About Us

Mission
The mission of Faith Connections on Mental Illness is to work with all local faith communities to advocate for and to support and educate individuals and families who are living with mental illness.
Impetus
MENTAL ILLNESS is everywhere . . .

. . . Headlines stream in local media

. . . Heartaches scream from our homes

. . . Our prisons, streets, and homeless
       shelters overflow
1 in 4 adults will experience a mental health disorder in any given year. In other words, almost every single person in any given congregation is touched by the sadness, stigma, lack of emotional and financial support, and barriers to resources engendered by MENTAL ILLNESS.

Faith Connections on Mental Illness refuses to bow to the hopelessness and believes that ignorance is the biggest barrier of all. We invite you to join us in our efforts to increase understanding of mental illness through Education, Advocacy, and Support.

 
History

Faith Connections on Mental Illness was officially formed in January 2008 by a small group of people from various local faith communities. Most members were also members of NAMI who had past knowledge and dealings with mental illness in their families. This small group united for the specific purpose of seeing how their faith communities could better minister to people suffering from mental illness.  

Meeting on a monthly basis, they combined their talents and resources to form a new type of ministry for people caring for or suffering with a mental illness, such as Bipolar. The intent was to have each faith community concentrate on what was most needed in their own community, and share whatever workshops, prayer services, symposiums, etc. with the rest of the members of the Faith Connections ministry.

The Church of Reconciliation, Binkley Baptist, St. Thomas More, Amity United Methodist, University Presbyterian, and Chapel of the Cross  all have or had programs of education and support.

If your congregation offers programs or services for people with mental illnesses and would like to be listed, please email info@faithconnectionsonmentalillness.org  
Faith Connections on Mental Illness supports faith communities by…
 
Supporting and equipping faith community leaders as they seek to welcome and care for those who are living with mental illness.
 
Offering educational, advocacy and support resources to individuals who are living with mental illness.
 
Providing opportunities to connect with others who are either living with mental illness or wanting to care for those who are living with mental illness.
 
Providing forums whereby mental health professionals, mental health consumers and people of faith can discuss issues related to faith and mental health.
 
Please help us to connect these various groups who are too often fragmented by the many difficult issues related to living with mental illness.