TELUS Health will provide mental health services for the organization
By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com
An ag mental health organization revealed who will provide mental health services for members of the ag community.
On Jan. 16, the Canadian Centre for Agriculture Wellbeing (CCAW) announced TELUS Health as the exclusive provider for mental health services.
These services will help break down barriers to mental health supports for members of Canada’s ag community who haven’t considered seeking help before.
“Collaborating with TELUS Health means that we have the infrastructure to provide clinical support and much needed technology for education and community programs to support the wellbeing of farmers and the agricultural community across Canada,” Dr. Briana Hagen, CEO and lead scientist at the CCAW, said in a statement.
Some of the services TELUS Health provides includes virtual counselling, mental health resources for employers and their teams, and local mental health services.
Canadian farmers experience high stress.
In 2019, the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Food found 45 per cent of farmers reported high stress, and almost half of farmers said they wouldn’t seek help because of stigmas associated with mental health.
TELUS Health’s infrastructure allows them to be ready to support farmers when they need it, said Michael Dingle, chief operating officer of TELUS Health.
“TELUS Health’s expertise in health, agriculture, and digital infrastructure allows us to provide far-reaching support to the hard working Canadian farmers and families who work to put food on our tables every day,” he said in a statement.”
If you or someone you know requires mental health support, Farms.com has compiled a list of mental health services available across Canada.