Mental Health in Rural America Will Be Focus of Pennsylvania State Grange Session – Lancaster Farming
Personal Tragedy Leads to National Discussion
MORGANTOWN, Pa. — There’s a mental health emergency in rural America. People living in rural communities have much higher rates of depression and suicide than people living in urban areas.
Though hidden away in the shadow for years, if not generations, this challenge is finally being brought into the light and has led to public discourse about the unspoken impact of mental health issues.
The National Grange is partnering with Rural Minds to develop a Rural Suicide Awareness and Prevention program.
Rural Minds is a nonprofit organization confronting the mental health challenges faced by rural Americans.
The goal for this educational program is to create a grassroots, person-to-person approach that provides people who live in rural communities with mental health and suicide prevention information.
The Pennsylvania State Grange will welcome Rural Minds founder Jeff Winton to the 151st State Grange Session in October. Winton’s program at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 19 will be open to the public and free.
The program will be held at the Holiday Inn in Morgantown.