The Geauga County Board of Mental Health and Recovery Services and the Farm Bureau of Geauga County have collaborated to raise awareness about the importance of mental health and wellness within the farming community.
A total of 619 resource postcards were mailed to farming households throughout Geauga County this spring.
The postcard was designed through a partnership between the Geauga County Board of Mental Health and Recovery Services and the Farm Bureau of Geauga County, with assistance from the Farm Bureau’s Organizational Director Mandy Orahood.
According to a news release, spring is often one of the most demanding and stressful seasons for farmers. Long hours, unpredictable weather, financial pressures and the immense responsibility of caring for land, livestock and crops can take a toll on mental and emotional well-being.
Farmers frequently place the needs of their farms and families above their own health, making it especially important to remind them that support is available.
Christine Lakomiak, executive director of the Geauga County Board of Mental Health and Recovery Services, said while the program was done in connection with the planting season and Mental Health Awareness Month in May, it is an important reminder to the local farmer and their family that there is support available more than just one month out of the year.
“We wanted to send a reminder that prioritizing themselves and their mental health is important because they are such a vibrant and crucial part of our community,” Lakomiak said.
Orahood, the Farm Bureau’s organization director for Ashtabula, Geauga, Lake and Trumbull counties, emphasized the importance of reaching farmers and rural families with accessible support and education.
“Our goal is simple: to remind farmers, farm families and those who support them that help is available and that they do not have to carry life’s stress alone,” Orahood said. “Farming is one of the most rewarding and important professions, but it also comes with unique pressures.
“Farmers work through illness, difficult weather, financial uncertainty and personal hardship because the work never stops,” she continued. “Studies continue to show elevated levels of stress, anxiety and depression within the agricultural community, with farmer suicide rates estimated to be two to five times higher than the national average.”
Orahood added the campaign was designed to meet people where they are by providing accessible, practical resources that fit into busy rural lifestyles. The postcard includes 988 crisis information, warning signs that someone may be struggling, and QR codes and websites that connect individuals and families directly to support services.
The postcards provide information about resources specifically designed to support farmers and rural communities, including Togetherall Farm, the Ohio Department of Agriculture’s “Got Your Back” campaign, Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences guidance on building resiliency in families experiencing rural and farm stress and additional support materials from the Farmer’s Toolkit.
The campaign also highlights the importance of local support systems, including the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
According to the release, in Geauga County, calls to 988 are answered locally by trained crisis counselors who provide free, confidential support and resources 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The service offers immediate support, connection to resources and hope to individuals who may be struggling emotionally or experiencing a crisis.
The campaign also encourages community members, friends and family to recognize warning signs that someone may be struggling with stress, anxiety, depression or emotionally overwhelmed.
Signs may include pulling away from friends or family, increased irritability or frustration, changes in sleep or appetite, talking about feeling hopeless or overwhelmed, changes in routines, decline in personal appearance and health, increase in farm accidents, increased illness, decline in care of animals and livestock or decline in farm or home appearance.
The postcard closes with a reminder that agriculture is built on the foundation of caring for others.
Orahood offered a simple message to the agricultural community.
“Agriculture is built on caring for others. We want our farmers and rural communities to know that while they spend their lives taking care of everyone else, they matter too and help is available to them,” she said.
In addition, to honor May as Mental Health Awareness Month, the Suicide Prevention Coalition of Geauga County recently launched GeaugaLives.org, a website designed to provide practical tools, education, and support for promoting mental wellness in individuals, families and loved ones throughout the community.
“This is one example of how the Geauga County Farm Bureau works well with our governmental agencies in our county. By collaborating with GCBMHRS we were able to focus on the well- being of our agricultural community members,” said Bob Rogish, president of the Geauga County Farm Bureau. “Farm Bureau knows the stresses put on people in our rural areas, and by teaming up with those who can help, we can offer direct assistance to our members”,
Anyone seeking support or resources for mental health or farm stress is encouraged to contact the Geauga County Board of Mental Health and Recovery Services or call 988 for immediate support and connection to resources.
For more information, contact the Geauga County Board of Mental Health and Recovery Services at 440-285-2282 or go to www.geauga.org.
