RURAL MENTAL HEALTH RESEARCH CENTER

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This application is for the continuation of the NIMH Southeastern Rural Mental Health Research Center which as funded two years ago. The Center's main purpose is to conduct mental health services research aimed at improving mental health services for rural minority and impoverished high risk populations in the South. The overall goals of the Center for the next five years are: (a) to strengthen and expand the rural mental health services research capacity at the University of Virginia targeting high-risk, rural. minority, and impoverished populations; (b) to strengthen and expand PAL research efforts through partnerships with DMHMRSAS research capacity; (c) to examine problem identification, service utilization and outcomes relate to formal and informal mental health service delivery and the effects of linkage of informal and formal providers for these high-risk populations; and (d) to recruit minority investigators into the field of rural mental health services research. SRMHRC research goals are: (1) To describe the de facto system (formal and informal services) utilized by rural minority and impoverished high risk individuals in need of mental health services; (2) To examine how linkage between formal and informal providers affects problem identification, service utilization and outcomes; (3) To develop culturally competent mental health services research methods, instruments and interpretation of findings; (4) To examine availability, competence and effectiveness of providers in the southeastern U.S. In the next five years, three cores are proposed. An administrative core will oversee the daily operations and set research priorities for the scientific cores. One scientific-core focuses on formal services including providers, utilization, and outcomes. An informal services core will focus on consumers, informal care providers, and linkages with formal systems. A series of integrated field studies will be expanded and serve to inform future efforts of the Center.