,,ii #aaeth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #bgab ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,april #ai1 #bjah ,ms4 ,baldwin 7for herself1 ,mrs4 ,ernst1 ,mr4 ,moran1 ,ms4 ,heitkamp1 ,mr4 ,gardner1 ,mr4 ,bennet1 ,mr4 ,hoeven1 and ,ms4 ,smith7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,agriculture1 ,nutrition1 and ,forestry ,a ,,bill ,to amend the ,national ,agricultural ,research1 ,extension1 and ,teaching ,policy ,act of #aigg to establish a farm and ranch stress assistance network1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,facilitating ,accessible ,resources for ,mental health and ,encouraging ,rural ,solutions ,for ,immediate ,response to ,stressful ,times ,act or the ,,farmers ,,first ,act4 #b4 ,farm and ranch stress assistance networks 7a7 ,findings ,congress finds that-- 7#a7 agricultural work continues to be-- 7,a7 highly stressful2 7,b7 characterized by uncertainty2 and 7,c7 subject to-- 7i7 changing market conditions2 7ii7 the unpredictable nature of weather2 and 7iii7 other factors beyond the control of agricultural producers2 7#b7 individuals working in agriculture have the highest overall suicide rate among all occupations2 7#c7 access to behavioral health care is often limited among individuals working in agriculture due to time and geographical constraints2 and 7#d7 agricultural workers are in need of specialized behavioral health programs that are-- 7,a7 affordable2 7,b7 available as needed2 and 7,c7 carried out with understanding of concerns specific to agricultural work4 7b7 ,farm and ranch stress assistance ,the ,national ,agricultural ,research1 ,extension1 and ,teaching ,policy ,act of #aigg is amended by inserting after subtitle ,i 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #cbia et seq47 the following3 ,j ,farm and ranch stress assistance #adfj4 ,definitions ,in this subtitle3 7#a7 ,affected individual ,the term affected individual means any individual engaged1 as determined by the ,secretary1 in-- 7,a7 farming2 7,b7 ranching2 or 7,c7 another agriculture-related occupation4 7#b7 ,committee ,the term ,committee means the ,farm and ,ranch ,stress ,assessment ,committee established under section #adfa;,a7a74 7#c7 ,national network ,the term national network means the ,national ,farm and ,ranch ,stress ,assistance ,network established under section #adfa7;b77#a74 7#d7 ,state network ,the term ,state network means a ,state farm and ranch stress assistance network established under section #adfa7;a77#a74 #adfa4 ,farm and ranch stress assistance networks 7a7 ,state networks 7#a7 ,grants ,the ,secretary1 in coordination with the ,secretary of ,health and ,human ,services1 shall establish a program under which the ,secretary shall provide competitive grants to ,state departments of agriculture1 ,state cooperative extension services1 and nonprofit organizations to carry out eligible cooperative programs described in paragraph 7#b74 7#b7 ,description of eligible cooperative programs ,an eligible cooperative program referred to in paragraph 7#a7 is a program-- 7,a7 established and carried out by a partnership between-- 7i7 one or more ,state departments of agriculture1 one or more ,state cooperative extension services1 or one or more nonprofit organizations1 as applicable2 and 7ii7 entities providing appropriate services in the one or more ,states2 and 7,b7 the purpose of which is to establish a farm and ranch stress assistance network to provide stress assistance programs to affected individuals1 including counseling and support 7including behavioral health counseling and referral for other forms of assistance1 as necessary7 through-- 7i7 farm telephone helplines and internet websites2 7ii7 training for advocates for affected individuals and other individuals or entities that may assist affected individuals in crises1 including training programs and workshops2 7iii7 support groups2 7iv7 outreach services and activities1 including the dissemination of information and materials2 and 7v7 home delivery of assistance1 in any case in which a farm resident is homebound4 7#c7 ,use of funds ,a competitive grant provided under this subsection may be used to enter into a contract1 on a multiyear basis1 with a community-based1 direct-service organization to initiate1 expand1 or maintain an eligible cooperative program in the ,state4 7b7 ,national network 7#a7 ,establishment ,the ,secretary1 in coordination with the ,secretary of ,health and ,human ,services1 shall establish a ,national ,farm and ,ranch ,stress ,assistance ,network to coordinate stress assistance programs on a national scale for affected individuals1 including through programs and activities described in subsection 7a77#b77;,b74 7#b7 ,director ,the ,secretary1 in coordination with the ,secretary of ,health and ,human ,services1 shall appoint an individual in the ,department of ,agriculture to be the ,director of the national network4 7c7 ,authorization of appropriations ,notwithstanding any other provision of law1 there is authorized to be appropriated to the ,secretary to carry out activities through the national network and ,state networks #aj1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years #bjai through #bjbc4 #adfa;,a4 ,farm and ,ranch ,stress ,assessment ,committee 7a7 ,establishment ,not later than #ij days after the date of enactment of the ,,farmers ,,first ,act1 the ,secretary and the ,secretary of ,health and ,human ,services shall establish an advisory committee1 to be known as the ,farm and ,ranch ,stress ,assessment ,committee4 7b7 ,membership ,the ,committee shall consist of-- 7#a7 the ,secretary 7or a designee72 7#b7 the ,secretary of ,health and ,human ,services 7or a designee72 7#c7 the ,assistant ,secretary of ,health and ,human ,services for ,mental ,health and ,substance ,abuse 7or a designee72 7#d7 the ,administrator of the ,health ,resources and ,services ,administration 7or a designee72 7#e7 the ,director of the ,centers for ,disease ,control and ,prevention 7or a designee72 7#f7 the ,director of the ,national ,institutes of ,health2 7#g7 the ,under ,secretary for ,rural ,development 7or a designee72 and 7#h7 #d members1 to be appointed by the ,secretary1 one of which shall be a representative of each of-- 7,a7 affected individuals2 7,b7 behavioral health professionals2 7,c7 advocates for affected individuals2 and 7,d7 as appropriate1 other experts in occupational stress and behavioral health among affected individuals4 7c7 ,meetings ,the ,committee shall meet not fewer than #b times each year4 7d7 ,report 7#a7 ,in general ,not later than #a year after the date of enactment of the ,,farmers ,,first ,act1 the ,committee shall submit to ,congress and any other relevant ,federal department or agency1 and make publicly available1 a report describing the state of behavioral and mental health in farmers and ranchers4 7#b7 ,contents ,the report under paragraph 7#a7 shall include-- 7,a7 an inventory and assessment of efforts to support the behavioral and mental health of farmers and ranchers by-- 7i7 the ,federal ,government1 ,states1 and units of local government2 7ii7 communities that are comprised of farmers and ranchers2 7iii7 healthcare providers2 7iv7 ,state cooperative extension services2 and 7v7 other entities1 as determined by the ,secretary2 7,b7 a description of the challenges faced by farmers and ranchers 7including financial1 medical1 and other challenges7 that may impact the behavioral and mental health of farmers and ranchers2 7,c7 an evaluation of the impact of farmer and rancher suicides on-- 7i7 the agricultural workforce2 7ii7 agricultural production2 7iii7 rural families and communities2 and 7iv7 succession planning2 and 7,d7 an outline of a long-term strategy and recommendations based on best practices to appropriate ,federal departments or agencies for addressing the challenges identified under subparagraph 7,b74 4