Free Mental Health First Aid Training for Ag Community of New Yorks Mohawk Valley Region

Did you know that farmers are more likely than the general population to die by suicide?

NY FarmNet and New York Center for Agricultural Medicine and Health are pleased to offer a free Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) course on January 31st from 8am – 5pm. The training will be held at Clarks Sports Center, 124 County Road 52, Cooperstown, NY 13326. Farmers, agribusiness workers, and anyone who interacts with the agricultural community in New York State is encouraged to attend this free training. Lunch will be provided from a local eatery, with a one-hour break.

Mental Health First Aid teaches you how to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental health and substance use challenges among adults. You’ll build skills and confidence you need to reach out and provide initial support to those who are struggling. You’ll also learn how to help connect them to appropriate support.

After the course, you will be able to:

• Recognize common signs and symptoms of mental health and substance use challenges.

• Understand how to interact with a person in crisis and connect them with help.

• Use self-care tools and techniques.

The instructors for this course are Kevin Luschen and Anna Meyerhoff of New York Center for Agricultural Medicine and Health. Please note that the adult MHFA content is not ag specific, although the instructors are. 

This free training is made possible by funding from the United States Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food & Agriculture. They have invested nearly $25 million in addressing farmer behavioral health on a state-by-state basis as part of the Farm and Stress Assistance Network (FRSAN) through state Departments of Agriculture. 

Scan the QR code below, or go to www.nyfarmnet.org/trainings to register by January 23rd. Contact NY FarmNet at 1-800-547-3276 with any questions. Registration deadline will be extended if the class does not fill. Please register for lunch count to be accurate. 

This work is supported by 7 U.S.C. 5936, Section 7522 of FCEA of 2008, Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network (FRSAN), Grant No. 2021-70035-35550, from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture.