ALAMOSA— Colorado Department of Agriculture Commissioner Kate Greenberg held a forum at the Rio Grande Farm Park on July 9 to discuss policy and the department.
About 40 farmers, ranchers, and others interested in agriculture attended the 90-minute event.
Bethany Howell, Director of Strategic Outreach and Engagement with CDA, gave a brief overview to the audience and said the department has partnered with the Colorado Farm Bureau and Colorado State University Extension in producing the feature film, "Legacy: Stories of healing and hope," which features mental health issues in the agricultural community.
After updating the audience on agriculture in Colorado, Greenberg was asked by the Valley Courier to elaborate on the film and to address mental health in the agricultural community. In this segment of the population, the rate of suicide, according to the National Rural Health Association, is about three 3.5 times the rate in the non-agricultural sector.
Greenberg said, "The film that we put together with the Farm Bureau is part of our continuing efforts to destigmatize asking for help. Ours is twofold, help increase access to [mental health] services. We're not a mental health service provider but we want to help people who need services, we want to connect people to providers in their communities. The second strategy is to destigmatize this. We are a tough bunch of folks, so many of you do it alone, you figure stuff out yourself. If people are struggling you don't have to do it alone, it is OK to struggle, and you really don't have to do it alone.
"The film, ‘Legacy,’ which was produced by a grant with Farm Bureau, really tells that story about people who have struggled. Our communications team has set up a five-showing tour throughout the state," she said.
The film will be shown in Monte Vista on July 18. Colorado filmmaker Steve Vanderheide directed the 45-minute production.
"We have a hotline that we have set up and is heavily promoted," said Greenberg. The hotline can be reached by calling 844-494-8255 or texting, Talk to 38255. According to the CDA Rural Mental Health website, "The agricultural community has always come together to help our neighbors in a time of need and that is what this effort is all about pulling together to help others through this stressful time."
Greenberg also mentioned the partnership with the Colorado Agricultural and Mental Health Program (CAAMHP). The program's goal is to care for farmers and ranchers who have been impacted by severe and persistent drought, price instability, and the resulting impacts on mental health. CAAMHP understands the impacts of depression and anxiety.
Greenberg said the program offers members of the ag community up to six free consultations with mental health professionals.
"We have never been state-funded; we have always gone for grants at CDA to do this work. Now we have the Behavioral Health Administration (BHA) that is essentially centralizing mental health resources. In our budget this year, we are now going to have a full-time ag person at BHA, someone who is focused on ag. They will be responsible for setting up an advisory committee at CDA on how to do this mental health work," said Greenberg.
For more information, visit Colorado Agricultural and Mental Health Program (CAAMHP) online at www.campforhealth.org.
Rural Minds is a nonprofit dedicated to serving as the informed voice for mental health in Rural America and providing mental health information and resources. See online www.ruralminds.org.
