In rural areas where mental health resources may be scarce, schools have a unique role and responsibility in providing or linking students to mental health services. The following resources address the specific needs and issues of rural schools.
Farm and Farm Family Risk and Resilience: A Guide for Extension Educational Programming
University of Cooperative Delaware Extension and the University of Maryland Extension have developed a guide for educators focused on programming to reduce risk and increase resilience for farms and farm families. This report includes a risk and resilience framework, logic models for programming with three different audiences, tools for assessment and teaching, and teaching resources. This is part of the Farm and Farm Family Risk and Resilience Toolkit. Additional links provided through this program include:
National Center for Rural School Mental Health
In partnership with rural schools, this website offers a comprehensive set of teacher and student surveys, tools, interventions, and professional development materials to help identify, prevent, and intervene in mental health concerns among students.
Recruitment and Retention of School Mental Health Providers: Strategies and Key Resources
This report describes organizational and policy strategies to improve recruitment and retention of school mental health providers. Additionally, it identifies resources developed by reputable organizations to facilitate implementation of these strategies.
Rural Schools and Health Resources: Rural Health Information Hub
The Rural Health Information Hub provides a list of resources, organizations, funding opportunities, and models and innovations focusing on rural schools and health.
Supporting the Mental Health Well-being of High School Students
This report from the ACT Center for Equity in Learning focuses on students’ perceptions of the mental health services available to them at their schools. Students who took the ACT® on the February 2019 national test date were sent a survey that explored their access to mental health services and professionals at their schools. Approximately 5,300 students responded to the survey. The report highlights three school-based mental health areas that the survey results suggest are in need of improvement. Compares the access to mental health services in rural, urban, and suburban schools. The report also has a corresponding Infographic.
