A grant from SNF supports the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America in training clergy and lay ministry leaders in Peace of Mind, a mental health awareness and response training program. Peace of Mind uses the evidence-based Mental Health First Aid model to equip clergy and parish leadership to support community members who may be struggling with their mental health.
SNF’s support came against the backdrop of the Assembly of Bishops’ 2021 National Mental Health Needs Assessment, which raised the need for ongoing conversations about mental health, continuing education for clergy and laypeople, and increased access to mental health resources.
For SNF, which believes in meeting people where they are with the mental health support they need, incorporating mental health awareness into pastoral care offered an opening for reaching parishioners with trusted support, while also beginning essential conversations about mental health within this community.