Christina Saint Louis - KFF Health News

For rural Americans, who live in areas often short of mental health services and die by suicide at a far higher rate than urbanites, the federally mandated crisis phone line is one of the few options to connect with a crisis counselor.

They offer basic care traditionally provided by dentists, but opposition from interest groups and the profession’s relative newness mean more than two-thirds of states don’t yet have them.

Advocates for improving rural health pushed for the CDC to extend its rural health focus. They hope the Office of Rural Health will commit to research and provide analyses that lead to good policies.

When the pandemic began, senior service agencies hustled to rework health classes to include virtual options for older adults. Now that isolation has ended, virtual classes remain and access has increased.

Only a sliver of the funding allocated through the American Rescue Plan has been steered to mental health nationwide, but advocates and clinicians hope the money will help address gaps in care for children.

Public transit is already insufficient in rural areas, leaving residents with few options as they travel greater distances to access health care. But older residents who depend on volunteers to get to appointments face another challenge.

The 988 line is the centerpiece of a nationwide effort to unify responses to Americans experiencing mental health crises. But many people, especially in rural areas, will continue to find themselves far from help if they need more support than operators can offer.

Constraints imposed by the Special Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for Women, Infants, and Children, known as WIC, that prevent recipients from using benefits to buy formula across state lines weigh on families as the nationwide formula shortage drags on.

With the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, Minnesota will be one of the states where abortion remains legally protected. But legal doesn't necessarily mean accessible, advocates warn.