An Amber Alert ? The Undeserved in Rural Communities
By Sandie Nadelson
Amber , a 10-year-old , sits by herself in the elementary
school principal ’ s waiting room in a small rural community in southeast Idaho . She knows this room well as this in not her first time here . Due to what her teachers call “ disruptive ” behavior , Amber is regularly sent to talk with the principal . Although the principal is supportive of her , he has not been able to help change her behavior .
Amber would be better served meeting with a psychiatric nurse practitioner or school psychologist as some of her behavioral issues relate to the many stressors in her life . The principal senses she needs additional support . What the principal does not know is that Amber comes from an abusive home and has undiagnosed attention deficit disorder . These issues are a lot for any child to overcome without help from professionals . As with many rural communities , the school does not have a psychologist who visits regularly . There is no mental health professional in the area to help Amber effectively deal with her situation . With no help in site , she often feels despair as she thinks about her future .
Amber , as well as many other children living in rural communities , cannot receive the healthcare services they need . Many children and adults in remote areas of the country go without care due to a variety of factors . These include a lack of healthcare workers , underfunding for services , and insufficient knowledge about treatment choices . Research findings on healthcare availability indicate that rural areas have less mental health options in terms of types of providers and services ( Graves , 2020 ).
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