Behavioral Health Specialist

The Colorado AgrAbility Project (CAP) Team in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies at CSU Extension is looking for a full-time behavioral health professional with an emphasis in marriage and family therapy to work with the CAP Team to provide stress management information and education to farmers and ranchers, to prevent emergencies including suicide, and be innovative and creative in addressing the reluctance of many farmers and ranchers to seek and follow through with counseling.

The purpose of this three-year USDA-National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network (FRSAN) grant-funded Behavioral Health Specialist position is to address farmers’ and ranchers’ behavioral health needs with research-based information and best-practice information, education, and referrals. This position is embedded in the Colorado AgrAbility Project (CAP) Team (cf. https://agrability.agsci.colostate.edu) to mitigate farmers’, ranchers’, and agricultural workers’ stress and to reduce incidence of agricultural producer individuals and families doing harm to themselves and others.

The CAP Team already has a rehabilitation counselor, a rural rehabilitation specialist, and an agricultural resource economist who address primarily the physical health needs and other physical challenges of agricultural producers with disabilities, and is now ready to expand its behavioral health services initially throughout Colorado and eventually across the Western Region. The behavioral health specialist will support the CAP Team to inform, educate, and assist farmers, ranchers, agricultural workers, and their families so they can continue to have successful careers in agriculture.

She or he will work with Dr. Robert J. Fetsch with offices at Colorado State University in Fort Collins to identify research-based stress-assistance information and evidence-based programs, suicide prevention training, advocacy, and resources, and make referrals to other professionals. During year one s/he will partner with Dr. Fetsch to identify resources, support and expand the work of the CAP with 12 on-site assessments and five winter workshops, network with behavioral health providers, work with other agricultural organizations to receive input from ranchers and farmers, provide best practices via webinars, trainings, and break-out sessions, and offer to present at the National AgrAbility Training workshop. Year two activities will expand to network with Western Region State or Regional AgrAbility Projects (SRAPs) (AK, CA, CO, NM, UT, and WA) to assist with referrals of people in crises to other behavioral health therapists. Year three activities will expand to network with stakeholders across 13 Western Region states and four territories. Year one travel funds include approximately 34 days per diem and 18 overnight stays. Year two includes around 51 days per diem and 24 overnight stays. Year three includes around 68 days per diem and 36 overnight stays.

Please see position description for complete information and specific application instructions at:  https://jobs.colostate.edu/postings/82701