California

California AgrAbility staff hosted the Puentes Network virtual Spanish event for community members and agency representatives. UC Davis Western Center for Agricultural Health and Safety (WCAHS) representative Teresa Andrews offered "Recognizing Our Individual Worth," a presentation focused on personal care. Yolo Hospice representative Liz Romero discussed the importance of end-of-life planning and services available to Latino families in Yolo County. Agency representatives from Yolo County, Dignity Health, CommuniCare, Winters Healthcare, California AgrAbility, and the Mexican Consulate shared updates about their programs and activities.

California AgrAbility staff attended the "Supporting Mental Wellbeing of Farmers and their Families" webinar hosted by the Colorado AgrAbility Project. The webinar provided suicide awareness training for therapists and service providers (e.g., AgrAbility staff). Keynote speaker Dr. Andrew McLean explained that health is more than the absence of disease and described the eight dimensions that compose wellness. He explained that rural culture is not homogenous and has its own traditions, customs, geography, and service providers who are also community members who often serve dual roles. The webinar reviewed resources to support farm families and highlighted challenges brought on by the pandemic, but also opportunities for rural communities to access services such as healthcare.

California AgrAbility graduate student intern Mauricio Guerrero-Villanueva received his Mental Health First Aid certification from the National Council for Mental Wellbeing. Mauricio has recently joined the California AgrAbility team with the goal of coordinating garden and mental health outreach events, measuring the impact of each event, and delivering his findings to Western Regional Agricultural Stress Assistance Program (WRASAP) partners.

Submitted by California AgrAbility Project