Raising Hope and Kentucky Legislative Support

Raising Hope

CARERC and SCAHIP are both part of a statewide-Kentucky partnership called Raising Hope. Its mission is to develop community-based programming, education, communication, and support systems informed by local voices to support the mental health of our farmers and farm families through focus on the reduction of stress, depression, and suicide rates of our agricultural community members. 

Additional partners on this initiative include the Kentucky Cabinet of Health and Family Services, the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, the Kentucky Injury Prevention and Research Center, as well as the University of Louisville, Western Kentucky University and Murray State University. 

KY Legislative Support

With support from rural Kentucky state representative Brandon Reed (R - District 24), Kentucky passed its first resolution appropriating $500,000 in fiscal year 2020-2021 towards rural mental health and suicide prevention. An additional $500,000 was allocated in fiscal year 2021-2022 to further these efforts. 

The first resolution read:
“(5) Kentucky Rural Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Pilot Program: Included in the above General Fund (Tobacco) appropriation is $500,000 in fiscal year 2020-2021 to support the Kentucky Rural Mental Health and Suicide Prevention pilot program. The Department for Behavioral Health, Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities shall coordinate with the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, the University of Kentucky Southeast Center for Agricultural Health and Injury Prevention, and other entities to enhance awareness of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (988) in rural communities in Kentucky and to improve access to information on mental health issues and available treatment services. The Department for Behavioral Health, Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities shall provide cultural competency training to staff to address the unique mental health challenges affecting the state’s rural communities. The Department for Behavioral Health, Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities shall also provide outreach, treatment, and other necessary services to improve the mental health outcomes of rural communities in Kentucky. The Department for Behavioral Health, Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities, in conjunction with the Kentucky Department of Agriculture and the University of Kentucky Southeast Center for Agricultural Health and Injury Prevention, shall apply for federal funds as provided by the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, 7 U.S.C. sec. 5936, to supplement the General Fund (Tobacco) appropriation provided above. The Cabinet for Health and Family Services shall submit a report on the results of the pilot program, including but not limited to the number of participants, the mental health issues addressed, and the funding used to the Interim Joint Committee on Appropriations and Revenue and the Interim Joint Committee on Agriculture by June 30, 2021.”