I’d like to express a big thank you to the Staunton Farm Foundation Board of Directors (old and new), to Bethany Hemingway (Staunton Farm’s Senior Program Officer), and to you, our stakeholders, friends, colleagues, grantee partners, and the behavioral health community.

Matilda Staunton Craig McCready (better known as Aunt Daisie) is the woman whose vision is why we are all here. She witnessed alcoholism and depression in her family which led to her desire for her fortune and beloved farm to be used to help people diagnosed with what was known in the 1930s as “neurotic disease and other kindred ailments.” She hoped they would benefit from fresh air and sunshine on her farm. At the time, there was no medication or evidence-based models of treatment.

All these decades later, the farm is no longer part of our operation, but Aunt Daisie’s mission is.

When I joined the Foundation 26 and a half years ago (but who’s counting?), mental illness was not recognized as a “real” disease. We have more medical knowledge, effective treatments, tailored medications, and better attitudes toward mental illness and substance use disorder today. But, make no mistake, we still have plenty of work to do.

In my tenure as Executive Director, Staunton Farm Foundation has provided 1,621 grants. I have attended 107 Board of Directors meetings, in addition to countless meetings and conferences.

Changing the conversation and encouraging the media to responsibly promote mental wellness has been my mantra from day one. To fight stigma, we must raise our voices and share our stories. That includes average citizens as much as celebrities, athletes, and influencers alike.

Here are a few things I hope to see in the future:

• Full funding of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
• The jail no longer being the biggest provider of mental health in the county.
• Implementation of parity.
• Carving behavioral health back into physical health.
• Continued education on stigma and discrimination.
• Making safe injection sites available to the community.
• Improving salaries so the workforce is paid a livable wage.
• Changing licensure regulations so it is attainable.

They say “All good things must come to an end.” like it’s a bad thing. For me, it’s not. It is bittersweet and, of course, I am apprehensive about retirement. But, change takes time.

I’m so lucky to have my mom living a mile away and who, at 93 (sorry, mom), lives independently in her own condo. I am going to spend more time with her and I am going to travel with several trips planned.

My husband and adult daughter want a dog, so I think I’m outvoted. I will also look for opportunities to volunteer for reproductive choice and against antisemitism, to distribute sterile needles and equipment to addicts (folks, we need to keep people alive first), and to keep our democracy safe.

The next four years will be especially hard. But things have always been hard. Stay focused. Don’t stray from the mission. Together, we can build a future where behavioral health is understood, supported, and accepted.

I am filled with gratitude and am grateful to the Staunton Farm Foundation family for giving me the opportunity of a lifetime. It’s time to pass the banner of mental wellness to the next Executive Director.

Thank you.

Joni Schwager
Executive Director
Staunton Farm Foundation

If you’re struggling with your mental health, consider talking to a trusted loved one, your primary care physician, a faith leader, or call the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.