Editors' Note: This story ran in our July newsletter, published July 1.

Extension offices and other organizations serving rural populations are invited to attend Implementing Farm Stress Grab-n-Go Kits in HHS Region 7 and 8 Communities, a webinar in which Technology Transfer Center (TTC) Network trainers will introduce a new mental health resource package available for dissemination to farmers.

During this presentation, scheduled for 10-11 a.m. CT Wednesday, July 28, participants will learn who could benefit from using these free resources, how to use the resources effectively, and a brief background on the conversations and research that spurred the resources' development.

This past year created escalating levels of mental health distress for everyone. With the onset of the pandemic, farming and ranching communities already dealing with high stress levels saw incidents of drug and alcohol abuse rapidly increase, as well as rising numbers of death by suicide.

In response to the increasing need for mental health tools designed to address the specific needs of farm and ranching communities, the Mid-America MHTTC, the Mid-America Addiction Technology Transfer Center (ATTC), and the Mountain Plains MHTTC collaborated to develop a set of easy-to-use ("Grab-n-Go") presentations and flyers for use by extension offices and behavioral health providers in farm communities. Based on interviews with extension agents in HHS Region 7 and HHS Region 8, the team identified four key areas of concern: mental health awareness, stigma, co-occurring disorders, and death by suicide.

The grab-and-go kits include resources in these four areas as well as guidance for sharing them with community members.

Register for the webinar here.