Special Populations

Special Populations focuses on ensuring policies and programs serve all populations, with a specific focus on youth, maternal health, rural populations, and older adult services. The goal of specifying these populations is to bring awareness to the unique barriers to care they face and create innovative ways to provide supports and services. The goal of Special Populations is to provide education, resources, and best practices for serving these individuals.

 To find a treatment provider, please visit Locating Treatment and Services.

 

Youth

The Children’s Office within the Department of Mental Health supports new and ongoing efforts to improve the lives of Missouri’s children and families. Children’s Services provides education to those within and outside the department’s system on best practices and promising new interventions; seeks to innovative in using resources, including funding streams, professional staff and partners to more effectively address the needs of children and families; and collaborate with other child and family-serving agencies to address the chronic mental health, developmental and relationship challenges from early childhood through transition aged youth.

Maternal Behavioral Health 

The resources below focus on supporting an individual’s behavioral health during the perinatal period. The perinatal period refers to the time surrounding childbirth, including prenatal, during birth, and postpartum.  Behavioral health during the perinatal period includes addressing mental health concerns as well as substance use disorders.

  • The Children’s Office through the Department of Mental Health has a page on Mother, Infant, and Early Child Services that offers information on resources for this population.
  • The Office on Women’s Health has numerous resources around health and wellness, including mental health, reproductive health, and physical health for women throughout the perinatal period.
  • The Center for Disease Control has a page on Substance Use During Pregnancy that describes substance use disorder and provides resources for providers and professionals.
  • Healthy Moms Healthy Babies is a collaboration between Mo HealthNet, Missouri Department of Social Services, Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, Missouri Department of Mental Health and the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. The website is a central location for mothers to find resources, learn about their insurance supports, and to attend upcoming events. It also offers resources for healthcare providers who are working with mothers during the perinatal period.
  • The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services hosts a Pregnancy-Associated Mortality Review (PAMR) board that reviews all maternal deaths that occur while a woman is pregnant, or within one year of the end of her pregnancy. The PAMR board exist to better understand the factors that contribute to or cause maternal deaths, and to provide recommendations for prevention.
  • The Missouri Perinatal Quality Collaborative (Missouri PQC) is managed by the Missouri Hospital Association and connects community, public health, and clinical leaders to improve the care and support systems that an individual has access to before, during, and after a pregnancy.
  • The American Hospital Association offers numerous resources and blogs about maternal mental health care, as well as substance use disorders.
  • The Maternal Health Access Project (MHAP) is designed to increase the capacity of perinatal care providers throughout Missouri to diagnose and treat mild to moderate behavioral health conditions in pregnant and postpartum individuals. MHAP offers same-day provider-to-provider consultations with perinatal psychiatrists, as well as care coordination for patients and education and training on perinatal behavioral health. 
Older Adults

Currently, there are more than 1.1 million Missouri citizens over the age of 60. Estimates suggest that older adults will outnumber minors for the first time by 2030 and older adults will greatly outnumber minors by 2060. The resources below focus on supporting older adults with mental health and substance use concerns and combating the stigma that this population experiences when seeking out supports.

  • The Department of Health and Senior Services’ Senior and Disability Services department contain numerous links to resources for older adults and their caregivers. One of these resources, the Master Plan on Aging, explain how Missouri plans to address the aging population with a focus on Aging with Dignity.
  • Missouri has 10 Area Agencies on Aging (AAA) that cover every county in the State. The Area Agencies on Aging are the local experts regarding programs and services in their local areas. Programs and services are designed by the Area Agencies on Aging to meet the needs of the individuals in their planning and service areas. Therefore, each agency looks a little different.
  • The Missouri Council on Aging focuses on strengthening support for older adults in Missouri. They educate community leaders and key influences on the critical issues and challenges older Missourians are facing. They offer resources for older adults and those who are working and/or caring for the aging population.
  • The National Institute of Mental Health has a section dedicated to Older Adults and Mental Health. This page explains the importance of taking care of one’s mental health as they age, and offers numerous resources to help support that goal.
  • The American Hospital Association offers numerous resources for older adults who are struggling with behavioral health concerns.
  • SAMHSA has a Resources for Older Adults page that highlights resources for professionals serving older adults experiencing behavioral health concerns, as well as suicide prevention and postvention.
  • The National Institute on Drug Abuse published a Substance Use in Older Adults DrugFacts that outlines the scope of substance use in older adults and some helpful resources. 
Rural Populations

Individuals in rural areas face challenges to receiving behavioral health care, including lack of transportation, lack of nearby services, stigma, poor internet access, and more. The list below is meant to provide numerous resources for providers and individuals who live in rural areas to learn more about how to access care.

  • The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services houses the Missouri Office of Rural Health website. This website has links to numerous resources, lists rural health events, and hosts trainings and webinars that are open to everyone.
  • The Missouri Rural Health Association (MRHA) hosts webinars, trainings, and a resource guide for rural health. MHRA has also launched a new community platform to allow collaboration with peers to share advice, challenges, and develop new approaches.
  • The Rural Health Information Hub breaks down rural focused data by state, showing the population, rural hospitals, insurance rates, and more.
  • The Missouri Association of Rural Health Clinics (MARHC) provides information around rural health for individuals and providers, highlighting the importance of quality patient care in rural communities.