AUBURN, N.Y. — Did you know that farmers are more likely than the general population to die by suicide?
NY FarmNet and CCE Cayuga County are pleased to offer a free Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) course on November 28th from 8am – 5pm. The training will be held at the Cayuga County Soil and Water Conservation District, 7413 County House Road, Auburn. Farmers, agribusiness workers, and anyone who interacts with the agricultural community is encouraged to attend this free training. Lunch will be provided from a local eatery, with a one hour break.
Mental Health First Aid teaches you how to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental health and substance use challenges among adults. You’ll build skills and confidence you need to reach out and provide initial support to those who are struggling. You’ll also learn how to help connect them to appropriate support.
After the course, you will be able to:
- Recognize common signs and symptoms of mental health and substance use challenges.
- Understand how to interact with a person in crisis and connect them with help.
- Use self-care tools and techniques.
The instructors for this course are Jen Schwytzer, NY FarmNet Family Consultant, and Anna Meyerhoff, Senior Bilingual Agricultural Safety & Education Coordinator with the NY Center for Agricultural Medicine and Health.
This free training is made possible by funding from the United States Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food & Agriculture. They have invested nearly $25 million in addressing farmer behavioral health on a state by state basis as part of the Farm and Stress Assistance Network (FRSAN) through state Departments of Agriculture.
Go to www.nyfarmnet.org/trainings to register by November 20th. Contact NY FarmNet at 1-800-547-3276 with any questions.
This work is supported by 7 U.S.C. 5936, Section 7522 of FCEA of 2008, Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network (FRSAN), Grant No. 2021-70035-35550, from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
–NY FarmNet
Cornell University