Crisis Intervention and Suicide Prevention From a Rural Perspective (IN: Rural Health Nursing, edited by P Winstead-Fry, J Churchill Tiffany & R V Shippee-Rice)

The idea of a lower suicide rate in rural areas is a myth. This chapter traces the development & introduction of a mobile crisis unit in Maine in 1981. Understanding & respect for rural culture is needed when planning & implementing suicide prevention programs. Staff realized many concepts were based on studies with urban populations & rural settings were markedly different, i.e. firearms are more common, most calls to the crisis unit came between 9:00 a.m. & 11:00 a.m. (7 refs.)