Electronic Fall 2023 | Issue 56
State Legislative Update
By: Mark Peysakhovich, IPS Legislative Consultant
State Is Working to Reduce Stigma and Promote Telehealth Access to Mental Health Services in Rural and Agricultural Communities
When it comes to mental health services in rural and agricultural communities, both ends of the pipeline -- supply and demand – need priming. People in rural and agricultural communities need better access to mental health services. At the same time, mental health stigma keeps many more people in those communities from seeking help. The stigma can sometimes be felt especially acutely in small communities where “everyone knows everyone.”
Boosting efforts to address these concerns, Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Agriculture announced new funding through the Farm Family Resource Initiative (FFRI), a program aimed at breaking down the stigma of accessing mental health services in smaller communities.
“As Governor, as a father, and as someone who has personally witnessed the mental health epidemic among family and friends, there is nothing more important than making sure every Illinoisan has access to the mental health services they need to lead happier and healthier lives,” Gov. Pritzker said in a statement.
FFRI was created initially as a pilot program covering six Illinois counties providing telehealth mental health access in addition to a helpline. Following its overwhelming success, the FFRI was expanded to cover all 102 counties in the state. In addition to the telehealth helpline, family members can now access six free telehealth mental health sessions.
The program will also fund up to 20 grants at $1,000 each to support Future Farmers of America (FFA) chapters implementing local initiatives encouraging access to mental health resources. Grants will be used to increase awareness of mental health and wellness in schools and communities across Illinois. All FFA chapters in Illinois are eligible to apply for the grant, and grant applications will be available from the Illinois FFA Foundation in fall 2023.
State Senator Doris Turner (D-Springfield) pointed out that farmers depend on factors like weather, staking their livelihoods and sometimes their mental health on things completely outside their control. In a statement Se. Turner welcomed the new resources intended to improve, “the health and well-being of some of our state’s hardest working individuals.”
The Farmer Assistance Helpline is available 24 hours a day 7 days a week at 1-833-FARM-SOS.
Note from the editor: If you are a psychiatrist who serves patients in rural and agricultural communities, please let us at IPS know you’re out there! We invite you to submit a column about your experiences for a future edition of Mind Matters.