For Rev. Donna Allen’s congregation in West Oakland, the New Revelation Community Church is a place to share with other African-Americans and to find support when facing life’s small and big crises. And for Allen, one of the most important messages is that their community has too often ignored the scourge of mental illness.
“They’ll describe being very depressed, like ‘I don’t want to go on. I don’t want to get out of bed, I don’t want to live anymore,’ ” said Allen. “They’re really describing things that are mental health issues.”
She is trying to strengthen the community response to the needs of others and make sure church members understand that it’s not just faith that they can lean on when facing mental health problems. It’s an effort promoted by Alameda County, which has invested more than $1 million to help faith communities and other groups to bring mental health services to underserved communities.
To continue reading this article by Leila Day, go to: http://khn.org/news/oakland-mi...ap-on-mental-health/
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