CHRISTA ROETTELE, Communications Branch, OMFRA
The Ontario government is committing more than $385,000 to expand ‘In the Know’, a mental health literacy program tailored to support the well-being of the farming community. Expanding ‘In the Know’ to more communities will improve the quality and access to mental health services available to Ontario’s agricultural sector. This will ensure farmers, their families, and employees have additional places to turn to, when help is needed.
Farmers work hard to feed the province and support the economy. However, the stigma around mental health and lack of services in rural Ontario are big contributing factors to why many people in the farming community, dealing with a mental illness, choose not to seek help.
“I know first-hand how stressful owning and running a farm can be, and this has been a particularly difficult year and a half for farmers. In addition to normal stressors, including the changing weather, commodity prices, pests and diseases, farmers have had to deal with the added complexities of COVID-19,” said Lisa Thompson, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. “Our investment, to expand the In the Know program, will help more people in the province’s farming community access the supports they need to, when they need it.”
The ‘In the Know’ program is an important mental health literacy program, tailored to the agricultural community’s needs, offered at 16 Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) branches in rural and agricultural communities by approximately 30 facilitators. The expansion of the program to more branches will help improve access to mental health supports in rural areas, reduce the stigma around mental health, encourage more open discussion, and help connect the farm community with the resources and support they need.
“In a year unlike any other, there has been an increased demand for more mental health services and supports, which address the unique needs of Ontario’s farming community,” said Michael Tibollo, Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions. “Through the expansion of the In the Know program, more Ontarians in the agricultural sector will have targeted, reliable access to the highest quality mental health care they expect and deserve.”
Farmers have indicated, in previous round-tables and conversations, they are more likely to open up about their mental health if they feel their counsellor or other mental health support professionals understand the agricultural sector and the realities of farming. With the funding announced today, CHMA Ontario will also train and educate more mental health specialists on better supporting farmers and the unique challenges they face.
‘In the Know’ was developed as a result of research at the University of Guelph, funded, in part, by the Province of Ontario. It helps to build resilience in the agricultural sector and it is a stepping stone to more in-depth initiatives.
This funding is part of the government’s commitment to invest $3.8 billion, over 10 years, to develop and implement a comprehensive and connected mental health and addictions strategy.