Acadia Healthcare's Affiliated Facilities Help Address Rural Mental Health

Rural Americans are confronting a persistent crisis in mental health access, and digital solutions have only partially addressed the issue. Health Resources and Services Administration data from March 2024 identifies 3,862 designated Mental Health Professional Shortage Areas in rural regions, with estimates suggesting 1,682 additional practitioners would be needed to eliminate these shortages. More than 60% of rural Americans reside in designated mental health provider shortage areas, while 70% of rural counties lack any psychiatrist.

These shortages can force rural residents to navigate what researchers describe as the "four A's" of rural mental health barriers: accessibility, availability, affordability, and acceptability. Against this backdrop, telehealth and mobile services have emerged as potential solutions, though their implementation faces significant infrastructure barriers.

Acadia Healthcare's affiliated network of comprehensive treatment centers operates programs and services – such as mobile units and virtual, technology-based approaches – that can help to support the unique needs of individuals in rural areas.

Mobile Units Help to Reduce Geographic Barriers

Mobile health services represent an alternative approach to rural mental health access that helps to reduce barriers to behavioral health care. . These programs bring services directly to underserved areas, reducing travel burdens and expanding geographic reach.

Acadia Healthcare's affiliated network operates mobile units that extend the reach of its comprehensive treatment centers. The organization's mobile units provide medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorder in areas where fixed clinic locations may not be present or other areas where need can be alleviated.  These units serve communities across multiple states, including Kansas, Massachusetts, Oregon, and Utah.

The Hutchinson Mobile Unit in Kansas, operated as a component of the Wichita Comprehensive Treatment Center, provides medically supervised medication-assisted treatment for adults struggling with opioid addiction. Similar mobile operations in Quincy, Massachusetts; Wellfleet, Massachusetts; Hillsboro, Oregon; and Tremonton, Utah extend services to populations that would otherwise lack access to specialized opioid treatment programs.

Mobile services can address several rural access barriers simultaneously. Patients avoid long-distance travel requirements, reducing transportation costs and time away from work. Mobile units can also serve multiple communities on rotating schedules, making specialized care economically viable in areas with insufficient population density to support permanent facilities.

Acadia Healthcare’s Affiliated Comprehensive Treatment Centers

Acadia Healthcare's affiliated network of Comprehensive Treatment Centers operates over 160 clinics over 30 states, many serving rural and underserved communities. These facilities provide medication-assisted treatment, counseling services, and support programming for adults with opioid use disorders.

The CTC model addresses rural access challenges through flexible service delivery approaches. On Acadia's 2025 first quarter earnings call, CEO Chris Hunter noted that approximately half of CTC patients access counseling services virtually, reducing geographic barriers to ongoing therapeutic support. The average wait time per clinic visit averages approximately five minutes, addressing another common barrier to rural healthcare access.

CTCs incorporate technology solutions where infrastructure permits. Patients can access telehealth counseling services, virtual group therapy sessions, and remote monitoring programs.

The organization has also expanded its CTC network, adding seven new centers in the first quarter of 2025 alone. Four of these were acquired subscale facilities that the organization can integrate into its operational framework, a strategy that allows rapid expansion into underserved markets without the lengthy development timelines required for new construction.

Outcomes Data Demonstrates Opportunities to Expand Access to Treatment

Research on rural telehealth outcomes presents a nuanced picture of benefits and limitations. A pilot study of the Telepsychology-Service Delivery for Depressed Elderly Veterans intervention found no significant differences between outcomes of participants receiving in-person care versus those receiving in-home videoconferencing therapy, though the telehealth intervention successfully reduced depression symptoms among participants who lacked access to in-person care.

Studies of rural telehealth programs demonstrate improved access to care and patient satisfaction, but also identify persistent challenges. Rural residents express preferences for in-person care and concerns about perceived lower quality of telehealth services. Despite these concerns, 59.7% of rural respondents indicate willingness to use telehealth, rising to 67.5% if recommended by a healthcare provider.

Rural Americans' mental health needs will likely continue to exceed available resources without comprehensive approaches that combine traditional service expansion, technology-enabled care delivery, and infrastructure development. Acadia Healthcare's affiliated network aims to demonstrate that incremental progress is possible, but achieving equity in rural mental health access requires sustained commitment to addressing both clinical and technological barriers.