How Faith-based Communities Build Bridges to Treatment 

Federal agencies of the Interdepartmental Serious Mental Illness Coordinating Committee 

(ISMICC) are working to support a mental health system that successfully addresses the needs of 

individuals living with serious mental Illness (SMI), serious emotional disturbance (SED), their 

families, and caregivers. The ISMICC seeks to support such Americans in their progress to 

achieve healthy lives characterized by autonomy, pride, self-worth, hope, dignity and meaning. 

Improving access to care is one of the five areas that ISMICC recommended for action. Read 

recommendations from ISMICC’s non-federal members, visit http://bit.ly/2OqTVOd. 

Improving Access through Faith-based Communities

Faith-based communities should be an essential and effective component of the continuum of 

care, one that can aid in community-based prevention, stigma reduction, psychosocial support, 

and recovery promotion. Faith-based communities can be effective partners in this work because 

they provide comfort, strength, and safe places for individuals who have SMI, as well as for 

families and caregivers. Stronger linkages between faith-based communities and service 

providers will help people obtain appropriate treatment, services and support. 

There is a growing recognition that building partnerships between faith-based organizations and 

the behavioral health system can benefit people who have mental health conditions. 

One practical reason for forging 

partnerships: Faith-based organizations 

have a long-standing history of 

supporting those in needs in the 

community. When an individual or a 

family member is experiencing 

challenges in life, people often turn first 

to local religious institutions. One study

has found that nearly one-quarter of 

individuals who are looking for help 

with their mental health conditions will 

go to their clergy members first. In fact,

seeking help from clergy is as common 

as seeking care from mental health 

professionals. HHS offers guidance on creating community connections for mental health

https://www.mentalhealth.gov/talk/faith-community-leaders. 

• Learn the symptoms of mental illness. Leaders who often provide guidance to those seeking 

help should learn the basic signs of mental illnesses. 

• Convey hope. Communicate the reality that people can live full lives with a mental disorder as 

a chronic health condition. Treatment options are available and effective. 

Meeting attendees agreed with producer Bryan 

Stevenson’s notion that faith-based communities can 

be “stone catchers” rather than “stone throwers” by 

dispelling myths about mental illness and by 

removing stigmas that inhibit people from seeking 

treatment. As stone catchers, faith-based 

communities act as bridges between people who are 

in need and those who can help them live in longterm recovery. 
• Make referrals. Know the range of resources available in your community, and connect people 

and families to mental health treatments and supports that fit their needs. 

• Create a safe environment. Foster a supportive environment in your organization where 

people can talk openly and can learn more about mental health issues, treatments and supports. 

• Raise awareness. Educate your organization’s members about mental health disorder 

prevention and treatment resources. Invite local mental health experts, people who have 

experienced mental illnesses or members to present information about mental illnesses. Work 

deliberately to reduce stigma of mental illnesses among members.

• Facilitate peer-to-peer support. Host support groups or provide information about internal 

ministries that promote recovery, as well as groups that convene elsewhere in the community.

• Provide faith-based, informed professional behavioral health care services. Often 

individuals are more willing to seek help if they are in a familiar setting. For religious 

institutions that sponsor annual health fairs, these can provide opportunities to destigmatize

certain topics, to demonstrate a commitment to helping people who have certain mental health 

disorders and to help them identify opportunities for fellowship, treatment and support. 

Being Bridge Builders

To continue exploring how 

partnerships with faithbased communities can be 

developed and nurtured, 

SAMHSA, in cooperation 

with the Center for Faith 

and Opportunity Initiatives 

within the U.S. Department 

of Health and Human 

Services, convened faith 

leaders from across the 

country on September 12, 

2018, for an expert panel 

meeting. The meeting, 

“The Role of the FaithBased Community as Bridge 

Builders to the Treatment Community for People with SMI,” illuminated many of the actions 

faith leaders can take to support people who are in crisis, as well as their families.
Meeting participants concluded that:

• For many, their faith-based 

community represents the safest

place to seek help. 

• People who have SMI can find 

assistance in faith-based 

communities to address their 

needs.

• Faith communities can be 

places of support for recovery 

and transformation. 

• Peers play a critical role in faith-based and community treatment systems, whether it is 

person-to-person or caregiver-to-caregiver. 

• Data on research and treatment can positively impact the behaviors of both providers and 

faith communities and should be shared in ways that are accessible and meaningful to 

both. This information can be provided through institutions and organizations to 

communicate to each respective community: seminaries, theological organizations, as 

well as other educational and training facilities for faith leaders – and medical 

associations and clinical treatment systems for providers.

• Faith-based communities should consider building relationships with philanthropic 

organizations. Increased funding is needed to expand infrastructure to provide behavioral 

health services and/or to serve as the bridge to community treatment while providing 

individualized, ongoing support. 

“Everyone deserves a casserole when they are ill,” 

said one participant to nods around the room. Her 

meaning: People returning from other medical 

treatments often receive meals prepared by those

from their faith communities as a form of support. 

People with mental illness and their families deserve 

to receive that same level of concern and support.