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Chicago — (Business Wire— Faith leaders from more than 80 Black churches in Chicago gathered on September 29, 2022 to discuss mental health stigma and learn how to better minister to mental health issues in their communities. The forum, which brought together local leaders in healthcare, community activism and government, was held on October 9 to mark World Mental Health Day to educate and encourage conference participants to open up conversations about mental health.
Donald Dew, President and CEO of Habilitative Systems, Inc., Dr. Obari Cartman, President of the Chicago Black Psychological Association, and Adrian McCue, President and CEO of Step Up for Mental Health, participated in the panel discussion. Convened and facilitated by Dennis Deer, Cook County Board of Commissioners, and Evolent Health.
On October 9, just one day before World Mental Health Day, parishioners will hear from pastors and faith leaders about the importance of mental health as part of overall health. Sermons and gays share guidance on facilitating conversations with loved ones and directing them to appropriate resources and care.
“Last year, Cook County declared mental health and the lack of mental health services a public health crisis. This issue is exacerbated by the pandemic. Mental health concerns are as important and urgent as physical health concerns,” said Commissioner Dir. “Now is the time to ease the need to seek treatment, unlock more funding and access to mental health care, and encourage people to seek resources and pathways to care. It’s the job of our community leaders to help open that door.”
Mental health clinics in Chicago are underserved. Deer notes that the most affluent neighborhoods in the district have 5 mental health clinics per 100 people. In the western and more affluent parts of the province, there is only one clinic per 1,000 people.
“We need to change the way we think about how we get mental health services, and we need more support and funding in behavioral health,” said Apostle Carl L. White, Jr. in Harvey, Ill. And CEO, Southland Minister’s Health Network, “But now that we don’t have those resources, we have to take action ourselves. We call on the faithful to create a safe place for their families and friends.”
The healthcare managed services company that supports the care of more than 435,000 Medicaid beneficiaries in Cook County has assembled the group and is partnering with them to promote mental health awareness in Chicago starting in August 2022.
“It takes an average of 11 years between when someone first experiences mental health symptoms and when that person receives treatment,” said Naprisha Taylor, CEO and Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Evolent. “We all know this is a long shot, and we want to see more people getting the support they need sooner. We at Evolent are proud to be a part of closing the care gap by bringing together the Chicago community and encouraging healthy and productive conversations.
About Evolent Health
Evolent Health (NYSE: EVH) provides proven clinical and administrative solutions that improve the health of the whole person by making healthcare easier and more affordable. Our solutions include total cost of care management, specialty care management and administrative simplification. Evolent serves a national base of leading payers and providers, is the first company to receive National Quality Assurance Public Health Program accreditation, and is consistently recognized nationally as a top place to work in healthcare. Learn more about how Evolent is changing healthcare by visiting evolenthealth.com.
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