By Blake Jackson
Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture Dr. Ryan Quarles has appointed nine individuals to serve on the inaugural Raising Hope Advisory Council. Each member will serve a two-year term.
What is the Raising Hope Initiative?
The Raising Hope Initiative was created to promote the physical and mental health and safety of Kentucky's farmers and farm families through translational research, preventions and intervention strategies, and community education and outreach informed by key stakeholders, with the common goal of enhancing the quality of life for our farmers and farm families.
What is the Role of the Advisory Council?
The advisory council will help determine the direction for the Raising Hope Initiative as it continues its mission of identifying and addressing the unique mental and physical health challenges affecting the state's rural communities.
Who Are the Members of the Advisory Council?
The members of the advisory council are:
- Ryan Bivens, Hodgenville, farmer
- Kendal Bowman, Owenton, Owen County ag and natural resources agent
- Elizabeth Gordon, Frankfort, Director of Education and Outreach at Kentucky Department of Agriculture
- Susan Jones, Bowling Green, professor emerita at Western Kentucky University School of Nursing and Allied Health
- Dave Morris, Frankfort, Deputy Executive Director, Office of Agricultural Marketing, Kentucky Department of Agriculture
- Babette Overman, Lancaster, Raising Hope program coordinator
- Savannah Robin, Lexington, University of Kentucky College of Agriculture lecturer
- Marcie Timmerman, Lexington, Mental Health America of Kentucky Executive Director
- Jessica Wilkerson, Lancaster, farmer and attorney
Visit raisinghopeky.com to learn more about the initiative and to find mental health resources.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-ben-goode
Categories: Kentucky, Government & Policy