[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6213675,"mediaKeyId","3675085-afe73136ce8dd463362a5367c5533d12","parentId",3675085,"title","Colorado Ag Behavioral Health Working Group forms subcommittees, schedules June in-person meeting and sets reimbursement rules","audioSeconds",906,"startMs",3294000,"endMs",4200000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3675085-afe73136ce8dd463362a5367c5533d12&start=3294&end=4200","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3675085-afe73136ce8dd463362a5367c5533d12/thumbnail_3294000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6213675/Colorado/Colorado-Ag-Behavioral-Health-Working-Group-forms-subcommittees-schedules-June-in-person-meeting-and-sets-reimbursement-rules","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6213675-5fdeb9af3578f404b9192a877f6811af/orig.mp4?Expires=1771141182&Signature=jYqHQ1klHd7M4pJWUmYgnThp3OK6cisR1MMWsOqKkhtO8LTcZHzJ-eaKqlnMwPLppEBthTv4IN1CVA6f9oYM5sFO1x7W3DatqBhCXLZ-Ti-iJRzw~OLflaDnVNgGTiKdqdAB3cbbNCTv9RjXWScltPh0IeDposFt~qGAinmdlXjLG8hQVuKYs3-PJyDJ7XFDvVHl~zZ-jiAVczoxWNMzrYp2rIn7fNFDwEB9v8-nkL3jgGMpXQ24iiHceXXLwxl-Ja0xCbf8mVCwYi1WZNujmK5gCIl~kW6RtYlj4W9oOVjhbgVjPoXB5D~e-TtD4UAQalbyD8Tw5Qx35~gE9JkxUA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Ag Behavioral Health Work Group","date","2025-06-03T18:12:46Z","article","The Colorado Ag Behavioral Health Working Group finalized three subcommittees, announced an optional in-person COMET training and a hybrid meeting for June 24 at the Department of Agriculture, and published draft reimbursement procedures that include mileage and vendor setup, members said during the group’s May meeting.

Chair Clinton Wilson and Department of Agriculture staff outlined three volunteer subcommittees: compile best practices (lead: Chad Resnick), identify data gaps and collect outcomes (lead: Catherine — tab on the work-plan spreadsheet), and stakeholder engagement and communications (lead: Calandra Linstadt). Members were asked to sign up by the coming Friday to join one or more subcommittees.

Department staff described draft reimbursement procedures for non-state employees, saying mileage and lodging reimbursements are available and that participants must be set up as vendors. “Mileage, we can also pay mileage to for the in person meetings and 63¢ a mile,” a Department of Agriculture staff member said, and staff noted lodging reimbursement is available for attendees who live more than 50 miles away and that requests must comply with state per-diem rules.

The department also said attendees who seek reimbursement must complete a W-9 to be set up as a vendor and submit expense requests within 30 days after the expense. The working group will offer an optional COMET training from 10 a.m. to noon before the June 24 meeting; the hybrid business meeting will follow from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Lunch will be provided for in-person attendees; an RSVP form will collect dietary restrictions.

Group members confirmed a longer in-person session set for July 22 at Colorado State University Pueblo and discussed inviting Department of Agriculture staff to participate if room allows. Regarding membership terms, staff said state statute does not set fixed terms and the department typically reopens appointments every two years; the commissioner may appoint new members to fill representation gaps identified in the year-end report.

The working group did not adopt formal policy at the meeting; the administrative decisions recorded — the subcommittee leads, schedule and reimbursement procedures — are intended to guide the group’s next steps and to support member participation.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","May 27, 2025 Ag Behavioral Health Work Group","oneSentenceSummary","The working group organized three subcommittees for best practices, data/outcomes, and stakeholder engagement, set an optional COMET training and a hybrid June 24 meeting at the Department of Agriculture with a July 22 in-person meeting at CSU Pueblo, and published reimbursement procedures including mileage at 63¢ per mile and W-9 vendor setup.","taxTitle","Department of Agriculture, State Agencies, Organizations, Executive, Colorado","taxId",27097,"location","Colorado","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6213679,"Survey of San Luis Valley agricultural workers finds elevated depression, food insecurity and fatigue",624,1381000,2005000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3675085-afe73136ce8dd463362a5367c5533d12&start=1381&end=2005","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3675085-afe73136ce8dd463362a5367c5533d12/thumbnail_1381000.jpg","/articles/6213679/Colorado/Survey-of-San-Luis-Valley-agricultural-workers-finds-elevated-depression-food-insecurity-and-fatigue","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6213679-2ed466ea1f13815f9f029eabb26c1825/orig.mp4?Expires=1771141182&Signature=XRc~Y5fgZ~VQlo0G9UbSSa5IxC4d3CjTM3J5AbaaPaoOz45lan-aB9-UncpH7xJVYbH~Ij~A72Ixw73eDxE3Xn30M1kukQyCUECUV9QHn7x9rzQblVGqkgYV1H7yEkBBVoQDv6ub-fcNpLjEcmMKAmWDzep1ah5A9Jz0GHy71iLEIb4EA7zibSplv1XyUTV8aRg3fDE3ArvLreBYxpFWltIhZJqoc7GTlJp5KfOABo0jpS6GE3Xvt-fT9xWpjzlPI~vDQ1FXbndrWOq1WhlojxufSkai4a5s~xQ7R2ZhMJAoxZlUiMi8JbOXBl2KFaXYsekS~uzqjBA3JF0F5SXQVQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A University of Colorado Anschutz researcher presented results of a survey of 221 San Luis Valley agricultural workers that found a high prevalence of work-related fatigue, elevated rates of depression among temporary field workers and widespread food insecurity, Dr. Kathy James, associate professor at the Center for Health, Work, and Environment, said at the Ag Behavioral Health Working Group meeting.

The survey, conducted in 2022 and 2023, used the NIOSH WellBQ instrument and additional depression and anxiety scales and incorporated social-network analysis to map who agricultural workers turn to for help. “We recruited, as a convenience sample, 221 agricultural workers,” James said. She added that most interviews were in person at community events and that participants received a $40 Walmart gift card for completing the survey.

Key findings James presented included a roughly 70% completion rate among those recruited; 76% of respondents were field workers; musculoskeletal injuries and fatigue were common; and about 30% of temporarily residing farm workers reported higher rates of depression. “Not surprisingly, water scarcity was the number one concern for the owner operators,” James said. “The number one concern by far for field laborers was food.”

The study reported network findings identifying organizations the community already uses for support. James highlighted Voces/Los Promotoras, Valleywide Mobile Clinic, Tierra Nueva, the workforce center and the San Luis Valley Immigration Resource Center as among the most connected organizations. Community partners that participated in the research told the team the top barriers to serving agricultural workers included lack of financial resources, poor communication and limited referral infrastructure.

James said four of the six counties in the San Luis Valley do not have a licensed psychologist and that the region has low median incomes and high drought-related stressors — conditions that increase vulnerability. She and colleagues have produced a community report in English and Spanish and offered to share it with the working group; she said the research team is exploring intervention development but is seeking sustainable funding after NIOSH funding opportunities changed.

Working-group members asked about sharing and scaling the work; James said the team would provide the bilingual report and that she was open to partnerships to expand similar research to other Colorado regions.

The working group did not vote or adopt specific policy at the meeting; members said the findings will inform subcommittee work on data and gaps.","University of Colorado researchers presented results from a 221-person survey showing elevated depression among temporary field workers, high fatigue and food insecurity. The study identified service gaps and local organizations that serve farmworkers, and the researchers said a bilingual community report is available.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6213683,"RMFU keeps AgWell staff after federal RASAP grant freeze; programming trimmed",311,691000,1002000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3675085-afe73136ce8dd463362a5367c5533d12&start=691&end=1002","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3675085-afe73136ce8dd463362a5367c5533d12/thumbnail_691000.jpg","/articles/6213683/Colorado/RMFU-keeps-AgWell-staff-after-federal-RASAP-grant-freeze-programming-trimmed","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6213683-29ae30d7b15b1d6e65eca19c2e000a5c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771141182&Signature=AnXwg5iAnabzsjA-Un3k8P84o4FgG8WnPVTnuzB-IZ-~DdIXvpGl4s91Qvmqzql44XcwVkuRRiZWpDIsyBB0HCUIaRVD6lDff6jxYWSZOklqHjEMUmh-nWFsd66q5EvwpFhOOheR7GFV490j6uYAFRj6G-7-YtLMQg5xpXv4SsGvsPESYJukfMOo63yVcXOuOzhO0-dMWCA4rv-Oxbk1Ml-djNVEpPVGW8LzVny~rp5r4b88bQPwGCw1m7a7zkaLmPPESuHsk9FlqcPwC8b4c3DtCDhrJaXJkH655an3ke4kg5UeCzag7WHmH2drBk9OYncDD1qWT6-7lD8nq8M1Qw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Rocky Mountain Farmers Union said its AgWell farm behavioral-health program was forced to pause parts of its work after the Western Regional Agricultural Stress Assistance Program (RASAP) federal grant was frozen, and that RMFU shifted internal funding and secured a private grant to keep staff, Tyler Garrett, director of government relations for Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, said at the Ag Behavioral Health Working Group meeting.

The grant interruption, Garrett said, came without a clear timeline. “About 4, 6 weeks ago, we received notification that our RASAP or the Western Regional Agricultural Stress Assistance Program grant was frozen, and that we were ordered to cease operations on those fronts,” Garrett said. He told the working group RMFU immediately contacted congressional offices and USDA officials and pursued media outreach.

Garrett said RMFU “was able to move money around in RMFU to ensure that we can continue our AgWell program and keep the staff that we have,” but that the organization had to “cut some of the programming” while the federal funding remained uncertain. He added that RMFU secured a larger grant from Rocky Mountain Health Plan to help cover part of the coming year and said officials were hopeful the RASAP funds would be restored.

The freeze comes amid broader state and federal budget pressures the group discussed. At the meeting, participants noted the state budget tightened during the legislative session and recommended continuing to elevate ag behavioral health so programs are not targeted in future cuts.

RMFU’s actions were described as an internal financial decision, not a formal direction from the working group. The organization said it would continue outreach to congressional and federal partners and keep the working group informed about program status and any staffing changes.

The working group did not take formal action on the AgWell funding status at the meeting; members praised RMFU’s advocacy and said they would monitor state and federal budget developments that could affect similar programs.","Rocky Mountain Farmers Union said a federal RASAP grant was frozen, temporarily halting parts of its AgWell program. RMFU moved internal funds and secured a private grant to keep staff but cut some programming while awaiting federal clarity, officials told the Colorado Ag Behavioral Health Working Group.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Colorado Ag Behavioral Health Working Group forms subcommittees, schedules June in-person meeting and sets reimbursement rules

Survey of San Luis Valley agricultural workers finds elevated depression, food insecurity and fatigue

RMFU keeps AgWell staff after federal RASAP grant freeze; programming trimmed