ITHACA, N.Y. — Did you know that farmers are more likely than the general population to die by suicide?
NY FarmNet, the Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) offices of Columbia/Greene, Orange, and Montgomery counties, and the Central NY Dairy, Livestock, and Field Crops team are pleased to offer three free Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) courses this fall:
- October 18th from 8am – 5pm at the Columbia/Greene County Cornell Cooperative Extension Meeting Hall located at 479 Route 66 in Hudson.
- October 25th from 8am – 5pm at the CCE Orange County building located at 18 Seward Avenue, Middletown.
- November 8th from 8am – 5pm at the Montgomery CCE building located at 20 Park Street, Fonda.
Farmers, agribusiness workers, and anyone who interacts with the agricultural community is encouraged to attend these free trainings. Lunch will be provided from a local eatery, with a break from noon to 1pm.
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 these courses are part of a recently trained cohort that work within the NY agricultural community. They include representatives from NY FarmNet, Cornell Cooperative Extension, Farm Bureau, Young Farmers Coalition, NY Center for Ag Medicine and Health (NYCAMH), and Black Farmers United NYS.
These free trainings are 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.
To register, go to www.nyfarmnet.org/trainings at least one week prior to the training date. 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.
–Cornell Cooperative Extension