Abstract:Women encounter unique stressors during military service that increase their needs for mental health services and support (Mengeling et al., 2023). For example, more than 38% of women veterans report a history of military sexual trauma, defined as sexual harassment and/or assault experienced during active duty or training (Brooks et al., 2014; Mengeling et al., 2023; Wilson, 2018). However, critical gaps in knowledge about the mental health needs and treatment experiences of rural women veterans exist. Although rates of mental health diagnoses are comparable for rural and urban women veterans, rural women veterans nonetheless experience substantial mental health burden: more than one-third report depression (34%), and one in 10 (10%) report posttraumatic stress disorder (Cordasco et al., 2016). Rural women veterans may be more reliant on Veterans Health Administration (VHA) care than their urban counterparts (Cordasco et al., 2016; Frayne et al., 2018); however, little is known about their specific barriers to mental health treatment (Brooks et al., 2014; 2016; Rohs et al., 2023).