Faith in Mental Health

Program background

In public health, we know that partnerships with community organizations are essential to the work of community health and healing. Historically, churches have provided many of the direct social services which we in public health often advocate for, and faith leaders continue to be a cornerstone of our community in Granville and Vance counties. At present, there is also a shortage of mental health professionals in rural America, and stigma continues to prevent individuals from discussing mental health issues and accessing care. Public health and healthcare agencies need to work with trusted community organizations — especially local churches — to address these concerns.

Certificate design

In 2025, a team of organizations — including representatives from the North Carolina Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Use Services, GVPH, UNC Gillings, and Vaya Health — established the Faith in Mental Health certificate program. Its goal is two-fold: to equip local churches to better respond to individuals in their congregation and community who may have mental health or substance use disorders, and to help public health and healthcare practitioners understand how the practices and beliefs of faith communities uniquely contribute to whole-person healing. Because churches come in a variety of sizes with a range of staff and resources, the program includes three certification levels, so every congregation can identify a level that works for them.

Program achievements

Since launching in 2025, over 60 different churches have participated in the program, including over 100 individuals from those churches. We have hosted community-wide forums on faith-informed responses to depression and anxiety, substance use and addiction, and youth mental health and wellbeing. Individual churches in our network have started new mental health support groups, developed mental health resource libraries, hosted topical discussions, and even started their own mental health ministries.

Program resources