Jeff Winton is pictured with his late mother, Elaine. Though his mother passed away before Rural Minds was born, Winton credits her with the inspiration for the nonprofit. Submitted photo

MAYVILLE — America’s mental health crisis became personal for Jeff Winton of Wall Street Dairy in 2012 when his nephew, Brooks, committed suicide.

“It was very sudden and we had no idea he was struggling,” Winton said. “It caught us off guard. In rural America, we don’t always talk about our struggles.”

A few years later, Winton became the founder of the nonprofit Rural Minds. He credited the idea for the nonprofit — with its main goal to help those in rural areas who are suffering with mental health needs — to his late mother.

“It was my late mother’s courage and candor that inspired Rural Minds,” Winton said. “She was the one who said we need to focus on this in detail. This has been going on too long and we need to talk about it so no one goes through what our family did.”

Rural Minds officially launched two years ago in October, and while Winton said his mother passed away five years ago, so she never got to see Rural Minds be born, she was the one who planted the seed.

September is National Suicide Prevention Month, and Winton said the organization works to help those in rural areas who might not have close access to mental health providers.

“It’s very personal because of the loss of my nephew, but I have also had the good fortune of working in agriculture and the healthcare industry,” Winton said. “I have worked with organizations that focus on mental health and substance abuse and I am very appreciative of them.”

When Winton lost his nephew he said he reached out to similar organizations that all told him similar things. These organizations while able to focus on and reach people in cities did not know how to reach those in rural areas.

“Forty-six million Americans live in the rural area,” Winton said. “That’s a huge part of the population. We took it to heart to do a better job of reaching the rural population. 64 to 68% of people who live in rural areas are more likely to die by suicide. Rural Minds’s goal this month and every month is to get the news out about the growing crisis, and to let people know that there is hope.”

‘AN INFORMATIONAL SOURCE’

Winton added that farmers and ranchers are twice as likely to die by suicide than others. Rural Minds also helps to get the information out for people to know where to go when they need help.

“We are an informational source for mental illness, suicide prevention and substance abuse,” Winton said. “We advocate for people who live in rural areas. We are the informative voice and we provide information and resources for people who need them.”

Winton wants to end the stigma and silence that surrounds mental health and make it so it is something that is not embarrassing to talk about, but something that can be talked about like any other illness such as cancer or heart disease.

“When people have cancer or Covid they talk about it, but if they are depressed or bipolar they won’t because they are ashamed,” Winton said. “Mental illness is not considered an illness, but it is just as much an illness as anything else.”

This stigma is higher in rural areas, Winton said, as people do not talk about it. Rural Minds is working to tell stories of those with mental illness to put a face on the problem and help people to be more open to talking.

“If you grow up in a rural area you are taught to be independent and not talk about your issues,” Winton said. “You are told to pull yourself up by your bootstraps and get over it. You can’t get over cancer or heart disease, and you can’t just get over mental illness.”

Other factors that Winton said cause the mental health crisis to be bigger in rural areas include isolation and confidentiality. Especially during COVID when everything shut down, there was less ability for those in rural areas to socialize, which Winton said leads to isolation and loneliness. Because of the stigma, he added that people are also less likely to seek help in rural areas as everybody knows everybody and if someone is seen outside a psychiatrist or care provider getting help, people will find out and those looking for help will become embarrassed instead.

Another factor is that health care providers and psychiatrists are often a long way away, and people such as farmers cannot just leave and drive a long way away for an appointment. Winton said telehealth has now helped with that a little bit, but there is still 30% of homes in rural areas that are either without internet or adequate internet.

Rural Minds is doing a number of things during National Suicide Prevention Month. They also are on social media and partnering with local organizations including the Farm Bureau, 4-H, FFA and Cornell Cooperative Extension. These partnerships are to get the news out about the growing mental health crisis, and information for those who need help.

Such information includes the 988 line, which is available for anyone to call or text whenever needed and they will be given help and resources. On a personal level, Winton encouraged everyone to keep an eye on their circle.

“Make sure to check if your friends, family members, neighbors, and anyone else in your circle seem like they are struggling,” Winton said. “If they are, just have an honest conversation with them. Most of the time there are signals and people just need to know someone is there to listen to them. You don’t even have to be trained. I know what it did to my family, so I make sure those in my circle know I will listen and help them.”

Winton said these conversations are not always easy, and that it is still hard for him to talk about his nephew, but every time he tells his story he heals a little bit more.

In the future, Rural Minds hopes to continue to grow and partner with other organizations, including youth, to be able to reach youth as well as adults in rural areas. Additionally, he said for those who may struggle to afford prescriptions or antidepressants, pharmaceutical companies have programs for people to be able to get medicines for free for those who need it and qualify. This is just part of the information that Rural Minds tries to provide.

“We want people to know there is help and hope,” Winton said. “You do not have to suffer in silence. We are here to advocate for people and help them have a voice. We need to treat mental illness just like any other illness.”

Rural Minds can be found at their website ruralminds.org.