NAMI Mental Health Toolkit Focuses on Black Congregations (posted 3/1)

In 2008 the NAMI Multicultural Action Center launched a toolkit to assist organizations in reaching out and partnering with African American congregations to provide information to help strip away stigma and facilitate important discussions about mental illness within these congregations. The toolkit, Sharing Hope: Understanding Mental Health, was developed with the understanding that African Americans tend to seek help from the clergy more frequently than from other professionals and that the faith community provides key support to many families. The toolkit includes a 60-minute interactive presentation where a team consisting of a faith leader, a family member and an individual living with mental illness provide an overview of mental illness, treatment and recovery from the perspective of people of faith who have experienced these illnesses. Fore more information on this toolkit click here.

NAMI reports that, "Evaluative data from the 2009 grant sites show that the presentation increases understanding of mental illness and encourages a greater sense empathy and desire to be supportive of individuals who live with mental illness. Audiences have sent a resounding message that one of the most effective components of the Sharing Hope presentation is the presenter team sharing personal experiences. Presenters are themselves examples that recovery is real." To read the press release click here.
 
Five new NAMI Affiliates and/or State Organizations will be selected this spring to expand and further evaluate Sharing Hope through 2011. These new sites will help further roll out this initiative and work with the Multicultural Action Center to provide continuing evaluative data and feedback. To download the grant informational and application packet click here.

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