The SC Agriwellness Program
The SC Agriwellness Program was developed in 2019 just before the COVID Pandemic with initial funding and administration coming from the South Carolina Farm Bureau. The idea came from a program that I had put together and the right people happened to be in the room, an agribusiness that told us about a resource that they provide to their employees, this was heard by a farmer, JEB Wilson of Cotton hills Farm, a couple of Farm Bureau staff, from that point the idea of being able to provide more than just a Crisis Hotline was born. We now have a phone number (1-800-968-8143) that anyone part of the South Carolina agricultural community can call. They simply mention that they are calling as part of the SC AgriWellness program, not only will they be able to receive crises counseling if needed but can be set up to meet with a Mental Health Professional for 3 free counseling sessions. The individual can choose the method of the session which can be through texting, over the phone, virtual, or in person.
Betsy Dorton, Grants Administrator for the South Carolina Department of Agriculture, and I (Adam Kantrovich) just received a $500,000 grant to:
Farm Bureau will be assisting in marketing of the program and also providing information and resources to their members around the state. A great deal of assistance that began with Jessica Cabrera which now works for American Farm Bureau, Stephanie Sox, Amanda Croft, Faith Truesdale, and Chalmers Mikell.
Help provide counseling sessions administered by Maria Lund with First Sun, EAP.
Develop some Extension Publication Materials about Farm Stress and Mental Health.
Provide programs throughout the state to raise awareness and education to those that work with farmers and with farmers themselves.
To provide a limited number of for continuing credit courses to mental health professionals within the state through the Agrisafe Farm Response program that will train them about agriculture, the agricultural industry and the challenges that are faced by farmers and their families.
To provide a farm financial analysis of the farm to assist in providing the farmer with where the farm may be financially and to investigate options the farmer may be considering.
https://www.clemson.edu/extension/agribusiness/farmstress/resources.html
https://www.scfb.org/farmstress
