UOG’s Farmer Focus to bring mental health conference to FSM agriculture community

6/14/2023

An audience of farmers and government agency representatives listen to the keynote speaker at the Guam-based Farmer Focus Conference on June 17, 2022.

Michelle Crisostomo, a farmer with Guåhan Sustainable Culture, participates in a stretching exercise at the Guam-based Farmer Focus Conference on June 17, 2022.

KristiAnna Whitman, a licensed professional counselor at the Guam Behavioral Health and Wellness Center, speaks on the stigma surrounding mental health at the Farmer Focus Conference on June 17, 2022, in Guam.

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The Farmer Focus Project will be coming to the Federated States of Micronesia bringing behavioral and mental health expertise to farmers, ranchers, and agriculture professionals.

Co-hosted by the extension programs at the University of Guam and the College of Micronesia-FSM, the “FSM Farmer Focus Conference: Enriching Wellness on Our Farms” will take place from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on June 28 at the FSM-China Friendship Sports Center in Palikir, Pohnpei. The conference will be preceded by a Mental Health First Aid Training on June 27 for government agencies and extension professionals who can be a resource for farmers.

Following the first phase of the Farmer Focus Project, in which researchers completed a survey of farmers in the region to identify their greatest stressors, the program is now focusing on outreach — working to connect farmers across Micronesia with mental health, stress management, suicide prevention, financial support, and technical assistance resources. The Pohnpei conference follows a Farmer Focus Conference and several workshops that have been held in Guam since last June.

The conference — open to farmers, ranchers, agricultural workers, and their families as well as behavioral health and agricultural professionals — will feature interactive educational sessions and presentations from regional and national behavioral health and agriculture specialists and a presentation on small grant opportunities.

Delivering the keynote will be Washington State University’s extension director, Don McMoran, who first envisioned and now leads the Western Region Agricultural Stress Assistance Program — the parent program of Farmer Focus. Funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, WRASAP is working to alleviate stress and suicides in the agricultural community in the Western United States and territories. McMoran will share the preliminary results of the Farmer Focus survey of farm workers in Guam and the FSM.

Registration

Registration is free, and lunch will be provided.

Agenda - Day 1

FSM Farmer Focus: Mental Health First Aid Training

8 a.m. - 5 p.m. on Tuesday, June 27

FSM-China Friendship Sports Center

Palikir, Pohnpei

Instructors:

Elvira Gisog, UOG Extension Assistant II, Certified Mental Health First Aid Instructor
Grace Anne Dela Cruz, UOG Extension Assistant I, Certified Mental Health First Aid Instructor
Julie Jesmer, Project Coordinator, Western Region Agricultural Stress Assistance Program

8 a.m. - 8:30 a.m.	Registration and Check-in
8:30 a.m. - 8:45 a.m.	Introduction and Overview of Mental Health First Aid
8:45 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.	Module 1: Introduction to Mental Health and Mental Health First Aid
9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.	Module 2: Risk Factors and Warning Signs of Mental Health Problems
10:30 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.	Break
10:45 a.m. - 12 p.m.	Module 3: Common Mental Health Disorders
12 p.m. - 1 p.m.	Lunch Break
1 p.m. - 2:15 p.m.	Module 4: Crisis and Suicide Intervention Skills
2:15 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.	Break
2:30 p.m. - 3:45 p.m.	Module 5: Substance Use Disorders and Mental Health
3:45 p.m. - 4:45 p.m.	Module 6: Self-Care and Referral Resources
4:45 p.m. - 5 p.m.	Q&A, Wrap-Up, and Certification Distribution

Agenda - Day 2

FSM Farmer Focus Conference

8 a.m. - 5 p.m. on Wednesday, June 28

FSM-China Friendship Sports Center

Palikir, Pohnpei

8 a.m. - 8:20 a.m.	Registration and Check-In
8:30 a.m. - 8:45 a.m.	Welcoming Address: Steven Young-Uhk Vice President and Extension Director College of Micronesia-FSM Opening Remarks: Dr. Kuan-Ju Chen Co-Director, Farmer Focus Project Associate Professor of Agricultural Economics, University of Guam Opening Remarks: Don McMoran Extension Director Washington State University Skagit County Extension and Western Region Agricultural Stress Assistance Program Cultural Presentation
8:50 a.m. - 9:50 a.m.	Keynote Presentation: "Agricultural Producer Stress Survey" Don McMoran Extension Director Washington State University Skagit County Extension and Western Region Agricultural Stress Assistance Program
9:55 a.m. - 10:35 a.m.	"Pacific Identities and Farmer Focus: Indigenous Ways of Coping" and "I'Pinangon: Stress Management and Crisis Management" Venaure Kanai Program Assistant UOG I'Pinangon Campus Suicide Prevention Program
10:40 a.m. - 11:10 a.m.	"Roots of Identity: Growth Through Reflective Writing" Dr. Tabitha Espina Director of Writing and Assistant Professor of Writing Studies University of Washington Tacoma
11:15 a.m. - 12 p.m.	"Stress Exploration and Resilience Strategies" Julie Jesmer Project Coordinator Western Region Agricultural Stress Assistance Program
12 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.	Lunch Student Presentation: Grace Anne Dela Cruz, University of Guam
1:45 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.	Afternoon Breakout Sessions Nutrition for Wellness (Blue Track) Iesha Ibanez Extension Associate I University of Guam Cooperative Extension & Outreach - Family & Consumer Sciences (In collaboration with the UOG Extension's Registered Dietitian Nutritionist) Caring for Yourself and Family on the Farm: Managing Stress & Healthy Living (Red Track) Harley Edeluchel and Elaine De Leon Extension Associates I University of Guam Cooperative Extension & Outreach - Family & Consumer Sciences Reflective, Multimodel Writing (Green Track) Dr. Tabitha Espina Director of Writing and Assistant Professor of Writing Studies University of Washington Tacoma
2:40 p.m. - 3:25 p.m.	Afternoon Breakout Sessons Nutrition for Wellness (Blue Track) Iesha Ibanez Extension Associate I University of Guam Cooperative Extension & Outreach - Family & Consumer Sciences (In collaboration with the UOG Extension's Registered Dietitian Nutritionist) Caring for Yourself and Family on the Farm: Managing Stress & Healthy Living (Red Track) Harley Edeluchel and Elaine De Leon Extension Associates I University of Guam Cooperative Extension & Outreach - Family & Consumer Sciences Reflective, Multimodel Writing (Green Track) Dr. Tabitha Espina Director of Writing and Assistant Professor of Writing Studies University of Washington Tacoma
3:35 p.m. - 4:20 p.m.	Afternoon Breakout Sessons Nutrition for Wellness (Blue Track) Iesha Ibanez Extension Associate I Family & Consumer Sciences University of Guam (In collaboration with the UOG Extension's Registered Dietitian Nutritionist) Caring for Yourself and Family on the Farm: Managing Stress & Healthy Living (Red Track) Harley Edeluchel and Elaine De Leon Extension Associates I University of Guam Cooperative Extension & Outreach - Family & Consumer Sciences Reflective, Multimodel Writing (Green Track) Dr. Tabitha Espina Director of Writing and Assistant Professor of Writing Studies University of Washington Tacoma
4:20 p.m. - 4:40 p.m.	Break
4:40 p.m. - 5 p.m.	Closing Remarks: Dr. Kuan-Ju Chen Co-Director, Farmer Focus Project Associate Professor of Agricultural Economics, University of Guam

For more information, contact Trisden Elias at (691) 320-5731 or triselia@comfsm.edu.fm or Elvira Gisog at (671) 735-2062 or gisoge@triton.uog.edu.

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UOG’s Farmer Focus to bring mental health conference to FSM agriculture community