Challenges and Opportunities of Pediatric Mental Health Practice in Rural America

Abstract

Youth living in Rural America have increased rates of mental illness and inadequate resources to address their mental health concerns. Programs and systems are currently available to build capacity in pediatric clinicians to care for youth with mental illness and to recruit and support rural clinicians. Such programs should continue to be supported with federal and state funding and additional novel programs aimed at addressing the youth mental health crisis in North America should be developed and funded.

Keywords: CCBHC; CPAP; Child and adolescent psychiatry; FQHC; Mental health crisis; PMHCA; Pediatric primary care clinicians; Rural mental health care.