Mental Health America of Lancaster County (MHALC) is introducing a new program to explore and enhance mental health's relationship with religion and churches. MHALC is calling the program Faith Communities Partnership.

"God made us, made our spirit, made our body, made our minds," said Irma Do, the program coordinator for Faith Communities Partnership. "God has a plan for us. But because the world is broken, it changes the plan. God wants us to be mentally healthy, and He wants us to work in community. The question is, 'Can we come together on this issue?'"

MHALC will unveil Faith Communities Partnership to the public at its inaugural breakfast from 9:30 to 11 a.m. on Wednesday, May 21, at Cork Factory Hotel in Urban Place, 480 New Holland Ave., Lancaster. The breakfast gathering will also serve as the initial workshop in the yearlong, once-a-month initiative designed for priests, pastors, clergy and interested parishioners of places of worship.

At the inaugural breakfast, organizers will announce details on future meetings of the program, which will be hosted by different local faith communities. There is a cost associated with participation in the program, and interested individuals can register at https://mentalhealthamericaoflancasterpa.salsalabs.org/faithcommunitiespartnershipbreakfast/index.html or by emailing Do at ido@mhalancaster.org.

"It's about providing support, education and advocacy to faith communities, so they're not standing alone," said Kim McDevitt, who's been MHALC's executive director for seven years. "So they have a better understanding of mental health challenges. Pastors have said this is a huge need for them. It's building a network of support for these leaders. The purpose is to answer their questions."

The monthly mental health education sessions will be led by MHALC social workers and therapists and guest counselors. The meetings will offer participants training, support and access to local resources related to mental health.

MHALC's Faith Communities Partnership is being funded through a grant from the LMC Legacy Foundation.

"We want it to be responsive," said Do, a resident of Manheim Township. "We want it to be interactive. We want to talk to people in attendance and learn about their experiences. We want to ask them what will be helpful. We want to see what the lay of the land looks like in Lancaster County."

"Most pastors don't have a background in counseling," she added. "We're not training them to be counselors. We're training them to identify mental health issues and give them information that will help them lead their church members to the right sources. A lot of times, these things are hidden. We want (church leaders) to be able to talk about mental health issues from the pulpit."

There are any number of resources available in the Lancaster County community for people experiencing mental health issues. Faith communities and churches are places where individuals can seek help.

"When someone is experiencing a mental health crisis, they might not go anywhere, or they may be waiting for someone to notice," said Do. "They may go to their pastor and talk about it. For some people, their faith is a source of support. People ask for help from people who they are connected to. Sometimes (church leaders) don't know what to do. They may not know how to address a mental health issue. Right now, there are delays in getting mental health services. Churches can be a bridge for that."

Located at 245 Butler Ave., Suite 204, Lancaster, MHALC engages in similar partnerships with schools, companies, hospital systems, police departments and service organizations to provide education, insight, support and resources for mental health issues.

"We are the hub and advocates for mental health services in Lancaster County," said McDevitt, a resident of Manheim Township. "(Faith communities are) a group we have identified. We want to make the mental health system in Lancaster County better. There are people who are physically ill. Mental illness is an illness of the brain. We need to be thinking of it in the same way. That's where the education comes in."