BY DAVID BEARD, PhD, ZOMI BLOOM, MBA, AND CHANCE LASHER

Student, Carina Hebl, developed her honors thesis to look into why residents in rural areas postpone mental health care. She found that many rural residents didn’t know what care was available or that they needed care.

Wilderness Health, a Northeastern Minnesota health care nonprofit is reaching out to at-risk populations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using a state-provided dataset, Wilderness Health is identifying and contacting people on Medicaid who are potentially vulnerable to complications if they become sick with COVID-19. 

Wilderness Health was awarded a HRSA Rural Network Development grant to establish a telehealth program throughout NE MN.  The project begins July 2020 with a priority on developing tele-mental health with plans to expand into other specialty areas.