Current and developing models of integrated behavioral health service delivery have proven successful for the general population; however, these approaches may not sufficiently address the unique needs of individuals living in rural and remote areas. For all communities to benefit from the opportunities that the current trend toward integration has provided, it is imperative that cultural and contextual factors be considered determining features in care delivery. Rural integrated primary care practice requires specific training, expertise, and adjustments to service delivery and intervention to best meet the needs of rural and underserved communities. In this commentary, the authors present trends in integrated behavioral health service delivery in rural integrated primary care settings. Flexible and creative strategies are proposed to promote increased access to integrated behavioral health services, while simultaneously addressing patient care needs that arise as a result of the barriers to treatment that are prevalent in rural communities. (PsycINFO Database Record
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.