Changing the Conversation Around Mental Health in Rural America—Brownfield
By Meghan Grebner
A not-for-profit is challenging the stigma surrounding mental health in rural America.
Jeff Winton, a New York dairy farmer founded Rural Minds after his nephew died by suicide in 2012. “People in rural America, including my family, were raised to believe we shouldn’t talk about our problems,” he says.
He tells Brownfield the organization is partnering with several groups for outreach, including 4-H, FFA, and beginning farmers and ranchers. “Younger people are much more open and willing to talk about difficult situations,” he says.