Rural Minds hits home

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With the session hall packed chair-to-chair at the 156th Annual Convention of the National Grange, President Betsy Huber introduced the founder and CEO of Rural Minds Jeff Winton.

Rural Minds is on a mission to be the informed voice for mental health in rural America and seeks to provide mental health information and resources.

Roughly 65 million Americans live in rural areas. Rural Minds’ vision is a rural America with no more silence, suffering, or stigma around mental health. November 17 is National Rural Health Day and it was an eye-opening presentation on how big of an issue this has become. Who better to partner with than the National Grange whose roots are in the heart of rural America?

Winton shared the story of his company’s origins. Like most of us, Winton had members of his family that struggled with their mental health which led to the tragic loss of his nephew Brooks Winton nearly a decade ago. Brooks Winton had been a force to be reckoned with on the farm and football field in upstate New York. The small community was rattled by the sudden and tragic loss of one of their own. The family decided maybe if they shared the story of Brooks Winston’s passing, the narrative could begin to change.

That’s just what Jeff Winton did in the eulogy. The story was laid bare for everyone to hear. At the end of the service, something remarkable happened. A formerly taboo topic, shared by a community member in such a raw way, began a dialogue. Neighbors, friends, distant relations, and associates shared their stories. Today, rural Americans have higher depression rates than urban areas and 64-68% higher suicide rates than urban areas.

The third Thursday of every November has been designated National Rural Health Day and is dedicated to addressing the unique healthcare challenges that rural residents face. However, every day of the year, it is important to recognize that rural health includes mental health. Mental health is an illness and needs to be treated as an illness and not a character flaw. We must start changing the narrative now.
Ruralminds.org highlights the vast challenges rural America faces with mental health issues. Rural Americans have the tenacity to pull themselves up by the bootstraps and asking for help is not that easy. In towns where everyone knows everyone’s business, confidentiality in close-knit communities is another barrier. 

BY CAROLYNN CHAMLEE
Communication Fellow