Structure and provision of services in Black churches in New Haven, Connecticut.

Abstract

Historically, Black (or African American) churches have played a central role as a center of religious and political life and also as a provider of human services and a healing community. This article examined the extent to which African American churches in 1 Northeastern urban environment are involved in the delivery of health and human service programs to their communities. It also explored how comfortable Black clergy are in referring their parishioners to the formal mental health system and identified the actual level of referrals. In addition, the analyses considered the individual and organizational characteristics that predict variations in the levels of support services and the likelihood of referral. Analyses revealed that African American churches deliver a broad range of services to the community. More than two thirds of the clergy feel comfortable in making a referral to a mental health agency or professional, and more than half have actually made a referral. Both service delivery and referral levels varied by several clergy and congregational characteristics. The implications of these findings for research and health policy are considered.

The African American Minister as a Source of Help for Serious Personal Crises: Bridge or Barrier to Mental Health Care?

“…Health educators should look to churches as settings for educating African American ministers about disorders such as depression, bipolar disorder (manic-depressive illness), anxiety, phobias, and schizophrenia. 13,18,45 In addition to enhancing the diagnostician role for Black ministers, these data indicate a need for mental health education programs targeted toward African American church members as well. Using depression as just one example, we feel that much can be gained by exposing more African Americans to the signs and symptoms of this debilitating disorder.…”

Religiosity, volunteerism, and community involvement among African American men: An exploratory analysis

“…In African American communities, many of the services and resources needed to help individuals and families to survive adversity are provided through church programs (Billingsley & Caldwell, 1991;Carson, 1990;Chaves & Higgins, 1992;Clayton, 1995;Lincoln & Mamiya, 1990;Williams, Griffith, Collins, & Dodson, 1999). Volunteers involved with churches help to provide food, clothing, counseling, and a vast array of emergency supports to community members who are in need (Billingsley et al, 1991;Williams et al, 1999). So strong is the link between church and community participation among African Americans that the church has come to be seen as the institution that has the principal responsibility to assist those who are in need (Carson, 1990).…”

Barbados Spiritual Baptists: Social acceptance enhances opportunities for supporting public health

“…For example, their refurbished church buildings now enable them to offer after-school and evening programs geared to combating educational underperformance among community children, substance abuse among adolescents and young adults, problems in parenting among family leaders, and chronic vocational difficulties among the underemployed (Williams et al 1999). This much-needed work will require a commitment to sustained Church stability, political support from legislators, and resources from both the public and private sectors.…”

“…Even though mental-health professionals are available, the community often looks to church leaders to act also as advisers and counselors to those seeking help and solace. This is not a surprising expectation, as the roles of clergy in the African diaspora may be conceptualized more broadly as having a potential part to play in the activities of community health and mental health (Williams, Griffith, Young, Collins, & Dodson, 1999;Young, Griffith, & Williams, 2003).…”