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Well over half the population in our region live in rural and
frontier areas, and are culturally distinct from urban populations. Substance use issues facing residents in rural,
reservation and frontier areas vary. Farmers use stimulants during harvest times. However, alcohol
is the substance most frequently abused on the farm by men and women over
35 years of age. In contrast, among farmers 35 years of age and younger, methamphetamines are most frequently
abused. Migrant farm workers
are at a particular disadvantage because of their high mobility.
Their lack of access to health care makes them very vulnerable
to a variety of issues, such as substandard living conditions, malnutrition,
HIV, sexually transmitted diseases, and substance abuse. Among rural
adolescents alcohol and especially binge drinking are epidemic due
to limited recreational alternatives.
The clock is Ticking for Rural America is
a national conference on agricultural behavioral health and safety.
The purpose of this Conference is to:
- Explore and identify best practices in mental health and addictions
treatment and safety education for the agricultural population
research, and provider training.
- Explore the
integration of behavioral health services (i.e., mental health,
addictions and other social services) with programs aimed at preventing
health risks for the agricultural population in
primary
care settings, faith-based services and other programs.
- Determine the need for and feasibility of
a National Center for Agricultural Behavioral Health which
undertakes research and training, and offers technical assistance to
providers,
organizations,
policy makers and agencies which have roles in
the behavioral health care of the agricultural population.
2003
The Clock is Ticking for Rural America conference proceedings
 "AgriWellness Partners" newsletter - December, 2004
The Clock
is Ticking for Rural Amercia, 2005 will be held on July 11-13, 2005.
For more information about the
Clock is Ticking for Rural America,
please go to http://www.agriwellness.org
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