Dr. Erika Scott and her colleagues at the New York Center for Agricultural Medicine and Health (NYCAMH) and the Northeast Center for Occupational Health and Safety, part of the Bassett Healthcare Network, have been awarded a prestigious $665,378 grant from the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) National Library of Medicine (NLM).

The three-year grant will support the development of a groundbreaking digital resource aimed at improving health outcomes for workers in the agriculture, forestry, and fishing (AgFF) industries.

“Workers in farming, logging, and commercial fishing are among the most underserved populations in terms of occupational health,” said Dr. Scott, Deputy Director of NYCAMH and the Northeast Center. “This resource will help bridge the gap between rural workers and the clinicians who care for them, offering tailored information and tools that reflect the realities of their work and communities.”

The initiative, titled AgFF EMPOWER (Engaging Medical Staff and Patients in Occupational Health and Wellness with Electronic Resources), builds upon the existing Farmworker Clinical Care Resource for Occupational Health, also known as the Farmworker Clinicians Manual website. The updated and expanded platform will provide customized, accessible tools to help clinicians better recognize and treat occupational injuries and illnesses.

While being a resource for clinicians, it also aims to empower AgFF workers to advocate for their own health and improve health literacy. These workers often reside in rural areas with limited access to healthcare and face socioeconomic challenges that compound health risks. The AgFF EMPOWER project directly supports Healthy People 2030 objectives, including improving communication between patients and providers and increasing population health literacy.

This resource will serve clinicians and AgFF workers across a 12-state region in the northeastern U.S., from Maine to West Virginia. It will be developed by a multidisciplinary team with expertise in occupational medicine, health literacy, web development, and information science.