University of Missouri Extension has high hopes for new a multistate project to help farmers, ranchers and farm families find affordable mental health resources close to home.
MU is part of a $28.7 million, three-year grant from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture through the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network.
FRSAN supports projects that provide stress assistance and suicide prevention services for farmers, ranchers and others in agricultural occupations, said MU Extension health and safety specialist Karen Funkenbusch, who is MU's principal investigator for the grant.
Missouri's rural counties lack mental health services despite growing financial stress and suicide rates, Fukenbusch said. All of Missouri's 99 rural counties face a shortage of mental health professionals; 57 of them have none.
Trade policies and extreme weather have increased financial stress on the farm, she said, and while the U.S. economy overall saw continued growth after the 2008-09 recession, the farm sector has endured six periods of recession and rising numbers of bankruptcies.
Fukenbusch added suicide rates among rural Missourians rose by 78 percent from 2003-17, and rural hospital emergency departments reported a 177 percent increase in visits for suicide attempts in the past decade.
"Critical resources are woefully inadequate and poorly matched to the needs of farmers and ranchers," said Kathy Dothage, co-principal investigator for the grant. "Even when resources do exist, distance and affordability are issues since many self-employed rural families lack health insurance coverage."
Funkenbusch added the culture of farming is steeped in self-reliance and independence, making it difficult for many farmers to seek and accept help.
As part of the project, MU Extension faculty will train to become certified instructors in Mental Health First Aid, QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) and Taking Care of You. They will provide information to farmers through online and printed resources and social media. They also will hold workshops geared toward farmers and ranchers. The goal is to reach 800 farmers by the end of 2021.