We Need to Talk—About Mental Health in Rural Communities

This month at Fortify Life, as we lean into the theme “We Need to Talk,” we’re reflecting on insights from our Mental Health Roundtable as part of The Rural Disparity Project. This roundtable convened local service providers and mental health advocates from across DeKalb County. Here are the top five takeaways we learned from the session:

1. Mental health is not just a cause or effect of poverty—it is deeply interwoven into the fabric of everyday life in our community.

2. It’s complicated—and it’s everywhere. From school counselors to healthcare workers to community organizers, everyone at the table recognized how broad and pervasive mental health challenges are. They shared how crises often shows up in urgent, visible ways—but how much more quietly the effects linger afterward. Follow-up and long-term care oftentimes fall through the cracks.

3. Empathy means more than good intentions. A powerful moment came when participants voiced something rarely said out loud: Sometimes, not stopping to help someone in crisis isn’t about apathy—it’s about fear or uncertainty. What if you make it worse? What if you’re not safe? Creating a culture of empathy also means creating space for those very real feelings—and offering training, support, and tools that allow people to act with care and confidence.

4. Our kids are absorbing everything. One insight hit especially hard for us: Children carry the emotional weight of the adults around them. In rural areas, where services are limited and poverty is a constant presence, the impact of generational and collective trauma becomes even more layered.

5. We heard honesty, respect, and connection. There was a deep sense of community in the room—people knew who was doing what, and there was an eager willingness to learn from one another. That kind of collaboration is how we start to build systems that work for the people they’re meant to serve.

   
   

This month—and every month—we’re committed to continuing these conversations, deepening partnerships, and expanding the support we offer across Dekalb County. Because when it comes to mental health, we do need to talk.

Learn more about The Rural Disparity Project.