Over a year ago, I wrote in response to an article on the health care challenges faced by rural Westerners, highlighting the essential role physician assistants and nurse practitioners play in expanding access to care, particularly for mental and behavioral health. After another year working across rural Utah, that message feels even more urgent.
My work directing a Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)-funded rural and behavioral health training initiative has taken me across rural Utah, from Fort Duchesne to Richfield to St. George, visiting clinics and meeting preceptors. What I see consistently is commitment paired with strain: rising behavioral health needs, limited workforce capacity and long travel distances for patients seeking care.
That reality was evident at this year’s Utah Rural Health Association conference. Under the leadership of Kasey Shakespear, the conference brought together providers, educators and community leaders who continue to show up for rural Utah. At the networking social, the Dusty Mill Band played live music, reminding us that rural health is rooted not only in policy and training, but in community and connection.
Programs funded through HRSA are making a tangible difference by supporting rural clinical rotations, strengthening behavioral health training, and creating pathways for graduates to practice in underserved areas. But sustained investment is essential. Without it, rural families will continue to travel long distances for care that should be available close to home.
Rural Utah deserves equitable, high-quality health care. Continued support for rural workforce development is not optional — it is necessary for the health of our communities.
Jennifer Coombs, Salt Lake City