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Abstract
The number of older adults in the United States is projected to reach more than 70 million by 2030, representing a doubling of this population since 2004. As the population ages and the
“baby boomers” continue to flood the 65 years and older demographic, addressing the mental health needs of this group will become increasingly important as the raw number of adults in this age group with mental illness is projected to surpass the number of all other adults with mental illness by 2030. This is true throughout the country and it may very well hit rural areas harder than urban areas because of multiple factors that lead to reduced availability and utilization of services as noted in this paper. Thus, an assessment for the perceived need and utility of a geriatric psychiatric clinic is proposed in this paper to best meet these needs with the Willamette Valley Community Health coordinated care organization, covering Polk and Marion counties in Oregon, as a prototypical backdrop.