Drought-related stress not surfacing in SD -- yet - KTIV News 4 Sioux City IA: News, Weather and Sports

A psychologist in a part of South Dakota that is in exceptional drought says his organization has not yet seen an increase in mental health cases.

David Dracy with Lewis and Clark Behavioral Health tells the Yankton Daily Press and Dakotan newspaper that many farmers don't expect income until November, when the fall harvest is over. He says the drought isn't really affecting their finances yet, though he says some might have what he calls "anticipatory anxiety."

Dracy says the area has had several good farming years, and one bad year "isn't so bad." But he says if the drought lingers into next year he expects more stress-related issues to surface, and not just among farmers but also rural business owners.