CLEARMONT — Sheridan County’s most isolated school district is looking for ways to make mental health care more accessible for students amid escalating mental health concerns.

Rural communities face higher rates of depression and suicide than urban areas, and often lack reliable mental health care services, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Clearmont, a town with a population of less than 200 that sits 45 minutes from Sheridan and 30 minutes from Buffalo, is home to Sheridan County School District 3, where Dean of Students Jennifer Betz said she’s recently seen some students’ mental health struggles increase.