A new crisis hotline is now available in Oregon for people in the agricultural and forestry communities. The AgriStress helpline is administered by Oregon State University’s extension service.
The AgriStress Helpline – 833-897-2474– is dedicated to providing mental health assistance to farmers, farm workers, ranchers, fishermen, foresters, and their families.
Allison Myers is associate dean for extension and engagement at the OSU College of Health. She said people who work in agriculture face unique stressors, including rural isolation, long hours, financial uncertainty, and lack of access to care.
“This is a topic that’s hard for anyone to talk about,” said Myers. “There has been a stigma associated with mental health and stress for so long and the AgriStress helpline is private, confidential. It can be anonymous. It’s available 24/ 7 from the privacy of your home or wherever you can make the call from.”
Myers said the AgriStress helpline is staffed by trained specialists who can offer referrals and resources.
Funding for the service comes from appropriations approved in the 2023 legislative session. Senate Bill 955 provided a one-time $300,000 general fund appropriation to the state Higher Education Coordinating Commission to distribute to the OSU University Foundation to establish an endowment for OSU Extension Service to implement and operate the helpline in Oregon.
AgriStress was developed to meet the needs of the agricultural community. According to the National Rural Health Association, the rate of suicide for farmers is 3½ times higher than the national average per capita. Mental Health America, a national nonprofit advocacy organization, placed Oregon nearly at the bottom of its state rankings for a higher prevalence of mental illness and lower rates of access to care.
According to Oregon Violent Death Reporting System, deaths by suicide in Oregon have been higher than the national average since at least 2001, and they are increasing year over year.
A coalition of 27 farm groups and health care organizations advocated for passage of SB 955.
