Mental Health Ministries: To Erase the Stigma of Mental Illness

Mental Illness and Faith Communities

The magnitude of mental illness in this country is staggering. According to the Surgeon General, one in every five Americans experiences a mental disorder in any given year and half of all Americans have such disorders at some time in their lives. These illnesses of the brain affect all of us, regardless of age, gender, economic status or ethnicity. Nearly every person sitting in the pews has been touched in some way by mental illness. And yet individuals and families continue to suffer in silence or stop coming to their faith community because they are not receiving the support they so desperately need. They become detached from their faith community and their spirituality, which is an important source of healing, wholeness and hope in times of personal darkness. THERE IS HOPE!

NEW RESOURCE!!!

Mental Illness and Families of Faith: How Congregations Can Respond - DVD Set

Theological Circle by Jennifer Diane Smith

Free, Downloadable Resources

We are featuring several downloadable resources on our home page to help you out. Many of our free print resources are also available in Spanish.

Mental Health in Challenging Times is a bulletin insert offering steps we can take to care for ourselves and keep perspective in these challenging economic times.
May is Mental Health Month can be used as a bulletin insert or flyer. Also available in Spanish.
Mental Illness in Children and Adolescents can be used as a bulletin insert or handout. Also available in Spanish.
Guidelines for Organizing a Successful Conference gives tips on organizing a conference, seminar or workshop. (HTML | PDF,English | PDF, Spanish)
Children's Mental Health Week is a bulletin insert using the green ribbon symbol.