Missouri

In recognition of May Mental Health Awareness Month, MU Extension and Missouri partners (LUCE ISFOP, BIA-MO, and MO 4-H) shared a range of resources focused on mental well-being, accessibility, ergonomics, health, and wellness through both print and online social media platforms. These resources are aimed at farmers with disabilities, agricultural supporters, professionals, allies, and their families. A key resource in Missouri for mental well-being is free telehealth counseling, which is offered by a licensed counselor who understands the agricultural industry. Additionally, the 2025 Mental Health Awareness Month Promotional Awareness Toolkit was available in both PDF and digital flipbook formats. For further details, please check out the Missouri AgrAbility Show-Me Strong Farm Families resources at https://extension.missouri.edu/programs/agrability/show-me-strong-farm-families.

Missouri 4-H partnered with Missouri AgrAbility to promote awareness of mental well-being in rural areas, the stress of farming, and the importance of suicide prevention. This initiative empowered young leaders to share important messages in a way that resonates with their community.

• Led a month-long series of educational social media posts across 4-H platforms focused on
  • Farm stress and mental well-being in rural communities
  • Suicide risk factors among agricultural families
  • Strategies for "suicide-proofing" the home and farm
  • Promoting AgrAbility resources and the National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
• Content was delivered by the 4-H Save Your Brain Teen Ambassadors with guidance from staff and volunteers.
• Posts reached both youth and adults, offering accessible, stigma-free education rooted in real-life rural experiences.
• Ambassadors staffed mental well-being resource tables in two rural towns (Shannon and Oregon counties) during local events.
• Youth distributed:
  • Suicide-proofing checklists
  • Brochures on safe storage of firearms, medications, and chemicals
  • Contact information for Missouri AgrAbility, behavioral health services, and local support
• They engaged in peer-to-peer conversations about mental well-being, creating a safe and relatable entry point for hard topics.

Submitted by Karen Funkenbusch, Linda Geist, and Emily Doosing

Susan Jaster from Lincoln University Cooperative Extension Innovative Small Farmer's Outreach Program (LUCE ISFOP) and Judith Matumba, a nutrition specialist with MU Extension, organized a health, safety, and well-being exhibit at the health fair in Marshall, Missouri, on May 3rd. Dr. Allison Young served as the featured speaker. During the event, Susan shared information about Missouri AgrAbility and provided details about ISFOP.

While visiting a MO beginning veteran farmer (client farmer), Susan Jaster with LUCE ISFOP provided information about the Brain Injury Association of Missouri (BIA) and discussed the services offered by MO AgrAbility. The veteran farmer, who has sustained a brain injury, discovered the support available through MO AgrAbility, BIA, and MO DESE VR. The MO AgrAbility client farmer was given a farming with a disability helpful toolkit, guidance on avoiding secondary injuries, and a resource sheet for farming with a brain injury.

Submitted by Mark Lucas