Rural Minds launches national mental health program for youth

The nonprofit Rural Minds is launching a national rollout of its Rural Youth Mental Wellness program to address the mental health crisis facing young people in rural communities. The initiative follows a pilot program designed by a committee of rural youth to provide peers with free, accessible, and anonymous mental health resources.

Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates that the suicide rate for rural youth aged 15-19 is 74% higher than that of urban youth. Rural populations face specific obstacles to care, including limited insurance coverage, scarce providers, long travel distances, lack of public transportation, and unreliable internet for telehealth services. Additionally, social stigma in communities that value self-reliance can prevent young people from seeking help.

The updated program is sponsored by the Sompo Foundation, with previous support from Boehringer Ingelheim. The Lab for Scalable Mental Health at Northwestern University is partnering with Rural Minds to champion these evidence-based tools to overcome barriers to help-seeking.