The Rural Policy Development Center also outlines actions families can take immediately to access care, even when local resources are scarce.
MANKATO, Minn. — Experts say children’s mental health has been declining over the past decade, and the pandemic has only made it worse.
Now, Center for Rural Policy Development It also highlights the fact that rural families are finding it increasingly difficult to access the support their children need.
There is a growing shortage of mental health professionals, as well as logistical challenges such as travel and wait times.
So the question arises: what exactly is a parent to do?
That’s what inspired Marnie Warner, CRPD’s vice president of research and operations, to take on this year-long project.
“Rural areas have better overall health outcomes, but there are barriers to accessing assistance in rural areas that make it a bigger problem for rural families,” said Warner, who has studied rural issues for 20 years.
The CRPD was launched in the 1990s to collect nonpartisan data on policy issues across Minnesota.
When it comes to mental health, Warner said it will take years to address the issue, but data shows it’s especially prevalent among girls: 35% of respondents in a 2019 survey admitted to having mental health issues; that number jumps to 45% by 2022.
Werner says it’s important to remember that “mental health” is not the same as “mental illness”, but focuses on a person’s state of emotional, psychological and social well-being. It affects how a person thinks, feels and behaves, how they interact with others, how they cope with stress and the choices they make.
“I truly understand that feeling of, ‘Am I the only one that’s struggling with this?’ And when you feel like you’re the only one, it can be hard to ask for help,” said Wade McKittrick, superintendent of Montevideo Public Schools.
Added to this are long wait times, a decline in clinics, a shortage of doctors and a persistent stigma around seeking help.
“It takes time to get things done. We have to pivot,” Warner said of long-term solutions. People can’t wait that long, she said, and the study suggests important recommendations families can turn to now. “I was amazed at how easily these things were available and how quickly they became a solution for rural families.”
Her findings point to three existing solutions, including education: Knowledge can help ease fears, Warner said, and the report highlights several national and local resources from the National Alliance on Mental Illness, the Minnesota Department of Health and the Minnesota Association for Children’s Mental Health, among others.
She also noted that many schools in the state already offer mental health services on-site — state grants pay for therapists in nearly every county, for example — and having services available in schools also goes a long way toward alleviating concerns that kids won’t be singled out.
There’s also a movement to integrate mental health into primary care: According to the Minnesota Department of Health’s Office of Rural Health and Primary Care, the majority of physicians in urban and rural areas already provide some aspect of mental health services when there are no other options (89% rural, 83% urban).
“Instead of going to a specialist clinic to see a psychiatrist, you can have a therapist at your regular clinic and make an instant connection,” Warner said, calling it a shortcut to breaking down barriers at a time when time is of the essence.
If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, here are some resources you can get help with:
Crisis Text Line – Text “MN” to 741741 (standard data and text rates apply)
Emergency Numbers Your Minnesota County
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 988, Talk to someone now
Call **CRISIS** (**274747) throughout Minnesota
The Trevor Project Call 866-488-7386
