Missouri

Missouri AgrAbility collaborated with the University of Missouri Extension, Lincoln University Cooperative Extension Innovative Small Farmers' Outreach Program, USDA Farm Service Agency, Missouri Farm Bureau, statewide cooperators, stakeholders and farmers with disabilities and their family members in launching a successful statewide social media campaign promoting mental health awareness and suicide prevention. The social media campaign targeted rural agricultural communities three times a week on the MU Extension #Show-MeStrongFarmFamilies Facebook site. Missouri's "Together We Can" movement national efforts to raise awareness about mental health ran through the end of May. The campaign Public Service Announcement is found online here, and the link to the media toolkit here.

Submitted by Karen Funkenbusch and Tevin Uthlaut

Missouri AgrAbility Project Director Karen Funkenbusch shared about resources and programs for Missouri farmers and ranchers with an interprofessional rural health panel for 32 student pharmacists at UMKC School of Pharmacy enrolled in the rural health & agromedicine course. Panelists included a large-animal veterinarian, a rural primary care physician, rural nurse practitioner, rural pharmacist, rural health administrator, ag producer, flight nurse, and Funkenbusch representing Missouri AgrAbility Project and MU Extension. The seminar focused on team-based strategies to foster collaboration among interprofessional team members in rural communities to connect farmers and ranchers with care needs to resources for improving safety and health.

Submitted by: Kelly Cochran

The Brain Injury Association of Missouri (BIA-MO) participated in Mental Health Awareness Month with social media and website postings. These postings focused on the mental health of potential Missouri AgrAbility Project (MAP) clients of farmers and ranchers.

Submitted by: Maureen Cunningham