Compeer Financial Pledges $300,000 to Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota Center for Rural Behavioral Health at Minnesota State Mankato
Mankato, Minn. – Minnesota State University, Mankato President Edward Inch announced today that Compeer Financial has pledged $300,000 over three years to establish the operational structure and advance the growth of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota Center for Rural Behavioral Health at the University.
This collaboration between the University and Compeer Financial will promote the mission of the Center, which aims to improve access to mental health care in rural and outstate Minnesota.
“We are grateful to Compeer Financial for its partnership in assisting the development of mental health resources through the Center for Rural Behavioral Health,” said Inch. “Rural communities play a vital role in greater Minnesota, and Minnesota State Mankato is proud to partner with Compeer Financial to support and strengthen the well-being of Minnesota families.”
This partnership will help the Center study and disseminate evidence-based mental health resources within the agriculture industry, said Thad Shunkwiler, founding director of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota Center for Rural Behavioral Health at Minnesota State University, Mankato.
“Solving the behavioral health challenges facing the rural and agricultural communities of Minnesota will require an ‘all-hands-on-deck’ approach,” said Shunkwiler. “The partnership with Compeer Financial allows the Center for Rural Behavioral Health to advance its mission of ensuring access to behavioral health care in rural and outstate Minnesota.”
John Monson, chief mission officer of Compeer Financial, said the collaboration with Minnesota State Mankato is important to help address mental health challenges in rural communities.
“At Compeer Financial, we’re dedicated to strengthening rural communities in every way we can,” said Monson. “This partnership with Minnesota State University, Mankato underlines our shared goal of tackling mental health challenges in these communities. By joining forces, we’re taking concrete steps to provide essential behavioral health resources and make a real difference in the lives of our fellow community members across rural Minnesota.”
The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota Center for Rural Behavioral Health at Minnesota State University, Mankato is part of the University’s College of Allied Health and Nursing.
About Compeer Financial
Compeer Financial is a member-owned Farm Credit cooperative serving and supporting agriculture and rural communities. The $30.5 billion organization provides loans, leases, risk management and other financial services throughout 144 counties in Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Based in the Upper Midwest, Compeer Financial exists to champion the hopes and dreams of rural America, while providing personalized service and expertise to clients and the agriculture industry.
Compeer Financial is the third-largest cooperative of the Farm Credit System, a nationwide network of lending institutions supporting agriculture and rural communities with reliable, consistent credit and financial services. Learn more about Compeer Financial.
About Minnesota State University, Mankato
Minnesota State Mankato, a comprehensive university with 14,482 students, is part of the Minnesota State system, which includes 30 colleges and seven universities.
