AgriWellness, in partnership with the State Public Policy Group in Des Moines, is working to establish a National Center for Agricultural Behavioral Health.  The concept of a National Center has been endorsed by the National Rural Health Association and the National Association for Rural Mental Health.  A National Center for Agricultural Behavioral Health is needed to bring particular focus to the unaddressed stress, mental health and addictions treatment needs of the agricultural community.  A National Center will:

• Undertake research on critical behavioral health issues of the agricultural population
• Serve as a repository and clearinghouse for information about agricultural behavioral health
• Form policy that addresses behavioral health service delivery in agricultural and rural communities
• Conduct research
• Teach and promote agricultural behavioral health as part of the preparation of professionals to work with the agricultural population
• Develop agricultural behavioral health and safety practices which reduce health risks and stigma about behavioral health services among the agricultural population
• Provide technical support and consultation to educational institutions, health service delivery programs, government planning agencies and organizations which assist the rural agricultural population and the professionals who serve them.