AutonHomme Pontiac hosts mental health get together for farmers

AutonHomme Pontiac hosts mental health get together for farmers

On February 22, Autonhomme Pontiac hosted a get together for local farmers at the Little Red Wagon Winery in Clarendon, featuring live music and frank discussions about mental health.

AutonHomme Director Tyler Ladouceur and Kim Laroche, the group’s head of mental health services, said that they wanted to host an event with a focus on the farming community as it is one of the primary industries in the Pontiac, with its own unique set of challenges.

The evening featured a keynote address by local farmer Cindya Labine, who gave a very personal speech about her own struggles, and highlighted the work of Écoute Agricole, an organization that offers front-line support services for agriculture workers. Music was provided by Willy Rivet, Louis Schryer and Eric Lanoix.

Ladouceur explained that they were also promoting the Beacon Network, which offers training for  community members to spot warning signs of mental distress and direct their fellow citizens to the services they need.

The full interview with Laroche and Ladouceur (3m10) is available here.