TELUS Health joins Canadian Centre for Agricultural Wellbeing

Jan 16, 2023

TELUS Health will provide mental health services for the organization

By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com

An ag mental health organization revealed who will provide mental health services for members of the ag community.

On Jan. 16, the Canadian Centre for Agriculture Wellbeing (CCAW) announced TELUS Health as the exclusive provider for mental health services.

These services will help break down barriers to mental health supports for members of Canada’s ag community who haven’t considered seeking help before.

“Collaborating with TELUS Health means that we have the infrastructure to provide clinical support and much needed technology for education and community programs to support the wellbeing of farmers and the agricultural community across Canada,” Dr. Briana Hagen, CEO and lead scientist at the CCAW, said in a statement.

Some of the services TELUS Health provides includes virtual counselling, mental health resources for employers and their teams, and local mental health services.

Canadian farmers experience high stress.

In 2019, the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Food found 45 per cent of farmers reported high stress, and almost half of farmers said they wouldn’t seek help because of stigmas associated with mental health.

TELUS Health’s infrastructure allows them to be ready to support farmers when they need it, said Michael Dingle, chief operating officer of TELUS Health.

“TELUS Health’s expertise in health, agriculture, and digital infrastructure allows us to provide far-reaching support to the hard working Canadian farmers and families who work to put food on our tables every day,” he said in a statement.”

If you or someone you know requires mental health support, Farms.com has compiled a list of mental health services available across Canada.

Video: A Farm Song (Busy) | Parody of A Bar Song (Tipsy) by Shaboozey

Lyrics:

My days begin with workin’, Alarm’s at 5 o’clock,
I Fill 5 gallon buckets, The feeders and the troughs,
This five to nine ain’t workin’, why the heck do I work so hard?,
I can’t worry ‘bout health problems, I can sleep in when I’m gone,

One, here comes the two to the three to the four,
Tell em’ ‘buy another cow, we need plenty more’,
Blue jeans are gettin’ dirty, what else could I ask for,
Oh my, more chores

Someone pour me up another shot of sweet tea,
They know me and working hard’s got a history,
There’s another flock of sheep that still needs feed,
Everybody on the farm gettin’ busy,

Everybody on the farm gettin’ busy,
Everybody on the farm gettin’ busy,

I’ve been working pretty stressed but,
I ain’t changing for some cash,
Lord knows that I’m very blessed (More chores),
But I gotta say it’s hard,
Workin’ outside gettin’ charred,
Living out here on the farm, (more chores)

One, here comes the two to the three to the four,
Tell em’ ‘buy another cow, we need plenty more’,
Blue jeans are gettin’ dirty, what else could I ask for,
Oh my, more chores

Someone pour me up another shot of sweet tea,
They know me and working hard’s got a history
There’s another 20 chickens that still need feed,
Everybody on the farm gettin’ busy,

Everybody on the farm getting’ busy,
Everybody on the farm gettin’ busy,

Fun, here on ranch that’s what you can’t ignore,
Might be pretty hard but I love it to its core,
Flannel’s gettin’ dirty, what else could I ask for,
Oh my, more chores (Tell ‘em sing with me)

Someone pour me up another shot of sweet tea,
They know me and working hard’s got a history,
There’s another flock of sheep that still needs feed,
Everybody on the farm gettin’ busy,
Someone pour me up another shot of sweet tea,
They know me and working hard’s got a history,
Watching cattle in the dark, don’t miss me,
Everybody on the farm gettin’ busy,
(Yeeeeeehaw)
Everybody on the farm gettin’ busy,
Everybody on the farm gettin’ busy,
It’s the best bro, go get yourself a farm