A new crisis helpline can help Arizona farmers struggling with mental health issues

AZ Central: A new suicide and crisis lifeline is operating in Arizona to serve people working in farming, ranching and forestry.

Free, confidential and available through call or text, the AgriStress Helpline is attended 24/7 by crisis response specialists trained to understand the culture, stressors and particular challenges of agriculture and offer both clinical and practical support.

Arizona is the 11th state to launch the agriculture-specific helpline.

The service, provided by the AgriSafe Network, a nonprofit focused on occupational health and education, was sought by the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension, Arizona Department of Agriculture, Arizona Farm Bureau, Arizona Department of Health Services, and Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System. In November 2023, the five entities collaborated to address the need for mental health resources in rural and agricultural communities.

“To be a good family member, a good farm operator, a good agriculturalist, you sort of have to take care of yourself first,” said Phil Bashaw, chief executive officer of Arizona Farm Bureau, adding that the organization has sought to normalize this conversation within the membership in the past years.

“It’s OK not to be OK and ask for help when you need it.”

Suicide prevention and mental health crisis is not the only focus of the helpline. Individuals under stress can call to get resource guidance, and the line is also open to farmers’ relatives, friends and anyone seeking crisis support. However, prevention is a priority. Farming, commercial fishing and forestry, as a group, is the second occupation with the highest suicide rates in the United States, according to 2021 data from the Centers for Disease Control.

The University of Arizona requested data specific to the ADHS on this occupation and found Arizona producers have 2.5 times the risk of suicide compared to non-producers.

Why establish a lifeline in Arizona?

Arizona also ranked second to last in nationwide mental health assessments. It has some of the highest prevalence of mental illness and the lowest access to care, according to Mental Health America’s 2024 report. Based on reports from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Resources, the state only meets the mental health care needs of 36% of its population.

Other unique pressures exist in Arizona’s rural communities. According to UA statewide assessments, water conservation and quality, water efficiency, planning and reducing the effects of drought, water policy, and water rights were among the top 10 priorities for Arizonans.

Agricultural communities interact with all these stressors, said Michele Walsh, associate director for family, consumer, and health sciences for the UA Cooperative Extension.

Mental health and well-being resources were priority areas to ramp up work at the UA Cooperative Extension, said Walsh. Staff from the state Department of Agriculture and Arizona Farm Bureau also shared with university partners that they were concerned about the effects on farmer families from stress from drought and fluctuating prices.

When the UA called a stakeholder meeting to discuss possible resources for agriculture, the crisis helpline surfaced as a good start. Other Western states had launched the helpline years before with the help of COVID-19 relief funds and support from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Western Regional Agricultural Stress Assistance Program. Arizona was affiliated with the program and eligible to use the COVID money but hadn’t seized that opportunity yet.

After Walsh spoke to colleagues in Oregon who had good results with the helpline, the collaborative reached out to the AgriSafe Network to also make it a reality in Arizona.

In Arizona, the helpline is funded for one year by the USDA’s Western Regional Agricultural Stress Assistance Program, and the collaborative is looking for more permanent funding. Some provisions in the Farm Bill could fund the helpline nationally.

A farmer-tailored resource line

The helpline provides professional emotional support, suicide intervention and prevention, just like the federal 988 line. But specialists on the other side of the line can provide practical guidance and resources tailored to people working in agriculture, such as drought relief funds or natural disaster assistance, loans and grants, contacts for technical assistance, housing support and health care services.

“That could be some of the reasons why they are calling,” said Laura Siegel, health communications officer for the AgriSafe Network. Farmers need time-sensitive information when facing disasters.

AgriSafe Networks keeps state-specific databases updated, which are used by the helpline’s crisis response specialists. The UA Cooperative Extension worked with partners to collect and send the nonprofit a comprehensive list of Arizona-specific resources.

Even more important is the agriculture-specific training of people on the other side of the line. The collective recognized there was a need for culturally tailored services for people working in agriculture, said Walsh. Those who provide the service must understand there are unique stressors like unpredictable climate, market volatility and the weight of land stewardship.

“One of the challenges that we talk about most often is the added pressure of managing a family farm and being a multi-generational family farm,” said Bashaw.

“Everybody wants to leave that farm better than when they found it and nobody wants to lose the farm on their watch,” Bashaw said. “That’s a huge pressure for agricultural operators.”

Such pressures are common in many areas of Arizona, where families face threats of losing farmland to things like urban encroachment or pressure from rising costs, extended drought, water cuts and water availability.

Some of that cultural understanding is as simple as knowing that most farmers are not able to take time off if they are struggling with depression or under too much stress, as it could compromise their operation.

The University of Arizona is also exploring training not only staff from the family, consumer and health sciences division on crisis response but also agriculture faculty and staff, said Walsh. Specific awareness and referral skills such as those provided by Question, Persuade and Refer training are offered regularly by USDA’s Western Regional Agricultural Stress Assistance Program.

The Arizona Farm Bureau also provided 10 scholarships to professionals in rural communities so they can receive the same FarmResponse training used by the helpline’s crisis specialists.

Keep the number for a ‘rainy day’

Finding a local therapist or counselor in rural communities can be hard or cost-prohibitive for many farmers, and the lack of anonymity in a small town deters many from even seeking one, according to survey results from the American Farm Bureau Federation.

There is still a lot of stigma about seeking help to deal with mental health issues like depression, anxiety or substance use, even when resources are available.

“The message is that you’re not alone in this,” said Walsh, with the UA Cooperative Extension.

“This is an unpredictable occupation, there are a lot of growing challenges in the field, and you’re not alone,” Walsh said. “You can take steps. It’s for your and your family’s well-being. It’s nothing to be ashamed of. You’re a very strong person to do this work. And part of that is also taking this step, which can be a little scary as well.”

Although resources like this are slow to pick up, other states have seen that the helpline use grows over time just through awareness, she added.

The fact that younger generations are speaking more openly about mental health is something that can help intergenerational family farms, said Siegel, with AgriSafe Network. The most powerful way to promote resources like this is word of mouth, she added.

Discretion is also key, Siegel said. Some people might not be willing to approach their booths directly at events and fairs but might pick up a card left by the bathroom sink, or pay attention to radio spots and billboards.

“Maybe you don’t need it but your neighbor might need it on a rainy day,” Siegel said. “It doesn’t hurt to have the number.”

Individuals seeking crisis support and resources can call or text 833-897-AGRI (2474). The helpline is confidential and available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Clara Migoya covers agriculture and water issues for The Arizona Republic and azcentral. Send tips or questions to clara.migoya@arizonarepublic.com.

Contact the Solari Communications Team.