The Colorado Agricultural Commission has approved nearly $200,000 in funding for four projects through a new rural mental health grant program.

“Farm and agricultural stress comes from so many different sources, yet there is a stigma around accessing services. Whether you’re dealing with the effects of climate change, anxiety and depression, struggling after deployment or wrestling with other symptoms, rural communities have unique needs and need more opportunity to access services that can help,” said Kate Greenberg, Colorado commissioner of agriculture. “The number of applications the program received shows there is an extreme need across Colorado to support mental and behavioral health services in our rural communities.”

Grants were awarded to:

Community Health Initiatives to provide resilience and skills training to at-risk communities in Western Colorado.

Loving Beyond Understanding for services for the LGBTQ+ community, including communities in western Colorado.

Northwest Colorado Health to provide behavioral health services during primary and dental visits in Routt and Moffat counties.

Project Protect Food Systems Workers to distribute care kits and perform mental and behavioral health outreach to agricultural workers across the state.

The four projects will touch 34 rural Colorado counties and provide services to several different at-risk and underserved populations.