Expansion of Rural Critical Time Intervention Teams To Assist Individuals Living With Mental Illness During Periods of Transition

Farmers Supporting Farmers Program To Support Peer-Driven, Culturally Responsive Services in 44 Rural Counties

Governor Kathy Hochul on Feb 6th, announced $9.6 million in state funding is available to provide additional mental health assistance services for rural areas of the state, including a program dedicated to helping farmers, agribusiness workers and their families. The State Office of Mental Health is providing $7.6 million to establish four new Critical Time Intervention teams to support individuals living with mental illness in rural areas of the state during periods of transition and $2 million for the Farmers Supporting Farmers program to help those working in agriculture to navigate the stress often associated with the industry.

“We have an obligation to bring mental health assistance to New York’s farmers and the rural areas of our state where these supports aren’t always readily available,” Governor Hochul said. “The combined impact of the Farmers Supporting Farmers program and Critical Time Intervention teams will help bring additional mental health resources to parts of our state where behavioral health services are much needed.”

OMH is providing $7.6 million over five years to establish two new Critical Time Intervention teams to serve counties in Western New York, and two others to serve counties in the North Country. These teams will join three others awarded last year and expected to be operational later this year, with the unique flexibility to offer support services and care coordination in rural communities.

Each team must have a well-defined working relationship with at least one community-based hospital and be involved in discharge planning so they can provide subsequent linkages to services. These teams will continue to work with individuals to ensure that their immediate needs are met and that they remain connected to community support.

OMH is also providing $2 million over five years for a service provider to implement the Farmers Supporting Farmers program statewide, specifically in the 44 counties that support farms and agribusinesses. The state has roughly 43,000 square miles of rural land area with about 3.4 million New Yorkers — more than 17 percent of the state’s population — living in communities considered rural.

Farmers Supporting Farmers was developed in response to the well-documented link between economic crises and the resulting stress that puts farm workers and their families at an increased risk for poor behavioral health outcomes. The funding will provide this population technical assistance to address their business and financial needs, along with wellness support to promote improved behavioral health outcomes.

Approximately 20 percent of rural residents aged 55 or older live with a mental health issue, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Likewise, rural communities report significantly higher suicide rates than urban areas for both adults and youth.

OMH Commissioner Dr. Ann Sullivan said, “Our effort to strengthen New York State’s mental health care system includes bringing services to traditionally underserved areas, which include many of our rural communities. These programs are providing critical supports to an at-risk segment of the population that might otherwise be disconnected from our system of care. Through investments like this, Governor Hochul is demonstrating her continued commitment to expanding mental health services to all New Yorkers, including traditionally underserved New Yorkers.”

New York State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball said, “From unpredictable weather to rising costs, farmers face many challenges that are specific to the industry and can take not only a financial toll but also an emotional toll. This new program, through the Office of Mental Health and supported by the Governor, will provide invaluable mental health resources to farmers and their families, helping New York’s agricultural industry manage and better cope with uncertainty and stress for their overall health and well-being.”

State Senator Samra G. Brouk said, “We need to ensure that gaps between need and access for mental health care are being actively addressed. Peer support in underserved areas can change lifelong outcomes for community members in crisis. Governor Hochul’s $9.6 million support for rural areas and OMH’s $7.6 million for CTI teams will support peer-driven, culturally competent responses to individuals with mental illness to keep our communities safe.”

Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon said, “Rural communities have long suffered from sparse or non-existent mental health services. Investing in access to mental health care in rural communities is desperately needed. This funding will allow us to investigate where the need is greatest and where the barriers to treatment have been so as to improve access to quality care. I am grateful to Governor Hochul for her commitment to strengthening mental health services throughout our state,”

Under Governor Hochul’s leadership, OMH continues to invest funding and undertake initiatives focused on improving mental health in rural areas of the state. In 2023, the agency created the position of rural behavioral health coordinator to work with the upstate regional field offices, and the state Office of Rural Health and Office of Addiction Services and Supports to identify local, state, and federal resources to address the unique needs of our rural communities.

Last year, OMH established a new Assertive Community Treatment or ‘ACT’ team so that New Yorkers living with serious mental illness in rural areas of the state can receive critical mental health services in their community, rather than a more restrictive hospital setting. The rural ACT team is now providing around-the-clock services to individuals who need it most, bringing a person-centered, recovery-based approach to their care.

Under Governor Hochul’s direction, OMH also reconvened the Suicide Prevention Task Force with a goal of strengthening public health approaches, enhancing health system competencies, improving data surveillance methods, and infusing cultural competency in the state’s suicide prevention strategy. Specifically, this task force has a charge to look at special populations in New York, including rural communities.