Farmers' Mental Health

Module 1: The Culture of Farming & Module 5: Supporting Farm Children

Monica Kramer McConkey 

Monica Kramer McConkey has 25 years of experience in the behavioral health field as a counselor, program supervisor and administrator. Her focus throughout her career has been to increase access to, and remove the stigma often attached to mental health services. Monica grew up on a farm in northwestern Minnesota and has intimate understanding of the dynamics leading to farm stress and its impact on farm families. She currently works as one of two Rural Mental Health Specialists in Minnesota providing support to farmers and their families through a contract with the MN Ag Centers of Excellence and Farm Business Management. Monica also travels throughout the country speaking on the impact of Emotional Stress on the Farm through her consulting business Eyes on the Horizon Consulting, LLC.

Module 2: Farm Family Dynamics

Elaine Froese 

Elaine Froese (pronounced phrase) is a professional speaker, writer and coach who specializes in helping farm families work through issues surrounding succession, business or that family favorite – communication. 

Elaine is known as "Canada’s Farm Whisperer,” and she’s been a columnist in Grainews for 20 years. Elaine is a member of the Canadian Association of Farm Advisors and the Canadian Association of Professional Speakers with the CSP, certified speaking professional designation. Many folks tell Elaine that they "wish they had met her ten years ago."

Module 3: Farm Financial Structure & Stress

Kevin Bernhardt, Ph.D. 

Dr. Kevin Bernhardt is a Farm Management Specialist for the Center for Dairy Profitability and UW-Extension and a Professor of Agribusiness at UW-Platteville School of Agriculture. Dr. Bernhardt is a recipient of the Underkofler Excellence in Teaching award, UW-Extension second mile award, National Extension Award of Excellence, Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi Excellence in Teaching Award, National Society of Leadership and Success Excellence in Service to Students and an Honorary State FFA honoree.

An Iowa native, Kevin received his B.S. degree from Iowa State University, M.S. from North Carolina State University and his Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics from the University of Nebraska. He joined the UW-Platteville faculty in August 1996 after work experiences with the USDA-Foreign Agriculture Service, Senator Chuck Grassley’s Senate office and as a lender for Hills Bank and Trust Company in Iowa City.

Kevin is actively involved in several community and state organizations including Dairy Task Force 2.0, use value assessment committee, Platteville High School Scholarship Board of Directors, parish council, UW-Platteville Faculty Senate and other School of Agriculture and University committees. Kevin, wife Daneen and four children reside in Platteville, WI.

Module 4: Best Practices when Working with Farmers & Module 7: Serving Farmers from a Crisis Perspective

Kelly North 

Kelly received her Bachelor of Social Worker degree from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater in 2002 and her Masters in School Work from University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 2006. During her tenure in the field, she has worked extensively with children, families, as well adults in various areas of direct practice. She provided Emergency Mental Health Services to consumer for 5 years, during this time she completed suicide assessments and assisted consumers during times of crisis. She currently works as child and adolescent psychotherapist at Jefferson County Human Service Department outpatient mental health clinic. She is also a trained TF-CBT and Functional Family Therapy who is passionate about trauma informed care for consumers and helping systems become trauma informed. Kelly has trained on trauma throughout the state of Wisconsin. Aside from her practice she also is an Adjunct Professor in the Social Work Department University of Wisconsin Whitewater.

Module 6: Farmers & Substance Use 

Jessica Beauchamp

Jessica Beauchamp has 10+ years of experience in the human services field. She earned her graduate degree from Michigan State University. Areas of knowledge includes case management, administration, management, counseling and program development. Jes worked for county agencies for many years and in 2016 opened her own private mental health practice in Marinette, WI. At the county agencies she provided crisis intervention services and worked closely with the court system and Chapters 51 and 55. She also managed Comprehensive Community Support (CCS), Community Support Teams (CST) and Children’s Long-Term Services (CLTS) programs. 

In private practice Jes specializes in farmer mental health, substance abuse/addiction, sex offender treatment, couples counseling and mood disorders. Jes offers unique services in that a majority of the treatment takes place in the community, nature or the client home. She also contracts and consults with local practitioners and several agencies around the state of Wisconsin. Jes has presented to a variety of audiences on topics including assessing and managing suicide risk, crisis planning, Wisconsin State codes, AODA and documentation/note writing.

Module 8: Wisconsin Farm Center Resources for Farmers & Their Family Members

Dan Bauer

Raised on a dairy farm in central Wisconsin, Dan Bauer earned his bachelor’s degree in dairy science at UW-Madison. After graduating college in 2006, Dan lived and worked in Ohio for five years managing a member-owned cattle marketing business. Returning to Wisconsin in 2011, he spent over nine years working for several different global dairy genetic organizations with responsibilities ranging from direct sales, international employee training, strategic planning and project management. Dan now leads the Wisconsin Farm Center as program supervisor. He is passionate about helping his team and its farmer clients achieve their objectives through effective communication, goal-setting and developing action plans.