WSU Extension > Skagit County > Our Team

Our Team

WSU Agricultural Suicide Prevention Program

This Program is funded through the State of Washington, Department of Health under the provisions of House Bill 2671. If you would like to contribute to the work of raising awareness about excessive stress and suicide prevention in agriculture, please reach out to WSU Skagit County Extension.

This webpage is also supported by the Western Region Agricultural Stress Assistance Program, funded by the USDA Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network, under agreement number: 2020-70028-32731 proposal number: 2020-07631.

WSU and the Agricultural Suicide Prevention Program is not a crisis center.

If you are in need of immediate assistance, reach out to the National Suicide Prevention line, at 988 or 1(800) 273-TALK (8255)

Don McMoran was a fourth-generation farm kid in Skagit County when one of his father’s farm hands took his own life. Today, he helps farm workers access mental health services in an effort to prevent similar tragedies.

Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in farmers, with farmers committing suicide at rates five times higher than the general population, according to the Suicide Prevention Resource Center. The Free Therapy Voucher Program, hosted by the WSU Skagit Extension office, aims to reduce the stigma and offer resources to farmers across the state.

Don is based out of Skagit County Extension office in Burlington and covers the following counties:

  • Whatcom
  • Skagit
  • Snohomish
  • Island
  • San Juan
  • King
  • Kitsap
  • Jefferson
  • Clallum

Debbie began her Extension career in 1996 in the Food $ense Program, retiring in 2017. After training as a Suicide Prevention Educator with another organization she was excited to have the opportunity to join the WSU Farm Stress team. Helping people live better lives has been the focus of her career and she brings that passion to helping people in agriculture, forestry and fishing through the Farm Stress program.

Debbie is based out of the Cowlitz County Extension office in Kelso and covers the following counties: 

  • Cowlitz
  • Grays Harbor
  • Lewis
  • Pacific
  • Thurston
  • Wahkiakum

Cheryl Reese grew up in the lower Yakima Valley and has lived in the Yakima area for most of her life.

From 2017-2022 she worked at the Yakima Extension office in the Snap -Ed department.  Being extremely passionate about mental health, she knows that helping the agricultural community through stressful times is exactly what she needs to be doing.

In her spare time she likes to read, work in her garden, and travel to the beach with her husband, son, and two dogs.

Cheryl is based out of Yakima County Extension office in Yakima and cover the following counties:

  • Okanogan
  • Chelan
  • Kittitas
  • Yakima
  • Klickitat
  • Douglas
  • Grant
  • Benton
  • Ferry
  • Lincoln
  • Adams
  • Franklin
  • Walla Walla
  • Stevens
  • Pend Oreille
  • Spokane
  • Whitman
  • Columbia
  • Garfield
  • Asotin
Washington State Map of coverage areas by Farm Stress Staff

Free Farm Stress Counseling Voucher Program

Our free farm stress voucher program allows individuals in Washington’s agricultural community to access free counseling without health insurance. Our counselor is based in Pullman and offers in-person or telehealth options. The first six counseling sessions are free, and the program adopts a sliding-scale after the first six. Currently, 1:1 services are available in English, and the clinic can provide an interpreter for Spanish speakers. To access the Farm Stress Voucher Program, interested individuals should contact Conny Kirchhoff.