ABSTRACT
This article describes the application of an empowerment-oriented intervention to a home-based mental health program serving older women in the Appalachian region of Eastern Kentucky. The approach is designed to overcome the traditional transportation, social, and cultural barriers many older Appalachian women face in obtaining services. Through intervention on individual, group, and community levels the women learn the skills to empower themselves and others in their community to regain power over their lives. The article concludes with the implications of an empowerment approach to mental health and social service provision in rural areas.