Washington State University is offering mental health counseling to farmers and agricultural workers in Washington state through its Farm Stress Counseling Voucher Program.

The program, managed by WSU’s Skagit County Extension, provides six telehealth sessions with licensed clinical psychologists. These sessions are conducted via Zoom and can be scheduled flexibly to accommodate the busy schedules of farmers.

The program addresses the mental health needs of the agricultural community, where workers encounter stressors related to weather, commodity prices, and equipment issues. It was initiated in 2018 following the passage of House Bill 2671, a state law focused on suicide prevention in agriculture.

Program manager and licensed psychologist Conny Kirchhoff assures that all sessions are confidential. In 2024, the program expanded to include training for doctoral candidates to better understand the specific needs of agricultural workers.

Individuals in immediate crisis can contact the National Suicide Prevention Line at 988 or 1-800-273-8255, and the AgriSafe Crisis Support line at 1-833-897-2474 is available for farmers and agricultural workers. More information on the program can be found on the Farmer Therapy Voucher Program website.