Considering the complex mental health needs of many homeless individuals and the unique features of rural Appalachia, community mental health practitioners who work in the region need to be equipped with an understanding of the issues related to housing insecurity. To assist, we propose a model that demonstrates the interplay of various regional, cultural, and individual factors as they relate to housing insecurity. We arrive at this model through an exploration of the following questions: (1) How is homelessness experienced in rural Appalachia in comparison to urban areas? (2) How do regional economic and resource deficits impact Appalachians who are homeless? (3) What role does culture play in the lives of individuals who are homeless in rural Appalachia? (4) What individual factors increase the risk of homelessness for Appalachian individuals and families? (5) How does the interplay between environmental, cultural, and individual factors impact housing security? (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)