A supportive community is out there to help farmers, farm workers and their families living with mental health challenges.
Avery Dixon is the interim program outreach coordinator with the Guardian Network, a program within Agriculture Wellness Ontario, offering suicide prevention and life promotion training for agriculture industry professionals.
The network builds a supportive community of mental health advocates in agriculture.
“We work through modules…that teach folks how to recognize the signs of distress, particularly among farmers,” said Dixon. “We know that farmers are at increased risk for thoughts of suicide and other mental health concerns.”
Dixon says the network teaches folks that engage with farmers on a daily basis how to recognize signs and how to encourage them to access support.
Training through the network is designed to incorporate the lived experiences and the livelihoods of farmers, and that includes the stressors they encounter and live with.
A farmer wellness initiative is also available through Agriculture Wellness Ontario, which offers free and unlimited counselling.
You can find more information locally on mental health supports at cmhahuronperth.com.
