Personal stress resources will help individuals of all age groups as they cope with their independent situations. OSU Extension is partnering with other agricultural groups to offer new programs and resources to help farmers and farm families as they go through stressful times. A statewide campaign is underway…”Farm Stress – We’ve Got Your Back.” Some resources provide strategies for coping with stress, while others re-enforce and empower the person’s resiliency for the rural lifestyle.
At this time, the materials are organized under three broad headings: Personal Stress, Financial Stress, and Workforce Development.
Personal Stress Management:
If you are feeling overwhelmed and need a place to turn, there are resources and people to help. You are not alone in navigating the stress.
- National Institute on Mental Health, 5 Things You Should Know About Stress https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/stress/index.shtml
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline or The Crisis Text Line have trained counselors who are ready to listen 24/7. If you would like to talk to someone, call the– 1-800-273-8255 or TEXT the word HOPE to 741741–for hyperlink https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ AND https://www.crisistextline.org/
- The Ohio Association of County Behavioral Health Authorities (OACBHA) is the statewide organization that represents the interests of Ohio’s county Alcohol, Drug Addiction, and Mental Health Boards at the state level. Each Ohio county has a dedicated mental health and recovery services board. https://www.oacbha.org/mappage.php
- OSUE Factsheet: Stress Coping Methods – The first step in coping with stress is recognizing the signs that you may be experiencing stress. https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/hyg-5242
- OSUE Factsheet: Introduction to Mindfulness – A fast-paced culture of constant multi-tasking and 24/7 digital connectivity characterizes the opposite of mindful living. https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/hyg-5243
- The Healthy Mind Platter – There are seven daily essential mental activities to optimize brain matter and create well-being. https://www.drdansiegel.com/resources/healthy_mind_platter/
- OSUE Factsheet: Helping Young Children Through Stressful Times – Recognizing that stress exists and ensuring that your children’s basic needs are met helps them be more resilient when stress occurs in their lives. https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/flm-fs-8-99-r07
- Managing Farm Stress – Caring for your own health and wellness in this high-stress profession is often overlooked but is just as critical as caring for your farm business. https://www.canr.msu.edu/managing_farm_stress/
- Farm Safety Check: Stress and Wellness – Do you recognize the signs and symptoms in yourself or someone you know? What can you do? http://umash.umn.edu/farm-safety-check-stress/
- OSUE Factsheet: Should I Continue Farming – Making a decision to sell part or all of your farm is not easy and brings a great deal of emotions. https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/anr-71
Adolescents can visit https://youth.gov for information on financial literacy, workplace development, and mental health.
- Additional teen resources can be found on https://bepresentohio.org.
Ohio’s Be Present Campaign educates and empowers peers, friends, classmates and siblings of at-risk youth to “step up” and provide needed support. It also makes youth more aware of and able to address their own emotional state. Be Present will raise awareness about the struggles young people face and encourage and empower their peer group, close friends and siblings to take more responsibility for each other, especially for youth who are being bullied (in-person or online), struggling to overcome mental or emotional problems or other stressors, and those who are most at risk of harming themselves.
Economics:
Financial pressures impact the individual, as well as their families and businesses. There are tools and programs available for all levels of personal and farm management. Being fiscally ready helps reduce stress.
- OSU Extension Farm Office Website – This program provides resources, including budgeting tools, decision tools, and data and statistics, for those working in agriculture across the state of Ohio and beyond. https://farmoffice.osu.edu/farm-mgt-tools
- OSU Extension Farm Profitability Program – This program uses the FINPACK computer program to analyze farm records. Trained OSU Extension professionals work with farmers and farm families to assist with farm record analysis, interpretation and management recommendations. https://farmprofitability.osu.edu
- The Ohio Benefit Bank – make your money go further. Find out if you qualify for budget-stretching tax credits and assistance. benefits.ohio.gov
Workforce Development:
A commitment to lifelong learning is critical to remaining relevant in one’s chosen field of work. The programs of OSU Extension not only help individuals acquire the skills they need in their current jobs but those they will need in the future positions to which they aspire. To succeed in a work environment of rapid change requires workers to be mentally and physically prepared, adaptable and resilient – in a word, healthy.
- Office of Workforce Development – BUILDING Ohio’s Workforce, CREATING Innovative Solutions, PROMOTING Economic Independence and Growth http://jfs.ohio.gov/owd/index.stm
- Ohio Means Jobs – Ohio Means Jobs centers assist job seekers, employers and youth with job search assistance, employee recruitment, job training, and more. http://jfs.ohio.gov/owd/WIOA/map.stm
- Ohio Development Services Agency – committed to creating jobs and building strong communities, while ensuring accountability and transparency of taxpayer money and exceptional customer service. https://development.ohio.gov/
Updated: 7/1/2019