To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs to outline initiatives undertaken to support and improve mental health for people living and working in rural areas.

The Tackling Rural Poverty and Social Isolation (TRPSI) Framework, which has been in operation since 2016, includes initiatives which address loneliness, and improve physical and mental health and well-being.

The Farm Families Health Check Programme (FFHCP) in conjunction with the Public Health Agency and the Northern Health and Social Care Trust provides a comprehensive physical and mental health screening and advice service to farmers who visit livestock markets and for rural people who attend a range of community events which the screening vehicle attends annually across Northern Ireland. Where necessary referrals are then made to General Practitioners or appropriate support services.

Further to this initiative the Rural Support charity, who are also funded through the TRPSI Programme, has become the “go to” resource for farmers and their families in rural Northern Ireland whenever they have a personal and/or farm business-related crisis.

Rural Support provides a range of programmes and services for farmers and farm family members in support of their farm business and personal wellbeing. Their objective is to reduce emotional distress and help alleviate poor mental health triggers which they measure through the use of the established Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing scale with onward referrals made to appropriate support services as required.

My Department also has a long-standing funding relationship with the Young Farmers’ Clubs of Ulster (YFCU), through which they promote good health and wellbeing for young people in rural areas of Northern Ireland.

Finally, the College of Agriculture Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) provides a Student Support Service, accessible to all learners, which includes a focus on health and wellbeing.