Global leadership in rural mental health: insights from the Neth

Global leadership in rural mental health: insights from the Netherlands

In June 2024, Professor Sarah-Anne Munoz attended the Global Leadership Conference in the Netherlands, representing the National Centre for Remote and Rural Health and Care.[1]

Over five days, leaders from countries including Ireland, Canada, the USA, Australia, and the Netherlands came together to share insights and experiences, focusing on rural mental health and wellbeing, a critical area for Scotland’s remote and rural communities.

The 'match'

In a Global Leadership Exchange initiative called a 'match,' delegates participated in an intensive, small group study visit, designed for two-way learning between hosts and visitors. Matches foster collaboration by sharing innovations and challenges in a specific area of interest. Prof. Munoz participated in the Rural Wellbeing Match, held at the Art Farm[2] in Heerhugowaard. The Art Farm is a family-owned former dairy farm now repurposed as an arts and community space. This match focused on rural behavioural health and wellbeing. Participants from across the globe—representing philanthropy, policy, research, and more—came together to explore community development’s role in promoting health, preventing illness, and supporting recovery in rural settings. The match facilitated deep listening, networking, and the exchange of innovative ideas aimed at improving rural wellbeing.

Key themes

Key themes included the integration of preventive and community-based mental health services in rural and remote populations, with discussions centred on how local solutions can provide sustainable mental health support in rural areas.

'Match' highlights

Notable highlights from the Rural Match included Krystal Grimes’ community engagement model in , which drew parallels to the Scottish ceilidh tradition, where community members come together to share experiences and support each other.[3] Another was Mary Garrison’s Living Room Programme in Illinois, which provides community-based mental health support, offering an alternative to traditional clinical interventions.[4] The Hogg Foundation’s work in Texas also showcased collaborative approaches to rural community wellbeing, providing an inspiring model for collective action in Scotland.[5] Rural communities can face significant barriers in accessing mental health services, and the integration of preventive, community-based care models explored at the conference directly addresses these challenges.

Moving to Utrecht

Following the Art Farm visit, the conference moved to Utrecht, where a more traditional format of presentations and discussions took place. One of the key outcomes was the launch of a collaborative international paper on ethical rural mental health research, with co-authors from the National Centre. Titled International Declaration of Rural Mental Health Research: 10 Guiding Principles and Standards (International declaration on rural mental health research: 10 guiding principles and standards - Roberts - 2024 - Australian Journal of Rural Health - Wiley Online Library ), the paper emphasizes the need for ethical approaches to rural mental health research and highlights the importance of including rural voices in the research process. It has recently been published in the Australian Journal of Rural Health.

The National Centre's contribution

The National Centre, alongside the Community Knowledge Matters Network, coordinated Scotland’s input into the International Declaration. They co-designed with rural community members, an online survey to collect the view of remote, rural and island residents on the ethics of undertaking rural mental health research. Over 150 rural residents completed the survey. As well as influencing the international declaration, the survey results are currently being co-analysed with rural community members and will be available as open source data.

Reflections

Reflecting on the event, the importance of international collaboration is clear, as rural communities across the globe face similar challenges in mental health care. By generating new insights into rural mental health research, this work will contribute to the Centre’s focus on evidence-based practices and the scalability of solutions for other rural settings. These efforts are critical to developing sustainable models that ensure long-term positive outcomes for rural populations.

Professor Sarah-Anne Munoz, Head of Programme, Remote and Rural Research and Evaluation the National Centre for Remote and Rural Health and Care, said:

"Attending the Global Leadership Conference was an eye-opening experience. I have never returned from a conference feeling so enriched by the knowledge exchanged and the collaborations formed.

The discussions around rural mental health and the opportunities to engage with international leaders have left a lasting impact on me and will influence the way we approach rural mental health challenges.

These global connections underscore the importance of shared learning, and I encourage anyone with a passion for rural mental health to engage in these conversations."

The future

This global leadership event highlights the critical need for ongoing innovation and collaboration in rural mental health and the National Centre’s participation helps to reinforce Scotland’s commitment to advancing mental health services and supports in rural and remote communities.

Rural mental health research is one of the priority areas for National Centre funding - see Remote and Rural Primary Care Research and Evaluation funding opportunity