Join Rural Minds Founder and Chairman, Jeff Winton, as he discusses our ongoing work on behalf of the 46 million Americans living in rural areas with Doc Hamels, host of local access television program Chautauqua Sunrise. In particular, Jeff and Doc talk about the importance of May being Mental Health Awareness Month.

Chautauqua Sunrise with Doc Hamels

Jeff Winton of Rural Minds Discusses Mental Health Awareness Month

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Unfortunately, mental illness is a growing epidemic in Rural America. And it’s a tough topic to talk about. During the Cattle Industry Convention in New Orleans, Jeff Winton, a New York dairy farmer and founder of Rural Minds, discussed his quest to educate people about the seriousness of mental illness after losing his nephew to suicide. "We attempt to tell people is that mental illness is an illness very much like cancer and cardiovascular disease and diabetes," said Winton. "So, we need to start normalizing conversations, even though it is difficult, it should be looked upon as a disease like all the other illnesses that we do feel comfortable talking about."

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Rural Minds and the National Grange Society held a webinar discussing the challenges facing caregivers in rural America. Those challenges often get overlooked. Brittnee Henry is a communications and marketing professional who returned to her home in Iowa to care for her father. She made that decision when it became clear her father couldn’t live on his own anymore.