Tag Archive for: #faithinmentalhealth

TownTalk: Faith In Mental Health Program Coming Sept. 21

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The Faith in Mental Health initiative is taking its project to the next level when it kicks off a free year-long program on Monday, Sept. 21 that is open to churches in Vance and Granville counties.

Karl Johnson, program coordinator with Granville Vance Public Health, said there’s still time to register to participate. The meeting will take place at the Salvation Army, 2292 Ross Mill Rd. in Henderson.

Find a registration link at www.gvph.org.

In the couple of years since its inception, the Faith in Mental Health program has held community forums, formed an advisory board and has provided trainings for more than 100 people.

The Sept. 21 event puts in motion another layer of the initiative designed for churches and the role they play in the community.

The term “cohort” may sound a bit formal and structured, but Johnson said there will be plenty of room for flexibility as the program moves forward.

Having conversations about substance abuse disorders and other mental health issues isn’t always easy, Johnson said on Tuesday’s TownTalk.

Being part of the Faith in Mental Health cohort provides a nice mix of structure with open-ended flexibility depending on a particular church’s wants and needs – a way to have conversations in the context of a faith community.

The hope is that churches will pursue different activities, whether it’s forming a support group at church, creating a mental health library or having a special bible study on relevant topics.

The project aims to lessen the stigma that surrounds mental health, substance abuse and addiction.

“Stigma is a huge barrier that’s come up again and again in the different community health assessments that we’ve conducted at the health department,” Johnson said. The Faith in Mental Health initiative seeks to view an individual’s struggles through the lens of faith, whether it’s through particular spiritual practices, spiritual passages of scripture or theological voices to better understand how to care for someone caught in the web of mental health or addiction challenges.

“For all the topics that we’ll address in the next year,” Johnson said, “we’re trying to center them with people’s concrete lived experiences.”

Hearing from people who speak openly about their struggles with mental health and addiction is a helpful way to learn how they sought and received the care they needed.

“Hopefully it humanizes this topic can be so hard,” Johnson said. It also demonstrates to those who are currently struggling that there are people in our own communities who have faced the same challenges and have overcome them.

“That’s life,” Johnson said. “And we are called to come around people who are struggling to support them where they’re at.”

Visit https://gvph.org/ to learn more, email Karl Johnson at kjohnson@gvph.org or call him at 616-298-5626.

Learn more about the program at https://gvph.org/faith-in-mental-health

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‘Faith In Mental Health’ Kicks Off Yearlong Certificate Program Sept. 21 For Churches In Vance, Granville Counties

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The Faith in Mental Health certificate program will launch its first group of participating churches this fall. The free, yearlong program will help churches in Granville and Vance counties support people affected by mental illness and substance use.

Mental health has been a major concern in the last three Community Health Assessments by Granville Vance Public Health. In the 2025 assessment, more than 75 percent of people surveyed named mental health or drug addiction as the community’s top health problem.

The Cohort 1 kickoff meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 21, 2026, at The Salvation Army of Henderson, 2292 Ross Mill Rd., Henderson.

The program is free and open to churches in Granville and Vance counties. Churches must register to take part.

Limited funding is available to help participating churches complete the program’s certificate levels.

Stigma can keep people from asking for help. In the words of one community leader, “I think that the stigma is our biggest [challenge]…in our community a lot of our families are like you just keep business in your house. You do not share your business anywhere else. [They are] very private and proud, you know. We’re not going to take this anywhere else.”

Churches can help change that. Inspired by their faith commitments, they can offer social, spiritual, and emotional support to those who are hurting. They can also connect people with professional care when needed.

The Faith in Mental Health program was created to help churches build on that role and learn from churches who have advanced that role well. Local churches have helped shape the program during the past two years. The first formal cohort will bring churches together to address mental health and substance use needs in their congregations and communities.

Participation in the cohort will require regular attendance at cohort meetings and community forums throughout a 12-month period. Each church will develop a mental health ministry based on the needs and strengths of its congregation. Churches will learn from one another, from mental health professionals, and from faith leaders. They also will learn practical ways to prevent problems, respond with care and how to connect people with the help they need.

 

Contact Karl Johnson at kjohnson@gvph.org for more information or to register.

Faith In Mental Health Initiative Plans Programs For Vance, Granville Churches

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The Faith in Mental Health initiative has two free events coming up in June to share information with churches about ways to support a faith-informed approach to mental health and addiction programs.

The “Faith-informed Responses to Youth Mental Health and Well Being” takes place on Monday, June 15 from 6 p.m.to 8 p.m. in the Maria Parham Health auditorium, 566 Ruin Creek Rd.

It’s open to any church in Vance and Granville counties, said Karl Johnson, program coordinator. There will be a youth panel and presentations from youth-oriented organization, as well as presentations from behavioral health specialists and community leaders.

Food will be provided.

The second event is scheduled for Tuesday, June 23 at Cornerstone Christian Community Church in Oxford.  This event is an in-person webinar screening featuring Dr.Andrea Clements a professor of psychology at East Tennessee State University and author of The Trauma Informed Church: Walking With Others toward Flourishing.

The presentation will provide participants with a better understanding about caring for those with addiction and mental health struggles through a trauma-informed approach.

Cornerstone Christian Community Church is located at 3237 Knotts Grove Rd., Oxford.

Refreshments will be provided.

Contact Johnson at kjohnson@gvph.org or call him at 616.298.5626.

TownTalk: Faith in Mental Health Forum Coming April 20 at MHCO

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The next ‘Faith in Mental Health’ forum is scheduled for Monday, April 20 at 6 p.m. to share information with individuals and church representatives interested in learning more about available mental health resources in Vance and Granville counties.

The session is free to attend and will take place in the cafeteria on the campus of the Masonic Home for Children in Oxford, said Frank Sossamon, pastor at Hermon Community Church. The theme for this program is substance misuse and addiction. A barbecue dinner will be provided as well, Sossamon said.

The Faith in Mental Health program is a pilot project that Sossamon hopes will eventually go statewide that will operate under the umbrella of public health departments.

“The numbers continue to grow with every event we have,” Sossamon said on Tuesday’s TownTalk.

So far, more than 40 churches across the two-county area are actively involved in the initiative, which has three different levels of participation, depending on church interest.

Getting appropriate information into the hands of church congregations is helpful for a variety of reasons. An orientation session provides participants with information about resources in the area that can be shared with church members.

“We want you to be able to help your congregation,” he said. Participating in the Faith in Mental Health project is one way for congregations to be informed about what resources are available, where they’re located and how to access them.

The second level of commitment comes when a congregation chooses a mental health topic to highlight and discuss each month.

“Just being able to talk about it is healing for people in the church that are struggling with those things,” Sossamon said. Individuals realize that there is someone to talk to – the pastor or someone else in the congregation. “That in itself, is liberating. That in itself is healing and encouraging. And it’s healthy for the church as well,” he added.

The forums are also a way for people from different congregations to connect and form networks. He said he’s heard positive feedback from participants of earlier sessions about having the information they needed to share with others about particular services they were searching for.

The Faith in Mental Health initiative is for churches of all sizes, Sossamon said. So, whether it’s a 1,000 member congregation or a congregation of 10, there’s a place for you.

The upcoming forum will include area providers who will speak about substance misuse and addiction, as well as representatives from different programs available to provide help, from support groups to residential facilities.

The Masonic Home for Children in Oxford is located at 600 College St.

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“Faith in Mental Health” to Discuss Depression and Anxiety Monday Night at VGCC

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The Faith in Mental Health program will host a discussion on “Faith-informed approaches to understanding and treatment depression and anxiety.” Speakers will include Dr. Roddy Drake (former Health Director at GVPH) and Dr. Tobias LaGrone (Community Outreach & Faith Based Coordinator at NCDHHS). The event will include opportunities for group discussion, interactions with local providers, and distribution of resources.

The discussion will be held at the Vance-Granville Community College (Civic Center Auditorium) on Monday, November 10th at 6 p.m. All community members are welcome to participate, especially those who have participated in the certificate program. Participation is free, with light refreshments available.

Mental illness and substance use challenges affect millions of Americans each year, with rural communities often experiencing even higher rates due to risk factors such as trauma, economic hardship, and limited access to care.

Of particular concern are increasing rates of depression and anxiety, especially among younger members of our community. Depression is more than just a temporary feeling of sadness but rather a crippling and chronic challenge for many, often requiring temporary pauses in work and other activities. Likewise, a limited level of anxiety is a normal human experience, but there are many for whom elevated levels of anxiety can significantly impair their ability to perform everyday tasks. Thankfully, treatment solutions (pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical) exist for those who significantly struggle with depression and/or anxiety. Further, many faith traditions, including but not limited to the Christian scriptures, directly address themes related to depression and anxiety, offering a framework for how to understand these complex and debilitating emotional states in a way which aligns with other spiritual teachings.

Recognizing both the need for support and the unique strengths within rural communities, a new initiative, Faith in Mental Health, was launched to help address this growing crisis. The program aims to equip churches throughout Granville and Vance County to better respond to the substance use and mental health-related needs of their congregation. Participation in the program is free and open to all churches in Granville and Vance County.

For more information or to get involved, please contact Karl Johnson at kjohnson@gvph.org or Pastor Frank Sossamon at pastorfrank1954@gmail.com.

— GVPH Press Release

GVPH is a rural Academic Health Department with the mission of protecting and promoting health in Granville and Vance counties. GVPH provides a broad range of primary care and prevention clinical services, dental services, health education, health promotion, environmental health, and overall disease and injury detection. Supporting local public health sustains economic development, education systems, community safety, and overall improvements in community resilience. To learn more about our programs and services go online to www.gvph.org or call the Granville County office at (919) 693-2141 or the Vance County office at (252) 492-7915.

TownTalk: Faith in Mental Health

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When he was serving in the N.C. House as District 32 representative, Frank Sossamon introduced a bill to create a faith-based initiative on substance abuse and mental health.

He served one term in the House, and his bill didn’t get through the Senate to become law, but Sossamon was undeterred.

In partnership with Granville Vance Public Health, Vaya Health and N.C. Dept. of Health and Human Services, Sossamon’s “Faith in Mental Health” initiative is gathering steam to involve churches in Vance and Granville counties to combat issues surrounding substance abuse and mental health.

Two orientation sessions are scheduled – Monday, June 23 at West End Baptist Church in Henderson and Monday, June 30 at the Granville County Convention and Expo Center in Oxford – to kick off a three-part program to give churches information about resources available to them and to the community. Each session will last from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Sossamon said in speaking with various church leaders about developing the initiative, he said more often than not, they didn’t know what services and resources are available when it comes to mental health and substance abuse issues.

“That’s the sad thing, not only they don’t know,” he said of those church representatives, “the average person doesn’t know.”

This is where the orientation sessions can help, he said. During these initial meetings, participants will complete the first of three levels of involvement.

“Level 1 is the most basic level, but maybe one of the most effective,” Sossamon said. Participants will learn about the different agencies in their county and hear from some representatives about the services they provide and how to access them.

Churches participating at this level also will agree to highlight a different topic each month in the Sunday service bulletin or newsletter, for example.

Pastors will be encouraged to preach a sermon on that topic or discuss it during a weekly Sunday School session.

Hearing about mental health or substance abuse from the pulpit or in a Sunday School class help to demystify the issues, he said. “That in itself brings healing,” he said.

Level 2 participating churches will agree to have quarterly forums on mental health issues, and Sossamon said he would encourage several churches to join forces and have one forum. There are speakers who are willing to take part in the forums and plenty of resources available to share with churches, he noted.

“It just has such great promise,” Sossamon said.

Level 2 churches also would establish a library to offer reading material related to mental health.

Those churches that wish to meet Level 3 criteria would be willing to complete more clinical training sessions to get certified. From suicide prevention training to mental health first aid, Sossamon said these trainings are “a little more intense.”

Contact Sossamon at pastorfrank1954@gmail.com to learn more.

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