Legislatively funded rural mental health specialists told the House Ag Finance and Policy Committee that demand for counseling and outreach from farmers and farm families has risen and that program capacity is taxed.

Monica McConkie, who described herself as one of two state-funded rural mental health specialists, said she provided 652 client sessions in 2024 and received approximately 650 calls and emails seeking help. McConkie said presenting issues included stress, depression, anxiety, family conflict related to farm transition and substance use. She read an anonymized email from a farmer describing recent years of extreme weather and financial uncertainty.

Ted Matthews, the other specialist, described the program’s approach: immediate hotline access, no-cost services, travel to clients and training for local behavioral-health providers to improve agricultural competence. Committee staff told members the Department of Agriculture’s current appropriation for the program (listed in the committee’s budget line) is $520,000 for the biennium. Representatives asked whether the program also reaches tribal and farm-worker populations; presenters said they serve agricultural workers when referred and that demand makes additional outreach difficult without more resources.

Members thanked the specialists and noted the wider rural mental-health needs; the committee did not take formal action on this item during the meeting.