IDOA uses Mental Health Awareness Month to focus on Illinois farmers

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) - The Illinois Department of Agriculture is using the month of May to talk about mental health awareness for those in agriculture business.

May is Mental Health Awareness month and also coincides with planting season.

IDOA said spring and fall are often the most stressful times of year for farmers.

This year, the late start to spring has left many farmers struggling to get their crops in the ground, causing stress.

The Farm Family Resource Initiative (FFRI) was established in Illinois in 2019 to address mental health needs of farmers.

The FFRI launched a six-county pilot program to provide resources to Christian, Logan, Macon, Macoupin, Morgan, and Sangamon counties through a telephone hotline that connects farmers with mental health resources and providers.

Funded through a USDA grant, FFRI expanded to all 102 counties in 2021. The General Assembly appropriated an additional $500,000 to be sure the program continues to run in all 102 counties throughout fiscal year 2023.

“It’s important for farmers to break the stigma of internalizing their stress and understand they can ask for help,” said State Senator Scott Bennett (D-Champaign).“The FFRI program has already proven its success over the past couple years and has given farmers the opportunity to talk about their struggles to avoid negative consequences.”

“In just a few short years, the FFRI has already helped many in our farming communities,” said Illinois Department of Agriculture Director Jerry Costello II. “Providing confidential access to mental health providers while also breaking down stigmas in seeking help is critical for those working in our state’s number one industry.”

"The Farm Family Resource Initiative provides educational opportunities and a helpline to support the needs of our farm families. It is just one of the ways that SIU SOM is fulfilling its rural health mission for social accountability in central and southern Illinois," said Jerry Kruse, MD, MSPH, Dean and Provost of SIU School of Medicine. "The school of Medicine is honored to be working with the Illinois Department of Agriculture and other ag-related partners to support this statewide initiative to champion mental health care for our farm families."

“Farmers, ranchers, and producers face a unique set of demands as they work to produce the food we eat,” said Shelly Nickols-Richardson, Associate Dean and Director of Illinois Extension. “Our faculty and Extension specialists are driving significant developments in mental health resources for farmers by combining cutting-edge behavioral health science with a deep understanding of the agricultural industry. These programs, and the funding that supports them, ensure the much-needed resources are available to farmers, their families, and communities for their mental and emotional health.”

The group will make seven stops across the state: