FFRI resources

If you or someone you know is struggling emotionally or has concerns about their mental health, there are ways to get help. Use these resources, tailored to farmers and farm families to find help for you, a friend, or a family member. 

Farmers and farm families

Alzheimer's Center | SIU Medicine

Studies have shown that working in agriculture poses a higher risk of developing dementia. The Smith Alzheimer’s Center at SIU Medicine provides care through the clinic, as well as community outreach programs to help improve quality of life. The linked resource guide is designed to help navigate various life aspects, including nutrition, exercise, home safety, and more for those diagnosed with dementia or Alzheimer’s.   
siumed.org/alz

AgriSafe Network

The AgriSafe Network, a non-profit organization, represents health professionals and educators who strive to reduce health disparities found among the agricultural community. We believe agricultural injuries, diseases, and fatalities can be prevented through the effective delivery of agricultural occupational health services.  
agrisafe.org

Farm Rescue

Farm Rescue is one-of-a-kind nonprofit organization that plants and harvests crops free of charge for family farmers who have suffered a major illness or natural disaster.
farmrescue.org
 

Farmer Resource Network

A Farmer Resource Network search tool to find an organization that provides the specific assistance and resources you need. Our online directory contains more than 750 organizations all over the United States that work directly with farmers on a variety of issues.  
farmerresourcenetwork.force.com

Farm State of Mind - Stronger Together

From the American Farm Bureau Federation, this resource offers strategies to help identify warning signs of mental health challenges, start a conversation about mental health, and connect individuals with other support systems.  
fb.org/land/fsom

Farm Stress | Oklahoma State University

The Farm Stress Program through the Oklahoma State University Extension provides resources farmers need to improve mental wellbeing.  
https://extension.okstate.edu/programs/farm-stress/index.html

Managing & Breaking the Cycle of Chronic Farm Stress

A peer-reviewed paper by John Shutske, Ph.D., Professor and Extension Specialist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.   
uwmadison.app.box.com/v/ManagingChronicStressCycle

Mental Health Assistance for Farmers and Agribusiness Leaders

Taking care of crops, animals, and day-to-day business is hard on farmers and agribusiness professionals. Caring for your own health and wellness in this high-stress profession is often overlooked but is just as critical as caring for your business. Resources provided including phone/text lines, podcasts, webinars and videos.  
www2.illinois.gov/sites/agr/Pages/Mental-Health-Assistance-for-Farmers-.aspx

Mental Health America Mental Health Test

Online screening tool for a quick snapshot of your mental health and get information, resources, and tools to help you understand and improve your mental health. Online screening is one of the quickest and easiest ways to determine whether you are experiencing symptoms of a mental health condition.
https://screening.mhanational.org/screening-tools

North Central Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Center

This effort is led by the University of Illinois Extension, helping midwestern farmers and ranchers find the resources and support to thrive.   
farmstress.org

Strong Couples Project

Build a stronger couple relationship that can handle the challenges of family and farm life. You and your partner can participate for free in one of the leading online programs scientifically proven to help strengthen relationships. Offered through the University of Illinois Extension.  
publish.illinois.edu/strongcouples

Women farmers and ranchers

American Agri-Women

The nation’s largest coalition of farm, ranch and agribusiness women with more than 50 state, commodity and agribusiness affiliate organizations, united to communicate with one another and with other consumers to promote agriculture. AAW members have been advocating for agriculture since 1974.  
americanagriwomen.org

American Farmland Trust

Empowering women farmers and landowners to protect their land and embrace conservation.  
farmland.org/project/women-for-the-land

Annie's Project

An educational program dedicated to strengthening women's roles in modern farm and ranch enterprises focused on empowering farm and ranch women to be better partners through networks and by managing and organizing critical information.  
anniesproject.org

Women in NRCS

(National Organization of Professional Women in Natural Resouces Conservation Services) Working to identify barriers to women in the workplace and help address those barriers through member services and partnering with NRCS to provide training and solutions.  
winnrcs.org

Women Food & Ag Network (WFAN)

WFAN exists so that women can give each other the information, connections, and encouragement they need to be effective practitioners and supporters of sustainable agriculture and healthy localized food systems.  
wfan.org  
 

Helplines

988 Suicide and Crisis LIfeline

Lifeline Chat and Text is a service of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (formerly known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline), connecting individuals with crisis counselors for emotional support and other services via web chat or texting 988.  
988lifeline.org

Call4Calm Text Line

If you or a loved one are struggling with stress related to the COVID-19 pandemic and need emotional support, text TALK to 552020 for English or HABLAR for Spanish (Message and Data Rates May Apply.  
dhs.state.il.us/page.aspx?item=123539

Crisis Text Line

Text HOME to 741741 provides free, 24/7, high-quality text-based mental health support and crisis intervention by empowering a community of trained volunteers to support people in their moments of need.  
crisistextline.org

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

The Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK (8255) provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals.  
suicidepreventionlifeline.org

SAMHSA’s National Helpline

SAMHSA’s National Helpline, 1-800-662-HELP (4357), (also known as the Treatment Referral Routing Service) or TTY: 1-800-487-4889 is a confidential, free, 24-hour-a-day, 365-day-a-year, information service, in English and Spanish, for individuals and family members facing mental and/or substance use disorders. This service provides referrals to local treatment facilities, support groups, and community-based organizations. Callers can also order free publications and other information.  
samhsa.gov/find-help/national-helpline

Veterans Crisis Line

Dial 1-800-273-8255, press 1 to connect with the Veterans Crisis Line to reach caring, qualified responders with the Department of Veterans Affairs. Many of them are Veterans themselves.  
veteranscrisisline.net  
 

Substance Abuse

Alcohol Rehab Guide

ARG is dedicated to helping people overcome alcoholism and achieve long-term sobriety.  Browse resources and get help finding a detox or rehab center.  
Alcoholrehabguide.org

Depression, Alcohol and Farm Stress: Addressing Co-Occurring Disorders in Rural America

A resource guide to assist rural health care providers with screening and supporting farmers and families experiencing co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders.  
mhttcnetwork.org

Granite Recovery Centers

Many of us know of a friend, family member or someone that's suffering from a mental health ailment, co-occurring disorder or addiction. To make things worse COVID continues and more people have turned to alcohol to cope with the unprecedented uncertainty and stress. Even though less people are driving, more have been using alcohol. This has unfortunately lead to a 9% increase in alcohol related deaths on the road. Granite Recovery Centers offers a guide on alcohol abuse and binge drinking, from recognizing when you have a problem to resources for recovery.  
graniterecoverycenters.com  
 

Government assistance

Illinois Department of Human Services

Illinois created IDHS in 1997, to provide Illinois residents with streamlined access to integrated services, especially those who are striving to move from welfare to work and economic independence, and others who face multiple challenges to self-sufficiency.  
dhs.state.il.us

National Institute of Mental Health

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) is the lead federal agency for research on mental disorders. NIMH is one of the 27 Institutes and Centers that make up the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the largest biomedical research agency in the world. NIH is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Printed publications can be ordered for free and are available in English and Spanish.  
nimh.nih.gov  
 

Counseling

Farmer Behavioral Health | Arukah

Arukah partnered with local Farm Bureaus, churches, and ag-related businesses to launch a rural farming/ag mental health initiative entitled, “Cultivating Healthy Minds: Farmer Behavioral Health Program.” This is a first-of-its-kind telehealth program for treating longstanding behavioral health issues and opioid/substance use disorders, reducing suicide rates, resolving the indirect cost burden, and enhancing the prosperity of the farming industry in rural Illinois.   
arukahinstitute.org/farmer-behavioral-health/

Man Therapy®

Man Therapy® is giving men a resource they desperately need. A resource to help them with any problem that life sends their way, something to set them straight on the realities of suicide and mental health, and in the end, a tool to help put a stop to the suicide deaths of so many of our men.  
mantherapy.org

Psychology Today

Find detailed listings for mental health professionals in your area.  Search by entering your location for a professional near you.  
psychologytoday.com/us/therapists  
 

Training

National Association for Rural Mental Health (NARMH)

NARMH is a professional organization that serves the field of rural behavioral health. NARMH’s membership includes the entire spectrum of the rural mental health community, including consumers, family members, practitioners, administrators, educators, researchers, and policy makers. A unifying force for NARMH has been a focus on rural concerns, which includes a commitment to rural people and those that serve them.   
narmh.org

Rural Resilience

Farm Credit, the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) and National Farmers Union (NFU) joined together with Michigan State University Extension (MSU Extension) and the University of Illinois Extension to create Rural Resilience, a free, online training course to help farmers, as well as their families and neighbors, cope with mounting stress.   
https://farmcredit.com/rural-resilience

Please note that the Farm Family Resource Initiative is a grant-funded program. Resources on this page are provided for informational purposes only. The list is not comprehensive and does not constitute an endorsement by the FFRI or SIU Medicine.