The Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) School of Agriculture has received a grant from the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network South, announced on October 1. This grant designates MTSU as Tennessee’s lead partner organization in a collaborative initiative focused on mental health resources in agricultural careers.
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The partnership involves the MTSU School of Agriculture and the Center for Health and Human Services. According to the press release, the funding will bolster existing efforts and raise awareness about mental health challenges faced by those in agriculture.
Chance Mosley, an agriculture education professor and the lead principal investigator for the project, highlighted the unique pressures that agricultural professionals encounter. He emphasized that this project aims to make mental health information more visible and accessible through established relationships within the agriculture community.
Initial plans for the initiative include mental health assessment strategies, such as the Question, Persuade, and Refer (QPR) training, aimed at agricultural stakeholders, students, and community members as part of suicide prevention training.
The MTSU team intends to collaborate with agricultural educators, extension service personnel, businesses, community organizations, and healthcare providers to expand their reach. Cynthia Chafin, director of the MTSU Center for Health and Human Services and co-principal investigator, pointed out that the initiative aligns with their goals of improving health in rural areas.
Chafin stated, "The health of our agricultural communities is inseparable from the health and well-being of the people who sustain them." Efforts will focus on increasing awareness and reducing stigma that may prevent individuals from seeking help.
Additionally, MTSU is working on a Tennessee Farm Stress and Wellbeing Resource Directory to provide farmers and agricultural families with easy access to various programs and support services. Through their partnership with FRSAN South, MTSU's program aims to address local agricultural needs more effectively.
Chafin remarked, "Farmer mental health is an important rural health issue, and this partnership allows us to combine that experience with the School of Agriculture’s expertise and trusted relationships within the agricultural community."