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Funding for the nation’s longest farm crisis hotline uncertain

The president of the nation’s longest-running farm crisis hotline says funding for mental health vouchers is running out.

Vern Jantzen with Nebraska’s Rural Response Hotlines says it’s provided an average of 2,000 to 3,000 vouchers per year, which allow for mental health providers to be reimbursed for services. “If things continue as they have been through the first of the year, we will be up to 10,000 mental health vouchers by the end of this year.  It’s a phenomenal increase.”

The Rural Response Hotline is supported by the Rural Response Council, which is composed of farmers and members of church denominations.  Legal Aid of Nebraska provides professional services for mental health and financial and legal advice for the hotline.

Jantzen tells Brownfield the hotline had several funding resources available through coronavirus pandemic programs. “We used up all of the funds and those haven’t been renewed. That question about if we’re going to have enough funds to match the demand for vouchers in the future is still an open question.”

He says demand is due to farmers being more familiar with the hotline and there’s less of a stigma surrounding metal health. “It’s this mentality that I’m tough or I’m independent and come hell or high water I’m going to make it through. That’s not a bad attitude to have, but that can cause you to have a lot of stress. It can impact your health, your relationships with your spouse and your family.

He says farmers have faced numerous challenges that have created additional stress. “Some of the weather extremes that we have faced in the last several years.  First, we had a bomb cyclone, then a flood.  Then it stopped raining.  We have issues with drought and on top of that, we had COVID-19. All of these things, people have to work through.”

The Rural Response Hotline was created in 1984 and is online 24/7, 7 days per week.

If you need resources, call 800-464-0258 or visit farmhotline.com.