Further Evaluation of Youth Mental and Behavioral Health in Rural Communities

Mental and behavioral healthcare (MBH) needs of youth have been increasingly recognized over the past decade. Youth living in rural areas of the United States face a particular challenge in accessing appropriate MBH services. However, the individual needs of communities vary. The current study recruited 32 caregivers, healthcare providers, and educators from four rural communities in one state in the Mountain West region of the United States. These participants responded to questions during a 45–60-min focus group. The goal of the focus groups was to understand (a) how caregivers, healthcare providers, and educators perceive the types of MBH services that are available in their community; (b) what barriers they perceive to accessing satisfactory MBH services; and (c) what strengths they perceive within their community’s MBH system. Results of a thematic analysis of focus group transcripts found common and conflicting themes that likely have an impact on the development of an effective MBH system for rural youth.