Farmers and persons residing in rural areas consistently report elevated levels of stress associated with farming and rural living. The combined effects of farming, rural mental health challenges and their stressors have shown associations with higher rates of suicide in farming occupations and in Kentucky. To address rural mental health challenges, farm stress, and suicide among youth and in rural communities, a mutual partnership was created between the UK Cooperative Extension Service and the UK College of Nursing to develop the BARN Farm Camp and Dinner Theater on mental wellness and suicide prevention. UK Cooperative Extension agents from Daviess and Henderson Counties recruited high school youth to participate in the Barn Camp and Dinner Theater for Mental Wellness conducted in December 2021.

Approximately 15 youth, along with extension specialists, extension agents from Daviess and Henderson County, and UK nursing faculty, attended the two-day BARN youth camp to address mental wellness and suicide in their community. The youth learned about mental wellness, stress, and coping skills during the camp, and Dr. Julie Marfell and Dr. LeeAnne Walmsley taught them to use QPR, an evidence-based suicide prevention program. Camp participants demonstrated statistically significant increases in knowledge for mental health and wellness; recognition of stress, anxiety, and depression; understanding the steps of QPR for suicide prevention; knowledge of self-care activities; understanding the importance of working with others; use of storytelling to improve mental health and wellness for suicide prevention; and understanding the links between mental wellness and suicide prevention. Further, the camp participants indicated intention to acknowledge and tell someone about their stress; utilize self-care; identify their strengths and growth areas; set clear goals; use QPR; and commit to helping others with their mental wellness. Most camp participants “strongly agreed/agreed” that the camp information was practical and that learned lessons were implementable in their daily lives.

The highlight of the camp culminated in the youth delivering the BARN Dinner Theater on Mental Wellness. The youth worked with UK extension agents, UK College of Nursing faculty, and community members to develop all aspects of the BARN dinner theater, which 106 community members from Daviess and Henderson counties attended. Of the 106 dinner theater participants, 70 participants showed statistically significant increases in knowledge and understanding regarding self-care; mental wellness, the effects of stress; suicide as an important topic in their community; the need to talk about stress with family or friends; and reaching out to someone if feeling hopeless or having suicidal thoughts. Likewise, theater participants demonstrated statistically significant increases in behavioral intention regarding use of self-care to improve mental wellness; seeking resources to prevent suicide; talking and asking family and friends about their stress; telling someone if their having suicidal thoughts; and using examples from the dinner theater to handle their stress.

Dinner theater participants left a total of 73 comments regarding take home messages and additional positive feedback. The key messages reported by participants included the need to talk to others about stress, use coping skills, be there for others and not be afraid to talk about this issue in the community. Additionally, participants indicated the need for extension to host follow-up dinner theaters in neighboring communities and in their community during planting and harvesting season.