Doctor on campus: A general practice initiative for detection and early intervention of mental health problems in a rural Australian secondary school

• Report: Interventions for Rural and Remote Youth Mental Health

“…Previous literature surrounding mental health interventions highlights the importance of addressing mental health risk factors and lifestyle changes on the level of the individual (6,21,(26)(27)(28)(29). No significant attention is paid to the social environment of that individual and its relation to mental health.…”

“…In many interventions identified, strong youth peer-peer relationships resulted in participants being better able to support others and appreciate that they are not alone in their diagnosis (46)(47)(48). Similarly, strong youth-mental health care provider relationships help to ensure communication between youth and staff in schools, as well as increase the number social ties between staff and students (20)(21)(22)26,49).…”

“…Rural and remote communities often encounter significant barriers to accessing mental health care. Individuals from these communities may be serviced solely by general health care providers that are not trained in mental health treatment (20)(21)(22)Travelling away from the community to alleviate this issue only further hinders accessibility as these individuals must travel larger distances to access specialized health services (8,20). When services are accessed, those from rural and remote communities are met with longer wait times than their urban counterparts (14).…”