Recipient Organization
FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND CONSUMER SERVICES
407 SOUTH CALHOUN ST.,
TALLAHASSEE,FL 32399
Performing Department
Office of the Commissioner
Non Technical Summary
Shortly after being elected, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) Commissioner Nicole "Nikki" Fried asked her team to help identify ways to assist with the ongoing mental health crisis within Florida's agriculture communities. The Commissioner is committed to connecting people in need with the resources that are available to them - not just raising awareness about the existence of a crisis. This NIFA funding opportunity is an excellent opportunity for her, and her team, to meet that goal by expanding existing services.FDACS plans to meet this goal by partnering with existing organizations and agencies in our state, identifying where services exist and where they are needed, and connecting people with these existing resources. FDACS plans to partner with the University of Florida (UF), and its Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) extension offices to reach people within their community and homes. In an effort to maximize limited resources, FDACS is teaming up with our existing marketing partner Chernoff Newman for our print, video, and social marketing campaigns. Lastly, FDACS is creating a phone service with our statewide partner 211. FDACS will created a phone number that farmers in crisis can call and find the assistance that they need.FDACS is partnering with UF for community outreach. UF has an IFAS extension office in each of Florida's 67 counties, and their staff is engaged in the local community. They administer advice to producers, financial literacy programs, and youth education and development programs. In that role, UF is currently administering federal grants for Disaster Mental Health trainings and services, farmer specific online mental health trainings, and the ability to access mediation services for farmers with financial issues. By partnering with UF, FDACS will be able to build on and expand these existing programs.The UF IFIS Center for Public Issues Education in Agriculture and Natural Resources (PIE Center) provides trusted communications research, and strategies. The PIE Center has developed collaborative relationships with commodity groups, natural resources institutions, and academic centers across Florida. Their team will conduct the environmental "SWOT" scan, the PIE Center will review resources in Florida that address farm stress/mental health. The PIE Center will collaborate with the Southeastern Coastal Center for Agricultural Health and Safety (sccahs.org) to identify many of these resources and compile a list.FDACS will also partner with UF IFAS to train people to better recognize and serve mental health and crisis issues that are specific to farm life. Through this grant UF would be able to train 8 regional faculty in Suicide Prevention Instructor Training, and then have these trainers train additional UF IFAS Staff and community partners across the state. Additionally, IFAS staff would then be able to work with 4H, FFA, and public school Ag teachers to train youth in how to identify farm stress and mental health within their communities and families. This effort would enable our program to directly, quickly, and effectively connect with farm families across the state. FDACS is also hoping to help expand the reach and scope of the new telehealth sites that UF IFAS is piloting in many medically underserved counties in Florida.FDACS is also partnering with the information, referral, and crisis counseling phone service 211 to offer these services through a specific phone line that is provided for people within the agriculture community across the state of Florida. After UF has completed its environmental scan, we will provide the updated lists of existing resources to 211 and its new line. This will increase its ability to provide services to the people within Florida's agriculture communities.Lastly, FDACS will be using our existing marketing partner Chernoff Newman to create videos, print advertisements, and a targeted online/social media campaign to make sure that we are reaching people in their homes and help connect them with the expanded resources. FDAC's goal is to not only increase awareness about the mental health challenges many people in agriculture are facing, but to normalize seeking help, and to provide them with a support network to that can offer the help they may need.
Animal Health Component
(N/A)
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
(N/A)
Developmental
(N/A)
Goals / Objectives
FDAC's goal is to not only increase awareness about the mental health challenges many people in agriculture are facing, but to normalize seeking help, and to provide them with a support network to that can offer the help they may need.Our objectives include:Development a marketing campaign to raise awareness about the challenges faced by farmers, ranchers and other people involved in agriculture. This campain will include:Creative Development, design and filming of three videos. Includes 2 sets of three videos (:15, :30, and 2:00), one with English and one with Spanish voiceoverDigital Advertising Targeted digital banner ads, YouTube, Hulu, Facebook ads, etc..Print Advertising Local trade publications and newspapersPrint Materials Printing and shipping costs for informational posters and perforated rack card w/ holders to display at UF/IFAS Extension offices and community centers.AgNet Radio SpotsHosting a crisis hotline for Farmers across the state.Conducting an environmental scan and gaps analysisConducting Question, Persuade, and Refer (QPR) Suicide Prevention Instructor TrainingConduct Mental Health First Aid Instructor TrainingDevelop and implement 4-H/FFA Youth Farm Stress and Mental Health Training
Project Methods
FDACS is partnering with UF for community outreach. UF has an IFAS extension office in each of Florida's 67 counties, and their staff is engaged in the local community. They administer advice to producers, financial literacy programs, and youth education and development programs. In that role, UF is currently administering federal grants for Disaster Mental Health trainings and services, farmer specific online mental health trainings, and the ability to access mediation services for farmers with financial issues. By partnering with UF, FDACS will be able to build on and expand these existing programs.The UF IFIS Center for Public Issues Education in Agriculture and Natural Resources (PIE Center) provides trusted communications research, and strategies. The PIE Center has developed collaborative relationships with commodity groups, natural resources institutions, and academic centers across Florida. Their team will conduct the environmental "SWOT" scan, the PIE Center will review resources in Florida that address farm stress/mental health. The PIE Center will collaborate with the Southeastern Coastal Center for Agricultural Health and Safety (sccahs.org) to identify many of these resources and compile a list.FDACS will also partner with UF IFAS to train people to better recognize and serve mental health and crisis issues that are specific to farm life. Through this grant UF would be able to train 8 regional faculty in Suicide Prevention Instructor Training, and then have these trainers train additional UF IFAS Staff and community partners across the state. Additionally, IFAS staff would then be able to work with 4H, FFA, and public school Ag teachers to train youth in how to identify farm stress and mental health within their communities and families. This effort would enable our program to directly, quickly, and effectively connect with farm families across the state. FDACS is also hoping to help expand the reach and scope of the new telehealth sites that UF IFAS is piloting in many medically underserved counties in Florida.FDACS is also partnering with the information, referral, and crisis counseling phone service 211 to offer these services through a specific phone line that is provided for people within the agriculture community across the state of Florida. After UF has completed its environmental scan, we will provide the updated lists of existing resources to 211 and its new line. This will increase its ability to provide services to the people within Florida's agriculture communities.Lastly, FDACS will be using our existing marketing partner Chernoff Newman to create videos, print advertisements, and a targeted online/social media campaign to make sure that we are reaching people in their homes and help connect them with the expanded resources.We will be evaluating and measuring our work through these efforts:The Environmental Scan and Gaps Analysis will create a report of available agriculture mental health resources across the state.FDACS will track the dates, locations, numbers of participants for all trainings.FDACS will work with 211 to track calls to the phone line, regions of the state, frequency, and responsiveness.FDACS will work with our marketing team to track digital reach of our online campaign.FDACS will work with UF/IFAS to track the metadata on outreach materials, and community activities, and to develop other ways of tracking and evaluating the success of our initiatives.