Missouri

To address the mental health crises in Missouri's rural areas, MU Extension has compiled mental health resources for customers, ag supports, professionals, and rural families. Resources also include free telehealth counseling by a trusted professional who understands agriculture. During the month of May, Missouri and its partners, including Missouri AgrAbility, for Mental Health Awareness Month codeveloped the Mental Health Awareness Month Toolkit in PDF and digital flipbook. Check out Missouri AgrAbility Show-Me Show Farm Families resources at https://extension.missouri.edu/programs/agrability/show-me-strong-farm-families.

Emily Doosing, 4-H specialist and with Missouri AgrAbility, conducted the 4-H Clown College with an emphasis on AgrAbility. Lessons included inclusivity, positive mental health, and personal, physical, and mental safety. Thanks to the summer enrichment grant, youth participants at the beginning of the program received a backpack that included camp supplies that included a journal, water bottle, and much more. Three ambassadors with 4-H Save Your Brain, a Missouri AgrAbility program, were involved in teaching and mentoring during this day camp series.

Mackenzie Bevins, occupational therapy student with the department of occupational therapy at the University of Missouri, is completing her doctoral capstone with Missouri AgrAbility. Karen Funkenbusch with the University of Missouri Extension serves as doctoral capstone site mentor and is project director for Missouri AgrAbility, along with Gina Pifer, doctoral capstone coordinator also with department of occupational therapy at the University of Missouri. Additional information to follow.

Submitted by: Emily Doosing and Karen Funkenbusch

Missouri AgrAbility was highlighted each day of March 2024 during the Brain Injury Fact of the Day awareness media campaign. The increased awareness from website banner ads was 456,554 impressions. From these impressions there were nearly 21,000 engagements and interactions. The Brain Injury Fact of the Day advertisements in the Morning Ag News - Missouri listserv had 65,681 views during March 2024. Social media outreach had 29,628 impressions that resulted in 386 engagements. Visits to the Brain Injury Association of Missouri (BIA-MO) website were 4,163 during March 2024.

Submitted by: Maureen Cunningham