Addressing the mental and behavioral health needs of those working in agriculture and other areas will be the focus of two upcoming seminars sponsored by North Dakota State University (NDSU) Extension and FirstLink. The Adult Mental Health First Aid Program sessions will be held in two locations:

• Devils Lake - 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 16 at the Ramsey County Armory
• Bottineau - 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 17 at the Cobblestone Inn and Suites

Registration is open through March 4.

The program, which is intended to address ongoing issues of farm stress and mental health in North Dakota, consists of a full-day educational training seminar. Taught by trained facilitators from FirstLink, the training will provide participants with the awareness and skills to support the mental and behavioral health of self, others working in agriculture and those supporting agriculture.

“Ongoing farm and ranch stress takes a toll on health, including one’s mental and emotional well-being,” says Sean Brotherson, NDSU Extension family science specialist. “Sometimes you need help; sometimes you are help. Adult Mental Health First Aid is a program that is proven to elevate awareness and develop skills in recognizing mental health concerns and making connections to helpful resources.”

Supported by the North Dakota Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Center project, a federally-funded grant awarded to NDSU Extension by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA-NIFA), the two scheduled seminars are free of charge to registered participants.

“This program is possible because USDA-NIFA has recognized the importance of farm stress and is targeting resources at this particular issue. We are excited to partner with FirstLink in making this training available,” says Brotherson.

Each Adult Mental Health First Aid session consists of a six-hour training combined with a two-hour self-study training that must be completed before the session. Though this particular set of seminars targets mental health in agriculture, anyone interested in the topic can register. Again, the costs of registration and materials are covered. A limited number of slots (30) are available for each training session, so interested individuals are encouraged to register quickly.

Interested individuals may register via the FirstLink website under the “Adult Mental Health First Aid” offerings at myfirstlink.org/events/. If you have questions or would like additional information about the program, contact Brotherson at 701-231-6143 or sean.brotherson@ndsu.edu. Additional training opportunities will be forthcoming later this year.

NDSU Agriculture Communication – February 25, 2022

Source: Sean Brotherson, 701-231-6143, sean.brotherson@ndsu.edu

Editor: Elizabeth Cronin, 701-231-5391, elizabeth.cronin@ndsu.edu