Presenter Biography
Sanya Surya is an MPH student in the Public Health Practice program at OHSU-PSU School of Public Health interested in rural health, women's health, and mental health research fields. Constantly aspiring to serve diverse communities, Sanya has held internship positions at OHSU and One Community Health, serving Oregon's rural communities through education and research initiatives, as well as served Oregonians and Virginians in a variety of clinical positions.
Program/Major
Public Health Practice
Student Level
Masters
Presentation Type
Presentation
Start Date
4-10-2025 11:35 AM
End Date
4-10-2025 11:50 AM
Creative Commons License or Rights Statement
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Persistent Identifier
https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/43485
Subjects
Behavioral health, Rural health, Mixed-methods analysis
Abstract
The purpose of this research project was to conduct an assessment of the current state of Behavioral Health Services (BHS) in Oregon’s Rural Health Clinics (RHCs). This project was housed within and funded by a grant received by The Oregon Office of Rural Health (ORH), an organization at OHSU with a mission to improve the quality, availability and accessibility of health care for rural Oregonians. In this project, I collected, compiled, and analyzed qualitative and quantitative data through a mixed-methods approach, using surveys and interviews, to evaluate the state and delivery of BHS in RHCs. Surveys and interviews aimed to uncover the needs, gaps, and services that RHCs face in implementing BHS. Participants were recruited electronically through an email-based newsletter and in-person at the 2024 Oregon Rural Health Conference. Thirty-one RHCs participated in this project; participation in the survey and interview were voluntary. Clinics routinely mentioned that workforce recruitment and retention was a challenge and support would be needed in this area to increase the capacity to provide BHS. I introduce three main ideas for future change necessary based on the results of this project: 1) Increased reimbursement for virtual/telehealth appointments; 2) Incentivising integrated behavioral health models; 3) Increase retention of Oregon graduates through residency programs, financial incentives, and more. Future research initiatives are also crucial to continue identifying gaps in BHS availability. Understanding these gaps will lead to equitable and accessible BHS in rural communities in the future.
Assessing Behavioral Health Services in Oregon's Rural Health Clinics
The purpose of this research project was to conduct an assessment of the current state of Behavioral Health Services (BHS) in Oregon’s Rural Health Clinics (RHCs). This project was housed within and funded by a grant received by The Oregon Office of Rural Health (ORH), an organization at OHSU with a mission to improve the quality, availability and accessibility of health care for rural Oregonians. In this project, I collected, compiled, and analyzed qualitative and quantitative data through a mixed-methods approach, using surveys and interviews, to evaluate the state and delivery of BHS in RHCs. Surveys and interviews aimed to uncover the needs, gaps, and services that RHCs face in implementing BHS. Participants were recruited electronically through an email-based newsletter and in-person at the 2024 Oregon Rural Health Conference. Thirty-one RHCs participated in this project; participation in the survey and interview were voluntary. Clinics routinely mentioned that workforce recruitment and retention was a challenge and support would be needed in this area to increase the capacity to provide BHS. I introduce three main ideas for future change necessary based on the results of this project: 1) Increased reimbursement for virtual/telehealth appointments; 2) Incentivising integrated behavioral health models; 3) Increase retention of Oregon graduates through residency programs, financial incentives, and more. Future research initiatives are also crucial to continue identifying gaps in BHS availability. Understanding these gaps will lead to equitable and accessible BHS in rural communities in the future.
