FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 30, 2026
Rural Response Hotline to operate as Independent 501(c)3
OMAHA, NE – Today, Legal Aid of Nebraska announced that the Rural Response Hotline (RRH) has secured the registration, licenses, and funding to operate as an independent organization.
The Rural Response Hotline began in response to the 1980s farm crisis, offering financial, legal, disaster-relief, and mental health support. As the needs of local rural communities have shifted, so has the RRH. Today, they have a network of staff and partner providers across the state for a variety of needs, including estate planning, financial services, legal consultation, dispute mediation, and mental health programs. They host free one-on-one clinics with a farm law attorney and financial advisor to discuss USDA programs, succession planning, or other issues affecting farming and ranching. It is the longest-running farm hotline in the nation.
“Farmers, ranchers, and rural communities are facing unique struggles every day; the issues are multifaceted and interdependent, which can be hard to understand unless you’ve lived it,” said Michelle Soll, who has managed the RRH for more than 30 years. “We prioritize financial stability and mental health, because those two things are the root of so many other struggles.”
One of the key services of the RRH is the Counseling, Outreach, and Mental Health Therapy Program (COMHT), which makes free, confidential mental health crisis counseling available to rural families with vouchers from participating mental health providers in their area.
“There is an undercurrent of mental health needs in many of these issues. Compounded stress can have a debilitating and destabilizing effect on people, especially in rural communities where there are few social supports and resources nearby,” said Laurie Heer Dale, Legal Aid of Nebraska Executive Director. “This will allow the RRH to grow where the need is greatest.”
The RRH is supported by grants from the Rural Response Council, the Farmers Union, Nebraska Department of Agriculture, and the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).
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About Legal Aid of Nebraska
Legal Aid of Nebraska was established in 1963 and is the largest provider of direct and free civil legal services, providing free high-quality services to low-income Nebraskans in all 93 counties. Legal Aid’s mission is to stand with those facing justice alone - defending rights, confronting injustice, restoring hope, and opening doors to opportunity. Legal Aid has offices in Omaha, Lincoln, Norfolk, Grand Island, North Platte, and Scottsbluff. To join the effort and support Legal Aid’s services in Nebraska or to learn more about their impact in the community, visit their website at www.legalaidofnebraska.org.
About the Rural Response Hotline
Created in 1984 during the 1980s farm crisis, the Nebraska Rural Response Hotline continues to be a valuable and proven resource for farmers, ranchers and rural residents who experience hard times. Natural disasters in recent years have made these hard times even harder. The need for support in our rural communities is increasing. The Hotline provides support to help rural community members across the state navigate these difficult times.
Media contact:
Melissa Amarawardana, Marketing and Communications Manager, Legal Aid of Nebraska
Mamarawardana@legalaidofnebraska.org
Office: 402.348.1069 x 235
Cell: 402.999.3404
