Multi-State Meeting Equips Stakeholders in Rural Areas with Tools to Reduce Disparities in Care

Minorities in America are significantly less likely than non-Hispanic whites to seek or receive mental health treatment for a variety of reasons, including stigma, cost of care and our nation’s fragmented mental health system. The gap is particularly wide in rural and geographically remote areas, where minorities face numerous geographic and cultural challenges, including a shortage of culturally competent providers and fear of breaches to confidentiality.

In March, Mental Health America began an initiative to help stakeholders in rural areas reduce these barriers, as part of its disparities partnership with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Minority Health (OMH). The two-day, multi-state meeting, held in Albuquerque, New Mexico, brought together teams of affiliates, consumers, rural service providers and tribal and state health leaders from six states (Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, Nevada, North Dakota and Utah). The goals were twofold: to highlight concerns about barriers to mental health treatment in rural areas and provide stakeholders with tools and strategies to build innovative models for improving access to appropriate services in their home states.

Participants gained valuable insights from issue experts, who provided examples of positive community efforts occurring across the area, while experts learned from the personal stories and experiences of participants. This dialogue established new relationships between the two groups and paved the way for ongoing support and guidance as advocates returned to their communities to develop and implement new service models.

Although many of the stakeholders were meeting for the first time, discussions focused on their common challenges and goals and each delegation gained an understanding of successful regional approaches they can bring to their own areas. One such approach was the development of partnerships with universities and academics to implement and measure evidence-based practices for ethnic and minority populations.

The meeting helped build a new platform that provides delegations with the ability to build innovative models and create action plans for services in their home states. Meeting presentations and resources are available to all affiliates on Mental Health America’s website under Action/Policy Issues A-Z/Healthcare Disparities. For more information, please contact Kate Gaston at kgaston@mentalhealthamerica.net.