Program Development and Innovation

Abstract

In the face of geographic isolation, economic deprivation, the lack of a well-defined human infrastructure, and limited economies of scale, innovation and flexibility must be the catchwords to ensure the adequate development of mental health services and programs in rural areas. The adaptation of urban models is possible, especially if rural cultural values are taken into account. The major components that should be part of a rural model of mental health service delivery are reviewed, focusing on the barriers of distance, individuals' privacy, the coordination and use of the present but often weak human infrastructure, and coordination between agencies and across political boundaries.