Overcoming Barriers to Effective Suicide Prevention in Rural Communities

AbstractIndividuals who live in rural communities face health challenges, including a higher risk of suicide and opiate dependence, and relatively fewer healthcare resources compared to those found in urban communities. The most prominent barriers to effective suicide prevention in rural areas include limited availability of healthcare providers, transportation limitations, economic disparities, a lack of broadband access, and reluctance to seek professional treatment. Despite these barriers, school mental health partnerships and telehealth models of care have shown promise in addressing several of these barriers in practice. These two innovations will be discussed in detail and how they help overcome some of the known barriers to effective suicide prevention in rural communities.