As someone who grew up in large suburbs of metropolitan areas, moving to Lincoln County was an opportunity for me to experience the idyllic, small-town lifestyle. While it’s often true that small town, rural communities can be tight knit and supportive areas to live, they can face some unique challenges when faced with health, financial, or other stressors. There continues to be more evidence of the impact of these stressors on the health and well-being of farmers, agricultural producers, and rural populations.
In 2018 after Hurricane Michael devastated many farming operations in southern Georgia, producers who had lost everything were making alarming comments about the future, or lack thereof, that communities didn’t know how to respond to. It’s no surprise that Georgia farmers and rural residents tend to be independent and stoic- relying heavily on family and friends for support. A 2019 study showed that while rural Georgia residents can identify their stressors and agree that stress levels are high, only 1/3 of them are confident about knowing what to do if someone was under extreme stress or suicidal. Since then, a multidisciplinary team from the University of Georgia’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES), UGA Cooperative Extension, UGA School of Social Work and UGA College of Family and Consumer Sciences (FACS) has been developing the Rural Georgia: Growing Stronger Initiative. This program is designed to help provide resources and education to rural communities to help them identify resources and manage their stress levels.
Some of the critical components of the Rural Georgia: Growing Stronger Initiative that have been emphasized include leveraging UGA Extension Agents as points of contact for rural communities. County agents are boots on the ground and engrained in the local landscape in a unique way, and our primary focus is to provide resources and education to Georgia residents. The Rural Georgia: Growing Stronger Initiative has leveraged the personal relationships and trust in county agents to facilitate the conversation around rural mental health – residents want to call someone they trust. The program has been included in production meetings and events in South Georgia, with Extension agents also getting training in Mental Health First Aid to help improve their ability to have the hard conversations with producers and clients. The Rural Georgia: Growing Stronger website (https://extension.uga.edu/topic-areas/timely-topics/Rural.html) is also available to provide resources on stress and mental health, nutrition and physical health, financial management, youth development, and the Georgia Crisis hotline.
As we end 2022, I wanted to highlight this program in recognition of the fact that the holiday season can be very difficult for some individuals and families. From mourning the loss of a loved one, spending the holidays apart from your family, experiencing financial difficulties, or any number of other stressors, the holidays can be full of hardship. As we navigate this season know that there are listening ears and helpful resources available to you should you need them. If you or a loved one needs immediate help, please call the Georgia Crisis & Access Line at 1-800-715-4225.
