Accessing mental health services in rural areas can be a big challenge. But so can putting aside longstanding reluctance to take that step.
Those are some of the takeaways from a new report called “You Can’t Rub Dirt In It: Kansas Rural and Frontier Mental Health” authored by AJ Dome and highlighted recently on KVOE’s Morning Show. The former KVOE News reporter says the report stemmed from him covering a National Alliance on Mental Illness Kansas event in Dodge City focused on mental health awareness by having ag producers speak about their stresses and other mental health concerns. Following up and getting interviews for the report took a lot of time because of the subject matter.
Dome’s report looks at conditions in the state’s 33 rural counties, considered as having 6-20 people per square mile, and the 37 frontier counties with less than 6 people per square mile. It captures several snapshots of mental health concerns, from rapidly rising food prices to lengthy drives for therapy sessions to longstanding adaptations and workarounds due to scarce resources. He says the travel distance needed for mental health supports is by far the biggest hurdle to overcome — at a time when rural hospitals are increasingly in danger of closing, thus causing even longer drive times.
Dome also spent time focusing on the aftereffects of the devastating Greensburg tornado that almost destroyed the entire town and killed a dozen people in 2007. The town rebuilt and did so “green,” only to almost get hit by another tornado last year.
Dome says the stresses of ag life, unfortunately, lead to suicide being a major concern. Men are more prone than women, with a national rate of 43 suicide deaths per 100,000 people, but the impact of a suicide in an ag community goes well beyond the impacted family.
Dome also says the first “entry point to helping somebody” is a simple, honest question.
The 32-page report is online at namikansas.org. The report will also be published and available at different mental health clinics and medical offices. A related book is also planned.
