In 2023-2024, we awarded an emerging issues grant to Farm First to update their training materials, provide continued training, and conduct behavioral health risk screenings. Based in Vermont, Farm First has provided mental health training to farmers and agricultural service providers for years, and are sought after by other states to help train both farmers and agricultural service providers in their regions. Farm First has led efforts to pilot a farmer peer support network and has provided extensive training to approximately 15 geographically dispersed farmers throughout Vermont to support other farmers experiencing stress and to connect them to needed resources, including to their staff of licensed mental health counselors.
With the emerging issues funds, Farm First updated training for their previously trained peers, which allowed them to maintain their high skill levels and train additional peers. Farm First integrated more innovative delivery methods for the trainings, in response to the difficulty farmers face leaving their farm. Their trainings were divided into two parts: (1) developing podcasts on key topics; and (2) live trainings that were offered via Zoom. The podcasts covered the following topic areas: (1) how farmers can best take care of their physical health during the farming season; (2) stress management and how to best cope with the stress associated with farming; (3) communication and conflict resolution; and (4) an overview of key resources available to help farmers in distress.
Additionally, Farm First began a new pilot project this year to proactively screen farmers for a range of behavioral health risks, including anxiety, depression and substance use. They provide rapid, evidence-based interventions, comprised of 1-12 meeting sessions, to assist farmers who screen positive. The service is promoted as a free “well-being check” with follow-up support to help participants make healthy lifestyle changes. This grant enabled them to extend this program and to provide service to an additional 10-15 farmers.
Farm First was also able to evaluate their Behavioral Screening and Intervention protocol with this funding. Farmers were offered a free “well-being check” with follow up support to help make healthy lifestyle choices. All participants met with a licensed counselor from Farm First. The intervention provided individual brief psychological counseling and informational resources and referrals to other local services to farmers and their workers in Vermont. The evaluation showed that the average participant reduced their symptoms of mental health distress by about 30% (anxiety and/or depression).