Dennis Mohatt

Director, WICHE Center for Rural Mental Health Research

Phone: 303.541.0256
E-mail: dmohatt@wiche.edu

WICHE Rural Mental Health Research Center
PO Box 9752
Boulder, CO 80301-9752

Current Projects

Addressing Suicide Potential and Prevention in Rural and Frontier Areas and Development of a Suicide-Prevention Training Protocol
Research center: WICHE Center for Rural Mental Health Research
Funder: Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topic: Mental health
Depression and suicide are especially relevant today in rural areas. This project will determine rural high-risk suicide areas, and develop a suicide prevention training protocol for primary care providers in these rural areas.

Assessment of the Mental Health Funding Marketplace in Rural vs. Urban Settings
Research center: WICHE Center for Rural Mental Health Research
Funder: Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics: Health care financing, Mental health
This study will use nationally representative data to assess how mental health (MH) services are paid for in rural areas and determine differences in payment sources between rural and urban areas. If payment sources significantly vary in rural vs. urban settings, then policies that are aimed specifically at sources of funding may have a differential impact on subsequent access to and utilization of care and point to the need for policies that are specifically targeted to rural communities.

Completed Projects

Differences in Prescribing Patterns of Psychotropic Medication for Children and Adolescents between Rural and Urban Prescribers, Lead researcher
Research center: WICHE Center for Rural Mental Health Research
Funder: Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics: Mental health, Pharmacy and prescription drugs
This is an investigation of the extent to which psychotropic medication is prescribed to youth (17 and under) by primary care physicians, psychiatrists, or other prescribers in rural versus urban areas. It will also look at the particular types of medications being prescribed by age, sex, and other demographic variables.

Publications

• Mental Health and Rural America: 1994-2005
  Author(s): Dennis Mohatt, Scott J. Adams, Mimi M. Bradley, Chad A. Morris
  Research center: WICHE Center for Rural Mental Health Research
  Topic: Mental health
  Date: 2006
  Provides a summary of the current knowledge base surrounding mental health issues in America's rural and frontier areas and an overview of the environment of mental health in rural areas over three decades. Includes an annotated bibliography.