MANKATO, Minn. — Experts say children's mental health has been declining for the last decade and the pandemic only made it worse.
Now, a new report from the Center for Rural Policy and Development highlights the fact that it's also increasingly harder for families in rural areas to get their kids the help they need.
There are logistical challenges, like travel and wait times, on top of a growing shortage of mental health professionals.
That begs the question: What are parents supposed to do?
That's what prompted the CRPD's Vice President of Research & Operations Marnie Werner to dive into this year-long project.
"Rural health, overall, is OK, but in rural areas, there are barriers to getting help that create more of a problem for rural families," said Werner, who has studied rural issues for two decades.
The CRPD started in the 1990s to gather non-partisan data on policy issues in greater Minnesota.
When it comes to mental health, Werner says solving the problems will take years. But data shows the issues are especially telling in girls. Thirty-five percent of the survey respondents admitted to dealing with mental health issues in 2019. That number skyrocketed to 45% in 2022.
Werner says to keep in mind that “mental health” is not the same as “mental illness” and it focuses more on the state of a person’s emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how a person thinks, feels and acts, and how well they relate to others, handle stress and make choices.
"You can really get that feeling, kids can get that feeling — 'Am I the only one that's dealing with this?' — and when you feel like you're the only one, it becomes a barrier to seeking out some help, " said Montevideo Public Schools Superintendent Wade McKittrick.
That's on top of long wait times, fewer clinics, and a doctor shortage, plus the persistent stigma around getting help.
"It's a slow process to get things done, you're trying to turn the ship," said Werner about long-term solutions. She said people can't wait that long and said the research pointed to key recommendations families can turn to now. "I was surprised at how readily available these things were and how quickly these things turned out to be solutions for rural families."
Her findings point to three solutions, including existing education. Werner says knowledge can alleviate fears and the report highlights several national and local resources from the National Alliance on Mental Illness, the MN Department of Health and the Minnesota Association for Children's Mental Health.
She also says many schools across the state are already providing mental health services in schools. For example, a state grant is paying for therapists in nearly every county. Having services in a school goes a long way towards also eliminating the fear of not singling kids out.
There's also the integration of mental health into primary care. According to the MN Department of Health’s Office of Rural Health and Primary Care, a large percentage of both urban and rural physicians already provide some aspect of mental health services (89% rural, 83% urban) in the absence of other options.
"Instead of going to a specialty clinic to see a mental health provider, there's a therapist right there in your regular clinic and that gets the connection started right away," said Werner, who called these shortcuts to break down barriers when time is of the essence.
If you or someone you know is facing a mental health crisis, there is help available from the following resources:
Crisis Text Line – text “MN” to 741741 (standard data and text rates apply)
Crisis Phone Number in your Minnesota county
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988, Talk to Someone Now
Throughout Minnesota call **CRISIS (**274747)
The Trevor Project at 866-488-7386