Mental health has become a significant issue in rural communities, where rates of suicide may be 60% higher than in urban communities. People in rural communities may experience isolation that can exacerbate mental health problems; and mental health services are often sparse. Jeff Winton is the founder and executive director of Rural Minds, a nonprofit that aims to provide an informed voice and accurate information and resources on mental health in rural communities. Diana Mason, PhD, RN, spoke with Jeff Winton about his own experience with suicide in rural communities, the stigma associated with mental health problems, and what everyone can do to address these problems. This interview first aired on HealthCetera in the Catskills on WIOX Radio on July 5, 2023.

Suicide Rates in rural America on the rise. Few would have guessed Brooks Winton, a farmer from rural New York, was going through severe mental health struggles. Described as a burley ex-athlete with the ability to hoist farm animals under each arm, the 28-year-old was a beloved member of a close-knit family. That’s why his suicide came as a shock. “He was the father of 3-year-old twins, the life of the party, very hardworking,” says his uncle, Jeff Winton. “Everybody loved my nephew. No one had any idea he was struggling with mental illness until the day we found him.”

Rural Minds founder responds to mental health struggles in agriculture: Dear Editor: My 28-year-old nephew, Brooks, was a multi-generational dairy farmer and father of 4-year-old twins. His death by suicide is a tragic and poignant indicator of a problem that is drastically increasing. My family is from upstate New York. I currently own a dairy farm and am the Founder and CEO of a communications firm working in the agricultural/ biotechnology/ pharmaceutical arenas. I find this article to be a needed and strong voice for advocates of rural mental health.