MAYVILLE, NY (January 25, 2024) – Rural mental health national nonprofit Rural Minds was selected as the 2023 STARR Coalition Advocacy Organization of the Year and received the prestigious STARR Award.

“This recognition is bestowed upon the advocacy organization that has demonstrated exceptional dedication to advocating on behalf of those living with mental illnesses, their efforts to fight the stigma of mental illness, and support of the STARR Coalition’s collective efforts to expand mental health clinical research,” said STARR Coalition Director of Operations Erica Moore.

“We thank the STARR Coalition for this award and recognition of the collaborative work that we are doing through Rural Minds to help people in rural communities overcome unique barriers to mental health,” said Rural Minds Executive Director Chuck Strand.

There is a mental health crisis in rural America with suicide rates that are 64% to 68% higher among people living in rural areas compared to people living in large urban areas, according to the latest research from the CDC. To confront rural mental health challenges and the stigma surrounding mental illness, Rural Minds provides free information and services and launched the Rural Mental Health Resilience Program.

Recognizing self-reliance and a do-it-yourself mindset common among many people living in rural communities, the program empowers rural Americans to become part of the solution to improving mental health. In support of Rural Minds’ focus on industry collaboration, the STARR Coalition will be one of the valued program distribution partners to help launch the new Rural Mental Health Resilience Program.

“We are honored and grateful to have received the STARR Award on behalf of the 46 million rural Americans we serve,” said Rural Minds Founder and Chairman Jeff Winton. “We look forward to our ongoing collaboration with other nonprofits, corporations, and individuals across the country as we collectively confront this growing health issue facing rural America.”