Mission
The Southern Illinois University School of Medicine Center for Rural Health and Social Service Development (CRHSSD) is leading the effort to build a network of support and resources for Illinois farm families. The purpose of the initiative is to provide a range of resources including a helpline to assist with farmer and farm-related issues that include mental and physical health needs. Additionally, the initiative offers ongoing outreach, education and training to rural clients and partners working to improve the health and safety of farm families.
The Farm Family Resource Initiative seeks to improve the health and well-being of Illinois farm owners and families by:
- Identifying farm family needs, including mental health needs
- Identifying available resources for farm families
- Creating new resources for farm families
- Developing a network of partners to respond to farm family needs
The FFRI was piloted in six Illinois counties – Morgan, Sangamon, Macoupin, Christian, Logan, and Macon. It is now statewide. The FFRI is administered
through the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine’s Center for Rural Health and Social Service Development.
Advisory Council
The FFRI Advisory Council is made up of Agriculture industry professionals from throughout the state who meet monthly to provide guidance and support. They also assist with the dissemination of FFRI materials and program information.
Goals are to provide:
- Guidance on the program
- Input in the marketing and promotion of the program
- Guidance on access issues for farm families
- Input on strategies to address shortages of services for farm families
- Input on other issues that may arise through this program
Objectives are to:
- Meet monthly to provide input into the development of the program
- Assist in distributing program information to farm families
- Facilitate communication with farm families
- Support overall development of the program
Services
The Farm Family Resource Initiative helpline is available by call, text and email.
Call/Text helpline
1-833-FARMSOS (833-327-6767)
Email helpline
FarmFamilyResourceHelpline@mhsil.com
Telecounseling
Telehealth counseling sessions with SIU Medicine counselors are available for those in need of additional support. Up to six individual, couple or group sessions are available at no cost to the farmer or farm family member with the support of grant funding.
Resources
The FFRI provides a comprehensive list of resources aimed at supporting farmers and farm families in various aspects of their lives, including mental health, safety, and well-being on the FFRI.
Marketing
The Farm Family Resource Initiative's marketing campaign spread throughout the state through advertisement in print publications, radio, billboards, posters, flyers, yard signs and promotional items.
Over 18,483 promotional items such as wallet cards, pamphlets, flyers, table tents, tote bags, tractor stress relievers, fans, and much more were distributed to various partners, organizations, insurance providers, Illinois Farm Bureau, and state and county fairs.
- FarmWeek - 11 - ¼ page ads 1 - Full Page ads - 770,000 Illinois farmers and farm families
- AgriNews - 11 - 2x9 ads - Illinois Circulation 25,009
- Illinois Country Living - 9 - 1/3 page ads reach 192,000 Subscribers
- Spring 2025 Holstein 2 Half Page ads - 3,599 printed copies
- Successful Farming - 4 - 1/3 page ads - 380,000 Subscribers
- Field and Bean - Illinois Soybean Association - 5 1/4 page ads - 43,000
- News Gazette - 2 Half page ads - 20,000 Impressions
Social Media
Social with FarmWeek - impressions 296,439 | Reach 94,667 | Clicks 1,448
Digital
- April - 29,155 Impressions | 17,508 Reach | 336 Clicks
- May - 72,847 Impressions | 30,805 Reach | 470 Clicks
- June - 210,716 Impressions | 60,687 Reach | 1,402 Clicks
- AgriNews - Shaw Media Website - 18,750 Impressions | Addressable GEO 35,000 Impressions
- Successful Farming - 75,000 Impressions
Eblasts
- March - 30,283 Audience | 5,857 Opens | 732 Clicks
- May - 30,283 Audience | 4,832 Opens | 712 Clicks
- July - 30,283 Audience | 3,827 Opens | 698 Clicks
- AgriNews eblast - 5,000 impressions
- St. Louis AgriBusiness Club - 425 recipients
ILCorn Video Campaign
In partnership with Illinois Corn (ilcorn.org), FFRI launched a video campaign promoted across social media platforms, supported by paid digital ads, and featured in the weekly e-newsletter (reaching approximately 2,700 subscribers).
YouTube
The Farm Family Resource Initiative playlist on the SIU Medicine YouTube channel has 239 views in FY25.
Website
FFRI continued to update the website with videos, events, webinars, graphics, blogs and news stories. 15,089 website views in FY25.
Blogs
Articles
- FarmWeek article by Dr. Nick Weshinskey - May 2025
- FarmWeek article "Roundtable brings together rural perspectives"
- Successful Farming Newsletter - 56,480 Impressions
- Illinois Field and Bean - IL Soybean Association "Addressing Farm Stress: SIU's Support for Illinois Farmers" - 43,000 Subscribers
Radio
- KTRS radio - Farmer Dave (KTRS) 96 :30 spots
- Farm Week - RFD Radio Network 43 :30 spots with 1,454,259 impressions
- Radio interview with Lorrie Boyer - September 2024
- RFD radio interview with Karen Stallaman - October2024
Podcast
191 visits to podcast page on website
97 plays on spotify | 6 plays per episode
Outreach
The Farm Family Resource Initiative increased awareness about the program state-wide during meetings, presentations, webinars and mailings.
Advisory Council
12 Monthly Advisory Council Meetings
Events & Activities
Rural Mental Health Summit
Held May 15, 2025 in Bloomington, IL, the Rural Mental Health Summit brought together 59 participants to focus on supporting frontline workers serving farm families. Eligible participants earned 3 CEU credits for attending.
Mental Health First Aid Trainings
In partnership with the Behavioral Health Workforce Center, FFRI hosted 4 trainings between November 2024 and April 2025 in Mahomet, Springfield, Effingham, and Canton, IL. A total of 22 participants were trained, including ag teachers, ag media, pork producers, rural police, and EMS professionals.
Support Groups
With suicides increasing within the ag community, the FFRI launched an open support group for farmers and farm family members 18 years and older who lost a loved one. 23 Attendees
- DuQuoin State Fair (600) - August 2024
- Illinois State Fair Ag Day - August 2024 (700 reached)
- Madison County Farm Bureau event - August 2024
- Delta Regional Authority event - August 2024
- Rainbow Transgender Fair – Carbondale: (56 reached) - August 2024
- Big Baldridge and Bonfire event (150)
- Telehealth Conference in Springfield (50) - October 2024
- Randolph County Farm Bureau Annual Meeting - October 2024
- Annual Illinois Farm Bureau Conference (200) - December 2024
- Food Works conference (150) - Marion - January 2025
- Specialty Growers Conference (300) - January 2025
- Annual Pork Producers Annual meeting (250) - February 2025
- Women in Agriculture in the Quad City (250) - March 2025
- Rural Health Summit (59) - May 2025
Presentations
- Suicide Alliance (23) - July 2024
- Governor’s Rural Affairs Council (30) - July 2024
- Suicide Alliance (23) - July 2024
- Mental Health First Aid (9), Canton - August 2024
- McHenry County (15) - October 2024
- Rotary (3) - October 2024
- Telehealth Conference (100) - - October 2024
- Busey Bank (8) - November 2024
- Mental Health First Aid training -Mahomet - November 2024
- Edwardsville Rotary Club (25) - December 2025
- Illinois Ag teachers (30) - December 2025
- Albion rural nurse prep (60) - January 2025
- Women in Ag Conference (35) - March 2025
- Mental Health First Aid (9), Canton - April 2025
- First MidBank (23) - May 2025
Webinars
- Illinois Partnership for Safety webinar (70) - September 2024
- Agrability webinar - October 2024
- Fielding Resilience (3 participants) - April 2025
Partnerships
University of Illinois Extension | Illinois Farm Bureau | Memorial Behavioral Health | Illinois Department of Agriculture | Illinois Beef Association | Illinois Pork Producers | ILSOY | Farm Credit Illinois | Agrisafe | National Alliance on Mental Illness | and more
Bend Don’t Break Grants
In partnership with the Illinois Foundation FFA, the Farm Family Resource Initiative launched the Bend Don’t Break Grant program to support FFA chapters across Illinois in raising mental health awareness and promoting wellness. In Fall 2024, the program received 19 applications requesting a total of $17,795. After careful review, 17 programs were selected for funding, with each receiving up to $1,000. These youth-led projects are making a difference by fostering resilience, encouraging conversations about mental health, and strengthening agricultural communities across the state. Examples include Shelbyville FFA’s “Harvest Buckets” filled with snacks, first aid kits, mental health resources, and fire extinguisher sticks for 30 local farmers, as well as family events promoting connection and mindfulness through creative activities like floral design.
AgriSafe Nurse Scholar Program
The FFRI partnered with AgriSafe and Farm Credit Illinois to provide scholarships for training to rural health care professional.
NAMI and FFRI Resource Guide Handout
The Farm Family Resource Initiative collaborated with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) to create and distribute a joint resource guide handout. This partnership provided farm families with accessible mental health information, support resources, and referral contacts. Featuring 20+ crisis and support resources, the guide expands awareness and offers practical tools to support farm families’ mental health and wellness statewide.
Financial support for FFRI is provided by the Illinois Department of Human Services, the Division of Mental Health.