Abstract
The Bridges to Care and Recovery program supports the behavioral health assessment, treatment, and recovery of individuals through partnerships with the African-American faith community. Church members receive mental health training and skill building, so they can serve as personal mental health educators and advocates. A Community Connector provides guidance and referral to behavioral health services, including access to free counseling. The program reduces the perceived stigma of mental illness and strengthens partnerships between behavioral health service providers and the African-American community.
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Acknowledgements
We would like to acknowledge Dana Downs, M.S., Tamela Strayhorn, M.S., Amber Rogers, M.A., Sha-Lai Williams, Ph.D., and Joseph Pickard, Ph.D., for their comments and assistance with this report.
Funding
Bridges to Care and Recovery is funded by Missouri Department of Mental Health through Eastern Region Access to Care funding, and by St. Louis Mental Health Board’s Community Mental Health Services Fund, contract #20-001.
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Scribner, S.S., Poirier, R.F., Orson, W. et al. Bridges to Care and Recovery: Addressing Behavioral Health and Mental Health Needs Through the Faith Community. J Relig Health 59, 1946–1957 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-020-00992-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-020-00992-y