Flood Assistance Initiative: Sustainable Farm Families (SFF) Program
The successful SFF program addresses farmer health, well-being and safety issues by providing health awareness and education workshops. Through this additional funding extra SFF programs will be rolled-out targeting farmers in flood affected communities.
SFF is an initiative of the Western District Health Service, Hamilton, and is delivered in partnership with the Victorian Department of Primary Industries, with the support of other agencies.
Interested farmer groups, individual farmers or local health agencies in flood affected regions are encouraged to apply for an SFF program to run in their region.
Why
Stress and depression can set in after the severity of a situation is realised.
The Department of Human Services provides immediate emergency response to help address these issues but the SFF program will help support farmer health and well-being in the medium to long-term.
Supporting farmers’ health and well-being through SFF will assist in their ability to cope and make decisions in the face of natural disasters and ongoing change.
Cost/Duration
An additional $790,000 will be provided to deliver 10 SFF programs for farmers in flood affected communities. It is anticipated that each program will have up to 26 participants.
Each SFF program involves three workshops, normally delivered at 12 monthly intervals. However, to support flood affected farmers these workshops will be delivered at six monthly intervals with workshops delivered at zero, six and 12 months.
Further information
For more information please visit www.sustainablefarmfamilies.org.au or or to register call:
Cate Mercer-Grant
Project Manager Sustainable Farm Families
Western District Health Service
(03) 5551 8533
