Often times, rural communities are overlooked when it comes to addressing mental health. Whether it is proximity to care or a different mindset when it comes to mental health—mental illness affects every type of community. Our Facebook live will discuss topics addressing mental illness and the stigma around talking about it in rural communities. Matt Smith of PreventionFocus will be moderating a panel discussion including: • Connie Desmarais, Niagara County Community Collaborations Coordinator • Jeff Winton, Founder & Chairman, Rural Minds

In recent years, a number of organizations have started to focus more on mental health – and mental health resources – for people living in rural America. We talk with Jeff Winton, Founder of Rural Minds, about some of the barriers that are unique to rural residents when it comes to seeking mental health services and how his company is helping to improve mental health resources in rural areas.

Rural Minds Founder Featured on Our Ohio Weekly: Mental Health in Rural America podcast with Ty Higgins.

Rates for depression are higher in rural America than in urban areas and suicide rates among people living in rural counties are 25% higher than those in major metropolitan areas. May is Mental Health Awareness Month. It is well known how big of a challenge mental health in the U.S. is, but very few realize how rural parts of our country are being impacted. A new nonprofit, Rural Minds, was launched last year to provide rural Americans with efficient access to existing mental health service organizations and address the importance of overcoming the stigma around mental health challenges.

In America’s close-knit rural communities, residents are quick to rally when an illness or accident affects their farming neighbors, helping them through the rough patches. But all illnesses are not created equal, and the silent specter of mental illness often brings no recognition and no extra hands to help.

This situation is one that many organizations, health advocates, and individuals in agriculture are working hard to change. For Jeff Winton, a New York dairy farmer, his passion to address mental health in rural America led him to found Rural Minds in October 2021. The nonprofit aims to serve as the informed voice for mental health in these areas and provide mental health resources.

As the National Grange continues to highlight issues affecting rural America, we have forged a partnership with Rural Minds, LLC to help make the National Grange’s voice on the Hill even stronger. Rural Minds is a 501c3 nonprofit organization with the mission to serve as the informed voice for mental health in rural America, and to provide mental health information and resources. Rural Minds collaborates with other organizations on initiatives to help end the silence, stigma, and suffering that surround mental illness.

Rural Minds Founder Jeff Winton sits down with Tigger and BEC to talk about a startling statistic - farmers and others in the ag trade had the highest suicide rate of all occupations – 3 1/2 times that of the general population

Rural Minds Founder and Chairman Jeff Winton was featured in news segments on rural radio stations across the U.S. The coverage coincided with National Rural Health Day on November 18, 2021. Jeff shared his personal story about the death by suicide of his nephew, Brooks, at Jeff’s family farm in rural upstate New York. This served as the tragic inspiration that led to Jeff establishing Rural Minds with the mission to serve as the informed voice for mental health in rural America, and to provide mental health information and services.

Jeff Winton shared the personal story of his family’s tragedy that led to Jeff establishing Rural Minds with the mission to serve as the informed voice for mental health in rural America, and to provide mental health information and services.

Jeff Winton discusses his family's decision to speak out and not remain silent about his nephew, Brooks' suicide, and how that decision led to the founding of Rural Minds, a nonprofit dedicated to serving as the informed voice for mental health in rural America, and providing mental health information and resources.

Rural Minds™ launches today with a mission to serve as the informed voice for mental health in rural America, and to provide mental health information and resources. The 501(c)(3) nonprofit will also convey the importance of overcoming the stigma around mental health challenges.

Rural Minds™ launches with a mission to serve as the informed voice for mental health in rural America, and to provide mental health information and resources. The 501(c)(3) nonprofit will also convey the importance of overcoming the stigma around mental health challenges.