Rural Teen Healthcare Crisis: Overcoming Barriers to Accessible Mental Health Services

In rural communities across the country, there is a major issue that is being highlighted – the lack of access to healthcare services, especially mental healthcare. This shortage is particularly acute among teenagers living in rural areas, who are more likely to experience higher rates of suicide compared to their urban and suburban counterparts. The problem is further exacerbated by the difficulty in attracting qualified professionals to work in these rural areas.

The situation is even more dire for young people living in low-income households and marginalized communities. The combination of poverty and isolation that many rural communities experience only serves to exacerbate the challenges in accessing mental health care services.

To shed light on these issues and potential solutions, Scripps News has teamed up with WorkingNation this week. The partnership aims to raise awareness about the disparities in healthcare access and spark discussions on how we can work towards a more equitable healthcare system for all Americans. Alan Morgan, CEO of the National Rural Health Association, will be featured in this special report, discussing the unique obstacles that rural teens face in finding adequate mental health care services.

Overall, this partnership aims to bring attention to an important issue affecting millions of Americans and encourage meaningful conversations about how we can address these disparities and improve access to healthcare services for all.