Progress 09/01/21 to 07/25/23
Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience of this project is agriculture workers and producers in Texas. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?271 Texas licensed mental health professionals in have been certified in Farm Response, a 3.5 hours curriculum , exceeded objective of 250. FarmResponse is a 3.5 hour curriculum that provides culturally competent training in agricultural and agricultural stressors to mental health professionals. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?
Nothing Reported
What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
A multi-level approach of activities was created to disseminate an important message to the agricultural community: "It's Ok to Ask for Help." An awareness campaign was created by developing social media graphics/messaging for promotion of suicide prevention and mental health and two focus groups were held to take the messages to agricultural workers and community leaders for feedback from the participants. Through these meetings the messaging was finalized, and social media graphics were produced for monthly placement on various social media platforms. Each social media posting contained information on suicide prevention, mental health, and a link to a resources page. A media toolkit containing those graphics is available for the use by the public. Articles on the awareness campaign and helpline have appeared in the January and February newsletters of various TDA programs. PSA ads for the crisis helpline that was are placed in every monthly edition. All graphics have been updated to include the new crisis helpline and QR code for calls and texts. Two of those images were recently revised and sent to Texas Rep. Tony Gonzalez's office for use by the citizens of Uvalde, Texas - a small rural agricultural community which recently experienced a mass shooting incident. Printed materials were developed for distribution and for use in a Mental Health Wellness (MHW) kit, which contain printed materials, giveaways, and a flyer providing a link for the recipient to take a 30-minute Mental Health First Aid training. The kits were distributed to all agricultural 254 extension agents in the state, 10 TDA Field representatives, and 10 TDA Produce Safety and Livestock Export staff. General distribution included rural communities, rural hospitals, and health clinics. The purpose of these materials is to educate individuals to recognize the signs of agricultural stress, appropriately talk with someone experiencing ag stress, refer them to resources, and disseminate the crisis helpline number. Giveaway materials:rubber bracelets with the helpline number, magnets containing the crisis helpline number and QR code. They serve as constant reminders to an agricultural producer that should they need someone to talk to someone, help is available 24/7 via the helpline. To further promote the crisis helpline among the agricultural community, 40,000 postcards containing the message "It's Ok to Ask for Help", the crisis helpline number and QR code were mailed directly to Texas agricultural producers. Five PSAs were recorded by Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller. Three audio announcements went to over 963 TDA media contacts, and to terrestrial and programmatic radio contacts of partners. Two video PSAs were also completed and sent to the above-mentioned contacts as well as being posted on YouTube. There were several opportunities to bring the campaign and information on the helpline and FarmResponse training directly to agriculture producers and mental health professionals. These opportunities are as follows: 2021 Cattle Industry Convention in Houston in February 2022 Texas Suicide Prevention Symposium, March 1-3, 2022 Mid-West Stream Forum, March 28-30, 2022 Capital Farm Credit - April 26, 2022 Texas Health and Human Services - Behavioral Health and Prevention Grantee meeting, May 17, 2022 July 2022 - Fishworkers group - University of Texas Medical Branch health clinic housed in Galveston June 25, 2022 - University of Texas at Tyler - Emerging Issues in Agricultural Occupational Health and Safety Conference A final piece of educational material is the 30-minute Mental Health First Aid training. This training is designed to give an overview of signs/symptoms of stress, warning signs of suicide, managing stress, providing support, etc. This training was provided in the MHW Kits that went to the Texas county extension agents and TDA field reps and Produce & Livestock Export staff. These agricultural professionals come into daily contact with ag producers and the goal is for them to be able to recognize signs of stress, and to provide support and resources. Having respected ag professionals with whom a producer has a positive relationship can provide a safe and supportive environment in which to discuss their specific situation and serve to prevent suicides. To prepare for the launch of the statewide crisis helpline, the Agrisafe Network developed the 3.5 hour FarmResponse training to provide free training to 250 mental health professionals in Texas. This training is designed to provide a full range of competencies to the crisis helpline staff and mental health professionals so they may provide the appropriate care for agricultural producers. This training educates about cultural sensitivity related to the agricultural community and about the unique factors that contribute to ag stress such as weather, crop prices, labor shortages, finances, etc. The distribution of this training opportunity has taken place through the following channels: The SORH: Emails (163 rural hospitals and 330 rural health clinics). The Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council (sent to 71,740 Texas licensed mental health professionals - to date over 900 codes to take the training have been provided and approximately 309 mental health professionals have registered for the training - the licensed professionals who complete the FarmResponse training will be given an opportunity to be a referral source for the crisis helpline) The helpline is specifically targeted to producers and agricultural workers (and thier families). It is available 24/7 and utilizes a "care navigation" process that triages for safety with crisis intervention and response. Calls and texts go to helpline staff and a caller's questions are answered, de-escalated if necessary and resources are provided.Those callers with a further need for professional counseling will be referred to a licensed mental health professional certified in FarmResponse. Sessions with a MH professional can be via phone, text, computer, or in person. EVENTS OUTREACH Texas Organization of Rural & Community Hospitals Presentation to Texas Agricultural Council Ag Safety & Health Conference Young Farm and Ranch Conference Texas Behavioral Health Services Texas Rural USDA Annual Meeting of National Farm Service Agencies (FSA) directors 173 Texas Rural USDA FSA Regional executive directors Ft. Worth Livestock Show & Rodeo Prairie View A & M Socially Disadvantaged Farmer's program: Women's Conference San Antonio Livestock Show & Rodeo Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo Mailings to 56 Texas Livestock Auction Barns MidWest Farm Stream Exhibit Table Texoma Texas Rural Mental Health Summit East Texas Rural Mental Health Summit Texas Cooperative Extension Manager Meeting SORH Regional meetings (6)? ADDITIONAL OUTREACH OPPORTUNTIES: Continued social media posts on SWAg and TDA Websites Articles and ad postings in TDA Newsletter Articles/Interviews - Print and News Stories Radio/TV AgriSafe, Tara Haskins, National Public Radio Interview KCEN Fox 26 Houston Print/Electronic & Paper Texas Tribune - Farmers Face a Higher Risk of Suicide Pecan South Magazine Texas Department of Agriculture Newsletter Texas Farm Bureau - Stress & Mental Health Resources Available to Farmers, Ranchers Texas Farm Bureau - AgriStress Helpline Available to Texas Farmers, Ranchers NeuAG Newsletter COLLABORATION: Texas Health & Human Service - Behavioral Health Services: Office of Mental Health - All Access Texas Texas Suicide Prevention Collaborative Texas Rural USDA Texas Rural USDA Farm Service Agencies USDA Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships?
Publications
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Progress 09/01/21 to 08/31/22
Outputs
Target Audience:Target Audience The target audience of this project is agriculture workers and producers in Texas. ? Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?
Nothing Reported
How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?
Nothing Reported
What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
A multi-level approach of activities was created to disseminate an important message to the agricultural community: "It's Ok to Ask for Help." An awareness campaign was created by developing social media graphics/messaging for promotion of suicide prevention and mental health and two focus groups were held to take the messages to agricultural workers and community leaders for feedback from the participants. Through these meetings the messaging was finalized, and materials were created. Social media graphics were produced for monthly placement on various social media platforms. Each social media posting contained information on suicide prevention, mental health, and a link to a resources page. A media toolkit containing those graphics is available for the use by the public. Articles on the awareness campaign and helpline have appeared in the January and February newsletters of various TDA programs. PSA ads for the crisis helpline that was are placed in every monthly edition. All graphics have been updated to include the new crisis helpline and QR code for calls and texts. Two of those images were recently revised and sent to Texas Rep. Tony Gonzalez's office for use by the citizens of Uvalde, Texas - a small rural agricultural community which recently experienced a mass shooting incident. Printed materials were developed for distribution and for use in a Mental Health Wellness (MHW) kit, which contain printed materials, giveaways, and a flyer providing a link for the recipient to take a 30-minute Mental Health First Aid training. The kits were distributed to all agricultural 254 extension agents in the state, 10 TDA Field representatives, and 10 TDA Produce Safety and Livestock Export staff. General distribution included rural communities, rural hospitals, and health clinics. The purpose of these materials is to educate individuals to recognize the signs of agricultural stress, appropriately talk with someone experiencing ag stress, refer them to resources, and disseminate the crisis helpline number. The giveaway materials are rubber bracelets with the crisis helpline number, and magnets containing the crisis helpline number and QR code. They serve as constant reminders to an agricultural producer that should they need someone to talk to someone, help is available 24/7 via the helpline. To further promote the crisis helpline among the agricultural community, 40,000 postcards containing the message "It's Ok to Ask for Help", the crisis helpline number and QR code were mailed directly to Texas agricultural producers. A second mailing is planned. Five PSAs were recorded by Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller. Three audio announcements went to over 963 TDA media contacts, and to terrestrial and programmatic radio contacts of partners. Two video PSAs were also completed and sent to the above-mentioned contacts as well as being posted on YouTube. There were several opportunities to bring the campaign and information on the helpline and FarmResponse training directly to agriculture producers and mental health professionals. These opportunities are as follows: 2021 Cattle Industry Convention in Houston in February 2022 - Exhibit booth. Texas Suicide Prevention Symposium, March 1-3, 2022 - Exhibit booth. Mid-West Stream Forum, March 28-30, 2022 Capital Farm Credit - April 26, 2022 - Distributed information on their social media channels. Texas Health and Human Services - Behavioral Health and Prevention Grantee meeting, May 17, 2022 - Presented on the campaign and its resources and shared materials with attendees for distribution and the FarmResponse training opportunity. Upcoming scheduled opportunities: July 2022 - A webinar presentation to a fishworkers group at the University of Texas Medical Branch health clinic housed in Galveston. June 25, 2022 - University of Texas at Tyler - Emerging Issues in Agricultural Occupational Health and Safety conference for healthcare professionals, speaker on panel presentation. August 3, 2022 - Agricultural QPR for Farmers and Farm Families to include outreach information about the crisis helpline and FarmResponse offering. September 12-16, 2022 - Texas Office of Rural and Community Hospitals/Texas Association of Rural Health Clinics - exhibit table Date TBD - Texas Suicide Prevention members- 1.5 hour presentation on FarmResponse A final piece of educational material is the 30-minute Mental Health First Aid training. This training is designed to give an overview of signs/symptoms of stress, warning signs of suicide, managing stress, providing support, etc. This training was provided in the MHW Kits that went to the Texas county extension agents and TDA field reps and Produce & Livestock Export staff. These agricultural professionals come into daily contact with ag producers and the goal is for them to be able to recognize signs of stress, and to provide support and resources. Having respected ag professionals with whom a producer has a positive relationship can provide a safe and supportive environment in which to discuss their specific situation and serve to prevent suicides. To prepare for the launch of the statewide crisis helpline, the Agrisafe Network developed the 3.5 hour FarmResponse training to provide free training to 250 mental health professionals in Texas. This training is designed to provide a full range of competencies to the crisis helpline staff and mental health professionals so they may provide the appropriate care for agricultural producers. This training educates about cultural sensitivity related to the agricultural community and about the unique factors that contribute to ag stress such as weather, crop prices, labor shortages, finances, etc. The distribution of this training opportunity has taken place through the following channels: The SORH: Emails (163 rural hospitals and 330 rural health clinics). The Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council (governs 4 state boards of licensed mental health professions). The opportunity for the FarmResponse training was sent to 71,740 Texas licensed mental health professionals. To date over 900 codes to take the training have been provided and approximately 309 mental health professionals have registered for the training. Via the above-mentioned conferences and events. The licensed professionals who complete the FarmResponse training will be given an opportunity to be a referral source for the crisis helpline. In Texas, 75% of the 406 Federal Mental Health Shortage Areas designations are in rural so the expansion of available mental health professionals certified in an agriculturally sensitive curriculum will help in meeting the project outcome of increasing mental health referrals for farmers and ranchers. The helpline is specifically targeted to producers and agricultural workers. It is available 24/7 and utilizes a "care navigation" process that triages for safety with crisis intervention and response. Calls and texts go to helpline staff and a caller's questions are answered, de-escalated if necessary and resources are provided. Callers may be producers or loved ones seeking information and resources. Those callers with a further need for professional counseling will be referred to a licensed mental health professional certified in FarmResponse. Sessions with a MH professional can be via phone, text, computer, or in person. The average time for a helpline to begin to be fully utilized is approximately six to eight months. As of May 2022, the crisis helpline has had 22 callers. Due to the effort to disburse the information through the multiple platforms of radio, video, social media, conferences, agricultural professionals, and direct mail we expect that by the end August calls will have increased significantly.
Publications
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