Closing the Gap: Increasing Community Mental Health Services in Rural Indiana

Due to the significant need for mental health services in rural Martin County, IN and lack of providers, this study examined the current strengths of the community as well as the barriers preventing mental health service delivery. The goal of the study was to propose community-specific solutions to overcoming the barriers. Using a strengths-based approach (Saleeby in The strengths perspective in social work practice, Longman, White Plains, NY, 1992), the authors first sought to understand Martin County residents’ current experiences with mental health services. Second, the authors sought to understand Martin County residents’ opinions about church/mental health partnerships. As a result of this analysis, the authors comprised a list of feasible and sustainable recommendations for Martin County and similar rural areas that incorporate the strengths in the community, address their identified challenges, and thus created a model for mental health service provision that can be replicated in other rural communities with similar strengths as well as similar challenges.