Parson Administration Launching Mental Health Hotline for Missouri Farmers

The Parson administration plans to launch a hotline for Missouri farmers dealing with mental health issues.    

The St. Louis Post Dispatch was first to report the state Department of Agriculture is seeking companies to run a call center to address suicide concerns and stress facing the farming industry.  

Several farm group studies found high levels of stigma around stress and mental health in rural areas.  

A Missouri Hospital Association report shows men in rural Missouri had the highest rate of suicides in 2017 at nearly 36 per 100-thousand residents.  

There's also a shortage of behavioral health professionals in rural parts of the state.