The extension service as key mechanism for research and services delivery for prevention of mental health disorders in rural areas

Abstract

The extension service associated with each state's land grant institution is an important resource for both programming and conducting research for the prevention of mental health disorders. This paper briefly outlines the history and structure of the extention service and gives examples of relevant programming across the country related to mental health. Although this programming is relevant to both rural and urban settings, this paper focuses on prevention programs and research in rural areas. Next is a description of extention's potential contributions to the prevention research process at each step of the Institute of Medicine's Preventive Intervention Research Cycle, followed by an illustration of an effective partnership between a research team and extension. Some of the ways in which extension can assist in the research process include doing local needs assessment and determining prevalence rates of a particular problem, reviewing literature on risk and protective factors, providing input on particular communities' needs and characteristics, and becoming a trusted link between local citizens and the research community. The article concludes with barriers to such an effective partnership and ways of reducing those hindrances.