long Term Services and Supports

Despite high levels of need, individuals in long-term care often fail to receive appropriate mental health services, especially in rural areas. In this report (and accompanying Research & Policy Brief), we consider challenges and opportunities for improving mental health treatment delivered to long-term care recipients in rural settings. As background, we note the prevalence of mental health problems in long-term care populations, describe deficiencies in the mental health care afforded to long-term care recipients, and identify barriers that hinder the remediation of these deficiencies in rural settings. We also outline a rationale for enhancing mental health services in long-term …

Rural Vets: Their Barriers, Problems, Needs, John A. Gale Ms, Hilda R. Heady

Access / Insurance

Evolving population trends--the aging of rural veterans, the growing number of female veterans and rates of homelessness among veterans--place significant demands on VA and rural delivery systems. Coordination among health care providers is essential to increasing the availability of services and expanding veteran outreach programs.

Access To Mental Health Services And Family Impact Of Rural Children With Mental Health Problems, Jennifer D. Lenardson Mhs, Erika C. Ziller Phd, David Lambert Phd, Melanie M. Race Ms, Anush Yousefian Hansen Ms, Ma

Mental Health / Substance Use Disorders

Mental health problems have considerable impact on children and their families and some of these impacts are higher in rural than urban areas. Rural children are slightly but significantly more likely to have a mental health problem than urban children, are more likely to have a behavioral difficulty, and are more likely to be usually or always affected by their condition. Compared to urban children, rural children are more likely to go without access to all parent-reported needed mental health services and their families spend more time coordinating their care. This working paper and policy brief provide information on prevalence …

The Provision Of Mental Health Services By Rural Health Clinics, John A. Gale Ms, Stephanie L. Loux Ms, Barbara Shaw Jd, David Hartley Phd, Mha

Rural Health Clinics

The number of Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) providing specialty mental health services remains limited. This study examined changes in the delivery of mental health services by RHCs, their operational characteristics, barriers to the development of services, and policy options to encourage more RHCs to deliver mental health services. Key Findings: Approximately 6% of independent and 2% of provider-based RHCs offer mental health services by doctoral-level psychologists and/or clinical social workers. Models used to provide mental health services include contracted and/or employed clinicians housed in the same facility as primary care providers. A key element in the development of mental health …

Mental Health And Substance Abuse In Maine: Building A Community-Based System, David Lambert Phd, John A. Gale Ms

Mental Health / Substance Use Disorders

No abstract provided.

Rural Children Don't Receive The Mental Health Care They Need, David Lambert Phd, Erika C. Ziller Phd, Jennifer D. Lenardson Mhs

Mental Health / Substance Use Disorders

Key Findings: Just over one-third of all children with a mental health problem received a mental health visit in the past year; Controlling for other characteristics that affect access to care, rural children are 20% less likely to have a mental health visit than urban children; Having Medicaid or SCHIP increases the likelihood that a child will receive services, and this is pronounced in rural areas.