Rural Mental Health

We’re here to help

Owning and managing a farm isn’t easy. With all the responsibilities and stress that comes with farm management, sometimes a farmer needs a helping hand. Minnesota provides assistance that farmers can turn to when the stress of their career becomes difficult to manage. For additional resources, check out Iowa State Extension's resource page.

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Speak with a Mental Health Expert

Call the Minnesota Farm & Rural Helpline at (833) 600-2670 for free, confidential counseling 24/7. AgCentric is also partnered with Rural Mental Health Specialists Ted Matthews and Monica McConkey.

Ted Matthews

(320) 266-2390

Dedicated to working around the clock to help a growing number of farmers struggling with stress, Ted has decades of history first starting in 1993 as the Director of Mental Health at the Federal Emergency Management Agency in Minnesota. Ted can relate and understand that farming isn't just an occupation, but a way of life. He continues to see a growing number of farmers seeking counseling, especially in today's climate with trade wars and a pandemic that compounds the additional stress of farm life.

Monica McConkey

(218) 280-7785

Monica has 25 years of experience in the behavioral health field as a counselor, program supervisor and administrator. Her focus throughout her career has been to increase access to, and remove the stigma often attached to mental health services. Monica grew up on a farm in northwestern Minnesota and has intimate understanding of the dynamics leading to farm stress and its impact on farm families, looking to provide support to farmers and their families as one of two Rural Mental Health Specialists in Minnesota.

Coping with Stress

With a 24/7 helpline and dedicated rural mental health specialist, there is always someone available to talk to put a farmer’s mind at ease.

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Daily Living Assistance

Find local resources to help with food, utilities, childcare, and other daily needs.

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Business, Financial, & Legal Aid

Reach out to numerous organizations that assist farmers with improving their business.

Resources

You’re not alone

Listen to local farmers, ranchers, and agricultural stakeholders share their personal stories and share a message of hope in difficult times.

Click Here to listen

Down on the Farm Resources

These directories were collected from workshop participants.

Austin Down on the Farm Resource Directory
Grand Rapids Down on the Farm Resource Directory
Marshall Down on the Farm Resource Directory
N Mankato Down on the Farm Resource Directory
Thief River Falls Down on the Farm Resource Directory
Willmar Down on the Farm Resource Directory
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