§ 5936. Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network

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(a)In general The Secretary, in coordination with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, shall make competitive grants to eligible entities described in subsection

(c)to establish a Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network that provides stress assistance programs to individuals who are engaged in farming, ranching, and other agriculture-related occupations.

(b)Eligible programs Grants awarded under subsection

(a)may be used—

(1)to initiate, expand, or sustain programs that provide professional agricultural behavioral health counseling and referral for other forms of assistance as necessary through—

(A)farm telephone helplines and websites;

(B)training, including training programs and workshops, for—

(i)advocates for individuals who are engaged in farming, ranching, and other occupations relating to agriculture; and

(ii)other individuals and entities that may assist individuals who—

(I)are engaged in farming, ranching, and other occupations relating to agriculture; and

(II)are in crisis;

(C)support groups; and

(D)outreach services and activities, including the dissemination of information and materials; or

(2)to enter into contracts, on a multiyear basis, with community-based, direct-service organizations to initiate, expand, or sustain programs described in paragraph

(1)and subsection (a).

(c)Eligible recipients The Secretary may award a grant under this section to—

(1)an Indian tribe (as defined in section 5304 of title 25);

(2)a State department of agriculture;

(3)a State cooperative extension service;

(4)a qualified nonprofit organization, as determined by the Secretary;

(5)an entity providing appropriate services, as determined by the Secretary, in 1 or more States; or

(6)a partnership carried out by 2 or more entities described in paragraphs

(1)through (5).

(d)Authorization of appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this section $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023.

(e)Report to Congress

(1)In general Not later than 1 year after December 20, 2018, the Secretary, in coordination with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, shall submit to Congress and any other relevant Federal department or agency, and make publicly available, a report describing the state of behavioral and mental health of individuals who are engaged in farming, ranching, and other occupations relating to agriculture.

(2)Contents The report under paragraph

(1)shall include—

(A)an inventory and assessment of efforts to support the behavioral and mental health of individuals who are engaged in farming, ranching, and other occupations relating to agriculture by—

(i)the Federal Government, States, and units of local government;

(ii)communities comprised of those individuals;

(iii)health care providers;

(iv)State cooperative extension services; and

(v)other appropriate entities, as determined by the Secretary;

(B)a description of the challenges faced by individuals who are engaged in farming, ranching, and other occupations relating to agriculture that may impact the behavioral and mental health of farmers and ranchers;

(C)a description of how the Department of Agriculture can improve coordination and cooperation with Federal health departments and agencies, including the Department of Health and Human Services, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the Health Resources and Services Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the National Institutes of Health, to best address the behavioral and mental health of individuals who are engaged in farming, ranching, and other occupations relating to agriculture;

(D)a long-term strategy for responding to the challenges described under subparagraph

(B)and recommendations based on best practices for further action to be carried out by appropriate Federal departments or agencies to improve Federal Government response and seek to prevent suicide among individuals who are engaged in farming, ranching, and other occupations relating to agriculture; and

(E)an evaluation of the impact that behavioral and mental health challenges and outcomes (including suicide) among individuals who are engaged in farming, ranching, and other agriculture related occupations have on—

(i)the agricultural workforce;

(ii)agricultural production;

(iii)rural families and communities; and

(iv)succession planning.

(f)State defined For purposes of this section, the term “State” has the meaning given such term in section 3103 of this title.

(Pub. L. 110–234, title VII, § 7522, May 22, 2008, 122 Stat. 1272; Pub. L. 110–246, § 4(a), title VII, § 7522, June 18, 2008, 122 Stat. 1664, 2033; Pub. L. 115–334, title VII, § 7412, Dec. 20, 2018, 132 Stat. 4817.)

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