Canadian Centre for Agricultural Wellbeing welcomes TELUS Health as exclusive provider for mental health services

Services will help break down barriers to mental health support for farmers who may not have considered reaching out for help before

TORONTO, Jan. 16, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Canadian Centre for Agricultural Wellbeing (CCAW), a new not-for-profit organization launched on November 17, 2022, is on a mission to support farmers and their families with a research-to-action approach to mental health. With TELUS Health’s expertise and proven ability to deliver, the CCAW has welcomed them as the exclusive clinical and technology provider for Canadian farmers who are facing catastrophic events, as well as for farmers who don’t have access to provincial and federal programming.

From floods, to pandemics and supply chain disruptions, farmers face many uncontrollable and unforeseen events that can impact their mental health. These types of events often result in higher than average rates of stress, anxiety, depression and other mental health issues among farmers. According to the 2019 Report of the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food, 45% of farmers reported high stress levels, and 45% indicated they would not reach out for help if they were in need, due to the stigma around mental health.

“Collaborating with TELUS Health means that we have the infrastructure to provide clinical support and much needed technology for education and community programs to support the wellbeing of farmers and the agricultural community across Canada,” said Dr. Briana Hagen, CEO and Lead Scientist at the CCAW.

Dr. Hagen is part of the CCAW’s all-women leadership team working with TELUS Health, and TELUS Agriculture & Consumer Goods, to connect all Canadian farmers and the greater agriculture community to farmer-centred mental health resources, support and information, primarily with a grassroots approach.

“As a company rooted in social purpose, we jumped at the opportunity to work with the CCAW to help develop a support program and services for farmers – not only when a major crisis or natural disaster hits, but whenever they need access to counselling and care. TELUS Health’s expertise in health, agriculture, and digital infrastructure allows us to provide far-reaching support to the hard working Canadian farmers and families who work to put food on our tables every day,” said Michael Dingle, Chief Operating Officer, TELUS Health.

About the CCAW
The Canadian Centre for Agricultural Wellbeing is a research-to-action organization supporting farm mental health across Canada. For more information visit www.ccaw.ca.

About TELUS Health
TELUS Health is a global healthcare company serving people in more than 160 countries delivering both digital innovation and clinical services to improve total physical, mental and financial health and wellness across the full spectrum of primary and preventative care. By leveraging the power of technology to deliver connected solutions and services both in-person and virtually, TELUS Health is improving access to care and revolutionizing the flow of information while facilitating collaboration, efficiency, and productivity for physicians, pharmacists, health authorities, allied healthcare professionals, insurers, employers and people globally, progressing its vision of transforming healthcare and empowering people to live healthier lives.

Our clinical team is composed of renowned and passionate health professionals around the world delivering best-in-class people-centric care to hundreds of thousands of employers, professionals and their families.

For more information please visit: www.telushealth.com.

For more information:

Canadian Centre for Agricultural Wellbeing
Marnie Wood, Chief Operating Officer
mwood@ccaw.ca

Jill Yetman
TELUS Media Relations
jill.yetman@telus.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b8eb248d-3bd3-4578-88a3-85b87c561b0b