Extension
It Starts With Us
Improving Mental Health
Achieving a Healthy Lifestyle
Joyce Doyle, Christy Eastwood, Maggie Forsee
Substance Use Recovery - FCS
Active Living and Health Promotions General
Mental health refers to overall emotional well-being, including how we think, feel, and act as we cope with life. People who are emotionally healthy are better able to cope with life’s challenges, build strong relationships, and lead productive, fulfilling lives.
Mental health affects more than just emotions. It can also affect physical health, sleep, appetite, concentration, and recovery from illness and disease. Like physical health, mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood.
In the agriculture sector, mental health of the farmer has come to the forefront over the past several years. Farming is considered one of the top ten most stressful occupations in the United States. This is due to a range of pressures put on the farmer such as financial concerns, personal or family concerns, work-related injuries, change in farm policies, chemical exposure, loss of crop or livestock, and weather.
According to a 2019 poll sponsored by the American Farm Bureau Federation, a majority of farmers and farmworkers say financial issues (91%), farm or business problems (88%), and a fear of losing the farm (87%) impact their mental health.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) states that male farmers across seventeen states took their own lives at a rate two times higher than the general population. Farmers are some of the most at-risk people in rural communities, making it extremely important to reduce the stigma associated with mental health issues so that people seek help.
The recent statewide needs assessment identified substance use prevention and recovery as the most urgent priority for Cooperative Extension. Moreover, substance use was the focal point of the CES Advisory Council Meeting in early 2019. Taken together, youth KIP survey data and data from the CES needs assessment demonstrate the need to address substance use prevention, recovery, stigma, and impact on families and communities.
- The prevention and/or reduction of substance use and its related consequences.
- Changed public perception of mental health and substance use via stigma reduction.
- Carroll County Youth:
- Fatalities will be reduced
- Will be at a lower risk for physical and emotional distress
- Will decrease in drug, alcohol, and tobacco use
- Reduced stigma from local community members
- Improved perceived stress and ability to cope in both youth and adults
- Increased adoption and mastery of health behaviors that lead to a healthy lifestyle
- Increased Opioid Stewardship (less prescribing by doctors, appropriate Rx disposal, drug takebacks, etc.)
- Delayed age of first use among Kentucky youth.
- Carroll County Youth will:
- See more coalitions developed to address suicide and mental health issues.
- Have improved access to and better utilization of resources.
- Lower stress and have better ability to cope.
- Practice refusal skills
- Intervene to prevent use/abuse of drugs, alcohol and tobacco.
- Project a positive image and self-confidence.
- Make choices that lead to responsible and beneficial results.
- Increased knowledge of substance use prevention, addiction, and recovery (or related subject matter)
- Increased ability to use destigmatized language
- improved education about substance use disorder and mental health disease
- Improved social skills and/or self-efficacy in Carroll County youth
- Carroll County Youth will:
- Gain knowledge in improved education about suicide and mental health disease.
- Gain knowledge on improved education about diversity and inclusion.
- Intend to manage stress; make time for self; listen, talk, bond with family members; learn responsibility in use of money, time, etc.
- Be able to verbalize realistic behavior expectations.
- Understand the decision-making process.
- Gain skills in setting a goal and developing a plan of action.
- Understand the consequences of risk behaviors.
Outcome:
Long-term.
Indicator:
Decrease in reported number of substance use, fatalities, tobacco use.
Method:
Number of people incarcerated for drug paraphernalia. County statistics for local school system. Common Measures Experience Survey.
Timeline:
2025
Outcome:
Intermediate
Indicator:
Decreased number of discipline referrals in local school system.
Method:
County statistics from local school system. Conversations with Carroll County Champions and Health and Safety Coalition. Common Measures Experience Survey.
Timeline:
2025
Audience:
Carroll County Youth, 7th Grade
Project or Activity:
Truth and Consequences
Content or Curriculum:
Truth and Consequences: The Choice is Yours!
Inputs:
Extension Agents, Extension Staff, Community Volunteers, Carroll County Middle School Staff, Money, Time
Date(s):
Spring 2025
Audience:
Carroll County Youth
Project or Activity:
Bullying Lessons
Content or Curriculum:
Character Counts
Inputs:
Extension Agent, Extension Staff, Carroll County School District, Time, Money
Date(s):
School Year Fall 2024
School Year Spring 2025
Audience:
Carroll County Youth
Project or Activity:
Health Rocks
Content or Curriculum:
Health Rocks
Inputs:
Extension Agent, Extension Staff, Teen Council members, Extension publications, Time, Money
Date(s):
School Year Fall 2024
School Year Spring 2025
Audience:
Adults
Activity:
Living with Loss series
Content or Curriculum:
Living with Loss curricula and fact sheets
Inputs:
FCS Agent, Time, Money
Date (s): Spring 2025
audience:
Senior adults
Activity:
Wits Workout
Content or Curriculum:
Wits Workout facilitator's guide
Inputs:
FCS agent
Date:
July 2024
Author: Christy Eastwood
Major Program: Aging-General
Aging is a natural part of life; however, it can be difficult for older adults to cope with the changes happening in their body, both physically and mentally. Research shows that many activities can help improve brain health in seniors. A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that seniors who regularly participated in mentally stimulating activities had a lower risk of Alzheimer’s Disease. The Carroll County Extension Service offered a five-week session of WITS
