Continuing education as a link between urban and rural mental health professionals.

Abstract

The courses within the core curriculum program have achieved their primary objective of extending the educational resources of an urban university to a network of rural mental health agencies. Additional benefits have been derived from the program. The university faculty has gained a greaten appreciation of the relevance of rural issues and problems to the delivery of mental health services. Linkages between the urban university and the rural agencies have been strengthened. Former core curriculum participants now constitute a group of colleagues who can stimulate new forms of collaboration and serve as leaders in future training programs. The program has also led to increased awareness and sensitivity on the part of university mental health professionals to the needs of rural clients who obtain services in the urban system. Currently, OERP is implementing a plan to improve communication between the university's inpatient psychiatric units and the mental health facilities in the rural communities. The cor...