Creating Welcoming Faith Communities for People With Serious Mental Illnesses

Creating Welcoming Faith Communities for Believers With Serious Mental Illnesses: Testing an Environmental, Behavior-Oriented Intervention

The goal of this intervention study is to test a behavioral intervention to increase inclusionary practices toward individuals with serious mental illness in faith communities. The main questions it aims to answer are:

1. To determine if the behavior-based intervention leads to an increase in inclusionary practices (e.g., conducting outreach with mental health agencies).
2. To determine if the behavior-based intervention is effective in increasing inclusive practices by members and leaders of faith communities.
3. To determine if the intervention leads to a greater understand of mental illness and a decrease in stigmatizing beliefs by congregation members.
4. To determine if the intervention results in individuals with serious mental illness and their family members reporting less discrimination and increased inclusion.

Congregations will be asked to create an inclusion committee that will then work on developing systems and changing congregational practices to become more inclusive. All congregation members will be invited to a half-day training that will provide information on mental illness and inclusion, and will provide tips and strategies when they encounter situations or behaviors that are less familiar to them. All congregation members will be given the opportunity to participate in a survey about congregational practices.

Inclusion Criteria:

• member or attendee of the faith community participating in the training

Exclusion Criteria:

• under the age of 18