Oregon Senate Approves Funding for Oregon AgriStress Helpline
By Garrett Christensen on Thursday, July 13th, 2023 in More Top Stories Northeastern Oregon News
OREGON – Mental health is a complicated and evolving subject. Different demographics and professions experience stress and mental strain in different ways. The Oregon Legislature recently took a step toward greater mental health coverage for Oregonians, specifically those in the agricultural industry, with the passing of senate bill 955.
Senate bill 955, as written in the introductory document on the Oregon legislative webpage, reads:
“Relating to providing for mental health needs of the agricultural workforce; and declaring an emergency. Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:
SECTION 1. In addition to and not in lieu of any other appropriation, there is appropriated to the Higher Education Coordinating Commission, for the biennium beginning July 1, 2023, out of the General Fund, the amount of $300,000, for distribution to the Oregon State University Foundation for the expenses of the Oregon State University Extension Service in establishing an endowment to fund the implementation and operation of an AgriStress Helpline in this state.
SECTION 2. This 2023 Act being necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health and safety, an emergency is declared to exist, and this 2023 Act takes effect July 1, 2023.”
In short, the bill provides an endowment to expand a unique mental health hotline, the AgriStress Helpline, into Oregon. Once established, AgriStress will be overseen by the Oregon State University Extension Service.
The actual reason for creating a dedicated mental health hotline focused those on working in agriculture, according to Allison E. Myers, associate Dean for Extension and Engagement at OSU, is the general disparity in suicide and mental health crisis rates between urban and rural environments in Oregon. In a letter addressed to the Oregon Senate, which can be read in full here (sources included) Myers sights the National Vital Statistics System, among other sources, to show a higher amount of suicide cases among rural populations, stating on page 3, “For example, among males in 2018, the rural suicide rate was 30.7 per 100,000 population, compared to the urban rate of 21.5 per 100,000 population.”
This in conjunction with data from the Oregon Health Authority’s Violent Death Reporting system indicating a higher than national average suicide rate for Oregon has led to a push for specialized mental health options for underserved rural areas. Regarding how the AgriStress line will operate once funds have been distributed, Union County Commissioner Paul Anders speculates it may be folded into the 988 crisis line system to allow for simplicity of access.
