Additional Resources

Faith Community Partnership (FCP)

Why are Faith Communities important to Mental Health?
Faith Community Leaders are one of the first people who are contacted when someone is experiencing a mental health crisis.
They are trusted people in their respective faith communities and serve as a source of support, resources, and hope. 
What is the Faith Community Partnership (FCP)?
1. Faith communities choose Faith Community Leaders who are willing to be Mental Health Champions to participate in the program. 
2. Champions meet monthly from May 2025 to May 2026 to receive: 
a) Resources and referrals for addressing mental health needs in their faith communities
b) Trainings to help develop their own mental health ministry
c) Support for existing mental health ministries
d) Fellowship with other faith communities
3. Faith communities subsidize this program by contributing $75 for the 1st Mental Health Champion for their congregation. Additional Mental Health Champions will be $50.
Did You Know That in Lancaster County…
1. There are 843 Faith Communities (The Assoc. of Religion Data Archives, 2020)
2. 42.7% of the population belongs to a faith community (The Assoc. of Religion Data Archives, 2020)
3. 4.3% of the population have reported having a mental health issue (Lancaster County Community Indicators, 2018-2020)

FCP Seminars

May: Introduction to the Faith Community Partnership 

  1. Who We Are
  2. Scope of Mental Health Issues
  3. Resource Sharing
  4. Referral Review

June: Introduction to Mental Health Ministries (MHM)
Speaker: Donna Nebitinksy, Pastoral Associate at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Mechanicsburg

  1. Why Start a Mental Health Ministry?
  2. How to Start a Ministry (Components of a MHM)
  3. If you already have a ministry, breakout session to discuss what is working and brainstorming ideas to address what isn’t

July: Training – Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) Certification

August: Introduction to Spiritual Support Groups

  1. Holy Listening (not therapy)
  2. Power of Prayer
  3. When Prayer Isn’t Enough – How to Know When to Refer 
  4. Addressing Religious Trauma 

September: Training – Mental Health 1st Aid Certificate 

 

October: Training TBD Based on Needs of Champions

Possible options to include:

  1. Mental Health and Children
  2. Mental Health and the Elderly
  3. Mental Health and Teens
  4. Grief
  5. Mental Health and Social Media – Electronic Use
  6. Suicide Prevention

November: Training – Self-Care and Compassion Fatigue

 

December: Next Steps – The Plans He Has for Us

  1. Review of program and next steps for 2026!

How to Get Connected?

If you or your faith community is interested in partnering with us, please reach out to our Program Coordinator for this project, Irma Do.
Connect with Irma
This program is made possible through a grant from the LCM Legacy Foundation.
Thank you LMC!

Policy-Nondiscrimination. It is the policy of Mental Health America of Lancaster County to not discriminate against any person in the selection and service of employees, vendors, clients, visitors, suppliers, volunteers and anyone doing business with Mental Health America of Lancaster County on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, age, handicap, disability, and other legally protected groups.