Mental health is becoming a more common topic of conversation however for rural communities, there is still a gap. Alma Jorgenson is the Rural Mental Health Program Coordinator for the Lake Superior Community Health Center. She says providers for rural communities are low and those that are there don’t fully understand the unique aspects to living in rural places.
“There is a lack of providers across the Midwest and farmers in these areas are kind of being left alone,” says Jorgenson. “They have to drive to a major metro center to get access to care and some of the providers in those larger areas don’t have an understanding for farming or the language.”
There are unique aspects to living in rural places that are hard to understand and teach to mental health providers. When living in a rural community, everyone knows you, your family, or often what your truck looks like. This causes people to not seek help as if they’re spending time at the mental health clinic, everyone knows without telling them.
“Because of this lack of privacy, farmers are kind of keeping it to themselves and not reaching out for help,” adds Jorgenson. “That’s perpetuated by stigma, the lack of access, and makes it even harder overall.”
She says that for those that are seeking help, the areas of assistance vary based on gender. For women it’s usually a lot about relational and communication barriers. Stressors for men however are generally about keeping the farm together, the finances, and the pressure of making sure they are not the generation that lets the farm go.
Jorgenson adds, “As a farm kid myself, I think that you look back at the struggles that your parents face and it definitely taints how you’re viewing farming. So whenever I work with families, I relay the importance of having your kids at the table for that discussion, even if they don’t necessarily know what’s going on as they’re going to be the next generation.”
With her farming background, she provides farmers with a hotline where she will show up to their homes and have a conversation that’s mental health based and filled with farming language. She works hard to set up a baseline for mental health and works to end the negative stigma of mental health.
“With the farming communities that I’m able to really be in a lot, the stigma is definitely going down,” explains Jorgenson. “It’s kind of turned from a joke to a conversation that can actually be held.”
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