KFF Health News (06/25/24) Leys, Tony

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is sponsoring training sessions to help mental health professionals learn how to talk to farmers about the stresses they have. Farmers have suicide rates higher than that for the general population, with risk factors including living in rural areas and access to guns. At one recent session in Grinnell, Iowa, family therapist David Brown noted that many farmers "are born to it. They don't have any choice," not wanting to let down previous generations of farmers in their families. Farmers are also impacted by several factors out of their control, he said, such as weather, world events, political conflicts and injuries that could leave them unable to do key tasks. Additionally, many farmers are hesitant to seek mental health care, concerned that health care providers would not understand their lives. Instructors encouraged mental health professionals who treat farmers to have flexible schedules and to be patient when appointments are cancelled at the last minute, noting that an animal may be sick and need care, a machine may have broken or the weather conditions are ideal for planting or harvesting. Also discussed were what to ask and not to ask when meeting farmers and alternate suggestions for standard advice on how to stress. These training sessions are part of the federal Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network, which also finances counseling hotlines and support groups.

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