Rural suicides are increasing

curmudgeoness

I'm posting this here because the family profiled in the story owns a farm just a few miles from Big Sandy. Maybe Jeff will feel moved to shed light on or offer support to this problem? The article touches on issues, such as isolation and lack of resources and access to care, that exacerbate the problem.

https://www.cnn.com/2018/08/21/health/rural-suicides-among-farmers/index.html

<<Farm Aid offers a hotline, but it's not 24/7 and is for referrals more than crisis intervention, explains Fahy, the organization's spokeswoman. And people on the other end of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, though essential, aren't generally versed in what life looks like for a farmer, Rosmann says.

Some states have their own farm and rural helplines, but he believes such options should be universally available. He imagines designated suicide prevention hotlines staffed by people who understand farming and speak the language so there's no cultural gap. He'd like counseling for farmers to be subsidized, since they generally have high insurance deductibles and aren't likely to seek help, especially when financially stressed. And he wants more rural family doctors to be trained in agricultural medicine, including behavioral health.>>