National Agricultural Crisis Hotline Act of 2023

HR 5246, the National Agricultural Crisis Hotline Act of 2023, creates a federally funded 24/7 crisis hotline specifically for farmers, ranchers, farm workers, and their families facing mental health or substance use challenges. The hotline must provide real-time voice and texting support, staffed by licensed professionals trained in agricultural mental health stress, with 24-hour follow-up calls and translation services. It requires collecting detailed call data and partnering with existing farm helplines, the 988 Suicide Lifeline, and USDA programs to connect callers to resources. The bill appropriates $19 million annually (starting 2024) for the hotline's operation, including $4 million yearly for the hotline itself, and mandates an annual effectiveness report to Congress. This directly addresses the documented crisis of elevated suicide rates among agricultural workers by expanding accessible, specialized mental health support.