Barriers to Care for Rural Youth

Adolescents and teens with emotional and behavioral problems will receive treatment as part of a new study in eight of the poorest Appalachian counties in Eastern Tennessee. The Rural Appalachia Project is a community development model for reducing the social and economic costs of juvenile delinquency in rural areas. Researchers will work with judges, school administrators, and community leaders to overcome barriers to mental health services. The project is structured to ensure that successful therapies and partnerships with state funding agencies and organizations will continue after the study ends. The 5-year, more than $4 million grant to the University of Tennessee was funded by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), a part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Studies show that home-based, family-oriented health services for children referred to juvenile court can improve their behavior and keep them out of custody. In addition to providing treatment, the study will work with opinion leaders to explain how early and effective intervention can improve lives and decrease the costs of incarceration and residential care in their state.

The study will include 720 children with serious conduct and other mental health problems, ages 9 to 17 years old, who were referred to juvenile courts.

For more information, visit www.nimh.nih.gov/events/prappalachian.cfm online.

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), Office of Communications, 6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 8184, MSC 9663, Bethesda, MD 20892-9663, 301.443.4513 or 866.615.6464 (voice), 301.443.8432 (TTY), 301.443.4279 (fax), www.nimh.nih.gov (web), nimhinfo@nih.gov (e-mail).