Faith Group
Organizations and Networks
The following is a listing of faith group networks and the offices to contact for further information. If the faith group has passed a resolution on mental illness, but has no network developed or staff assigned to this area of ministry, the national office is listed with no specific division or area noted.
American Baptist Churches in the USA, Chaplaincy Director, American Baptist Churches in the USA, P.O. Box 851, Valley Forge, PA 19482-0851; (215) 768-2000. Has a statement on mental illness.
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), 222 S. Downey Ave., P.O. Box 1986, Indianapolis, IN 46202-1986; (317) 353-1491. It has passed a resolution on mental illness. Those who formed the United Church of Christ Mental Illness Network are also welcoming members of the Disciples to their network.
Christian Reformed Church in America, Disability Concerns, 2850 Kalamazoo Ave., S.E., Grand Rapids, MI 49560; (616) 224-0801 or (616) 224-0844; A packet of informational materials and a videotape is available from this office. You can access their newsletter at www.thebanner.org. This faith group's network is Christians Concerned About Mental Illness. Information on mental illness is included in the newsletter Breaking Barriers published by Disability Concerns.
Church of God (Anderson, Indiana), Box 2420, Anderson, IN 46018; (317) 642-0256. It has passed a resolution on mental illness voted by the Commission on Social Concerns.
The Episcopal Church USA has an Episcopal Mental Illness Network (EMIN), a ministry that grew out of the Presiding Bishop's Task Force on Accessibility (now defunct). (There is no staff at the national level assigned to mental illness.) EMIN Publishes EMIN News, a free semi-annual newsletter. It also has an informative website at www.eminnews.org. Contact: Caroline Stephenson, 5125 Stonewall Rd, Little Rock, AR 72207 or Bean Murray, 3604 Oakwood Rd., Little Rock, AR 72202. E-mail: eminnews@msn.com
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Ministry with Person with Handicapping Conditions, 8765 West Higgins Rd., Chicago, IL 60631; (773) 380-2692 is the office that has an informational packet, educational and liturgical resources, and several videotapes. There is a Lutheran Mental Illness Network that publishes a newsletter and holds periodic meetings and workshops.
Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, Ministerial Health/Health & Healing Ministries, 133 S. Kirkwood Rd., St. Louis, MO 63122; (314) 965-9000; www.lcms.org. This office has an informational packet on mental illness and is the contact point for the Mental Illness Network.
Mennonite/Anabaptist Disabilities Network (ADNet), PO Box 959, Goshen, IN 46527-0959. Phone: (574) 535-7053. E-mail: adnet@adnetonline.org. Anabaptist Disabilities Network (ADNet) is a national membership organization of families, friends, and persons living with mental illness and/or other disabilities related to Anabaptist church groups. ADNet began in late 2002 to carry on the previous national inter-Mennonite advocacy work in disabilities and mental illness. The mission of ADNet is to provide encouragement and resources to congregations, families, and persons with disabilities as they identify and embrace their God-given gifts and abilities in ministry to each other and to the larger church. Note: the following link deals with mental health issues: http://www.adnetonline.org/ADNet_Home/Awareness/MH_Awareness
Mennonite Central Committee, CANADA: Mental Health and Disabilities Program
provides information and educational resources for congregations around
issues of mental illness. www.mcc.org/canada/health.
Mental Health Chaplaincy, Seattle, WA. Web site: www.mentalhealthchaplain.org This chaplaincy was founded by the Rev. Dr. Craig Rennebohm in 1987 to serve homeless people who are mentally ill. Outreach workers offer companionship to people on the street and assist them in obtaining medical services, housing, and other aid, including spiritual support. The Chaplaincy works with the mental health program at Seattle's Harborview Hospital and other local facilities, as well as the Health Care for the Homeless Network, Pathways to Promise, NAMI, and other national and regional organizations. In addition, the Chaplaincy offers training and consultation services to church communities, and fosters advocacy activities on behalf of those suffering from mental illness. The Chaplaincy was founded in 1987 and initially sponsored by the Church Council of Greater Seattle. Since 1997, it has been an ecumenical outreach program of Prospect Congregational Church (UCC), with major support from its downtown base in Plymouth Congregational Church.
Mental Health Ministries, www.mentalhealthministries.net An ecumenical, interfaith outreach through the California-Pacific Conference of the United Methodist Church. Their mission is to educate clergy and lay persons for the purpose of decreasing the stigma associated with mental illnesses in our faith communities.
The Rev. Susan Gregg-Schroeder, Coordinator of Mental Health Ministries for
the California-Pacific Conference of the United Methodist Church, announces
a new Web site that is linked to the conference Web site under the Committee on
Church and Society: www.mentalhealthministries.net. You can find a series of helpful videos, upcoming events, information on the Caring Communities program, and video. Send e-mail to sgschroed@cox.net.
National Catholic Partnership on Disability (NCPD) 415 Michigan Avenue, N.E. Suite 240, Washington, DC 20017; (202) 529-2933, (202) 529-2934 (tty); www.ncpd.org coordinates the activities of the Roman Catholic Church in this area of ministry.
National Health Ministries,
www.pcusa.org/health/national,
(888) 728-7228, extension 8011.
E-mail: health@ctr.pcusa.org
National Health Ministries promotes health awareness and resources and works for equity and access.
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.): www.pcusa.org,
100 Witherspoon Street,
Louisville, KY 40202
Presbyterian Serious Mental Illness Network (PSMIN),
a network of the Presbyterian Health, Education & Welfare Association
(PHEWA), www.pcusa.org/phewa/psmin,
(888) 728-7228, extension 5800. E-mail: sstack@ctr.pcusa.org
PSMIN is a grassroots network of persons, congregations, and middle governing bodies who advocate, seek equity, justice, human dignity and full acceptance into the life of the church and society. Resources and models of ministry can be found on their Web site.
Union of American Hebrew Congregations (Reform), Department of Jewish Family Concerns, 633 3rd Ave., 7th Floor, New York, NY 10017; (212) 650-4296; Congregational manual available in 2003.
United Church of Christ coordinates its work on mental illness through the Office of Parish Life and Leadership/Inclusive Ministry, 700 Prospect Ave., Cleveland, OH 44115-1100; (216) 736-3838; www.min-ucc.org It has informational and educational materials and enables the work of the United Church of Christ Mental Illness Network.
United Methodist Church, Ministry of God's Human Community, General Board of Church & Society, 100 Maryland Ave., N.E., Washington, DC 20002; (202) 488-5654; www.umc-gbcs.org. It has informational and educational resources available and coordinates the activities of the United Methodist Mental Illness Network.
United Synagogue of America, the Association of Conservative Congregations, 155 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10010-6802; (212) 533-7800. It has passed a resolution on mental illness.
Virginia Interfaith Committee on Mental Illness Ministries (VICOMIM), Virginia Annual Conference, Room 113, P.O. Box 1719, Glen Allen, VA 23060; www.vaumc.org/gm/micom.htm; Committed to educating clergy and laity towards an awareness and sensitivity within the faith communities about mental illness.
