FARMERS FIRST Act

To amend the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 to establish a farm and ranch stress assistance network, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Facilitating Accessible Resources for Mental health and Encouraging Rural Solutions For Immediate Response to Stressful Times Act FARMERS FIRST Act 2. Farm and ranch stress assistance networks (a) Findings Congress finds that— (1) agricultural work continues to be— (A) highly stressful; (B) characterized by uncertainty; and (C) subject to— (i) changing market conditions; (ii) the unpredictable nature of weather; and (iii) other factors beyond the control of agricultural producers; (2) individuals working in agriculture have the highest overall suicide rate among all occupations; (3) access to behavioral health care is often limited among individuals working in agriculture due to time and geographical constraints; and (4) agricultural workers are in need of specialized behavioral health programs that are— (A) affordable; (B) available as needed; and (C) carried out with understanding of concerns specific to agricultural work. (b) Farm and ranch stress assistance The National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 is amended by inserting after subtitle I ( 7 U.S.C. 3291 J Farm and ranch stress assistance 1460. Definitions In this subtitle: (1) Affected individual The term affected individual (A) farming; (B) ranching; or (C) another agriculture-related occupation. (2) Committee The term Committee (3) National network The term national network (4) State network The term State network 1461. Farm and ranch stress assistance networks (a) State networks (1) Grants The Secretary, in coordination with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, shall establish a program under which the Secretary shall provide competitive grants to State departments of agriculture, State cooperative extension services, and nonprofit organizations to carry out eligible cooperative programs described in paragraph (2). (2) Description of eligible cooperative programs An eligible cooperative program referred to in paragraph (1) is a program— (A) established and carried out by a partnership between— (i) one or more State departments of agriculture, one or more State cooperative extension services, or one or more nonprofit organizations, as applicable; and (ii) entities providing appropriate services in the one or more States; and (B) the purpose of which is to establish a farm and ranch stress assistance network to provide stress assistance programs to affected individuals, including counseling and support (including behavioral health counseling and referral for other forms of assistance, as necessary) through— (i) farm telephone helplines and internet websites; (ii) training for advocates for affected individuals and other individuals or entities that may assist affected individuals in crises, including training programs and workshops; (iii) support groups; (iv) outreach services and activities, including the dissemination of information and materials; and (v) home delivery of assistance, in any case in which a farm resident is homebound. (3) Use of funds A competitive grant provided under this subsection may be used to enter into a contract, on a multiyear basis, with a community-based, direct-service organization to initiate, expand, or maintain an eligible cooperative program in the State. (b) National network (1) Establishment The Secretary, in coordination with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, shall establish a National Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network to coordinate stress assistance programs on a national scale for affected individuals, including through programs and activities described in subsection (a)(2)(B). (2) Director The Secretary, in coordination with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, shall appoint an individual in the Department of Agriculture to be the Director of the national network. (c) Authorization of appropriations Notwithstanding any other provision of law, there is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out activities through the national network and State networks $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023. 1461A. Farm and Ranch Stress Assessment Committee (a) Establishment Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of the FARMERS FIRST Act Farm and Ranch Stress Assessment Committee (b) Membership The Committee shall consist of— (1) the Secretary (or a designee); (2) the Secretary of Health and Human Services (or a designee); (3) the Assistant Secretary of Health and Human Services for Mental Health and Substance Abuse (or a designee); (4) the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration (or a designee); (5) the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (or a designee); (6) the Director of the National Institutes of Health; (7) the Under Secretary for Rural Development (or a designee); and (8) 4 members, to be appointed by the Secretary, one of which shall be a representative of each of— (A) affected individuals; (B) behavioral health professionals; (C) advocates for affected individuals; and (D) as appropriate, other experts in occupational stress and behavioral health among affected individuals. (c) Meetings The Committee shall meet not fewer than 2 times each year. (d) Report (1) In general Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of the FARMERS FIRST Act (2) Contents The report under paragraph (1) shall include— (A) an inventory and assessment of efforts to support the behavioral and mental health of farmers and ranchers by— (i) the Federal Government, States, and units of local government; (ii) communities that are comprised of farmers and ranchers; (iii) healthcare providers; (iv) State cooperative extension services; and (v) other entities, as determined by the Secretary; (B) a description of the challenges faced by farmers and ranchers (including financial, medical, and other challenges) that may impact the behavioral and mental health of farmers and ranchers; (C) an evaluation of the impact of farmer and rancher suicides on— (i) the agricultural workforce; (ii) agricultural production; (iii) rural families and communities; and (iv) succession planning; and (D) an outline of a long-term strategy and recommendations based on best practices to appropriate Federal departments or agencies for addressing the challenges identified under subparagraph (B). .

Summary: Facilitating Accessible Resources for Mental health and Encouraging Rural Solutions For Immediate Response to Stressful Times Act or the FARMERS FIRST Act This bill amends the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 to require the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to provide grants to state departments of agriculture, state cooperative extension services, and nonprofit organizations for cooperative programs to establish farm and ranch stress assistance networks. The networks must provide stress assistance programs to farmers and ranchers, including counseling and support through: telephone helplines and websites, training for advocates for affected individuals, support groups, outreach services and activities, and home delivery of assistance for farm residents who are homebound. USDA must coordinate with the Department of Health and Services (HHS) to establish the grant program and a National Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network to coordinate the stress assistance programs on a national scale. USDA and HHS must also establish an advisory committee to report on the state of behavioral and mental health in farmers and ranchers.