Making connections: Suicide prevention and the use of technology with rural veterans.

Abstract

Significant research to date has explored risk factors for suicide, highlighting issues such as social and geographical isolation, economic distress, and access to weapons. Not only are veterans living in rural communities more likely to present with such risk factors, but rural residency itself has been identified as an independent risk factor for suicide. Access to quality mental health services is often limited in small communities, despite identified needs. The Rural Mental Health (RMH) team was developed to meet those needs, using telehealth technologies to increase access to high quality mental health care for rural veterans throughout the Pacific Northwest. This descriptive analysis summarizes key program features and administrative data regarding the demographic and clinical characteristics of veterans receiving these services. Case examples are presented illustrating how the RMH team is using innovative technologies and multidisciplinary care collaboration to overcome barriers to treatment, providing individualized, comprehensive mental health services. Language: en