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Mental health fair at Mt. Zion Baptist Church seeks to educate public and address stigma of mental disorders

Albany Herald
May 09, 2022

May 9—ALBANY — The COVID-19 pandemic didn't just have a devastating effect on society in terms of deaths and patients with long-term health problems; it also had a major impact on mental health in terms of individuals suffering from depression, anxiety, PTSD and other issues.

A recent study indicated 50 percent of Georgians have suffered from anxiety or depression since the pandemic began. During the pandemic drug overdoses and deaths shot up. And calls to the state's mental health crisis line increased by 24 percent.

With May being Mental Health Awareness Month, Mt. Zion Baptist Church is hosting a Saturday mental health awareness community fair that will bring together providers and leaders to share information and reach out to help remove the stigma of admitting and seeking treatment for a mental disorder.

The community fair starts at 10 a.m. and is scheduled to end at 2 p.m., with 15 organizations that provide mental health services, from medical facilities to schools to youth programs, setting up stations to provide information. Scheduled speakers include Daniel Fleuren with Aspire Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities Services, Dougherty County Schools Superintendent Ken Dyer, Albany Police Chief Michael Persley and others.

"We're trying to accomplish, one, communicating to our area information about mental health and the fact that mental health does affect many people, particularly after COVID," said Debbie Richardson, a member of the Albany National Alliance on Mental Illness and board member of the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities Region 4 Advisory Council. "And after our severe weather events, it had a huge impact on our population.

"Mental illness is a disease that affects mind, body and spirit. We invite anyone who wants to know more about mental health or if they're concerned about a loved one or just want to know more about resources that are available. We feel like we've got an excellent program."

Dougherty County has significant resources available, including a mental health court that helps steer people whose legal issues stem from mental health problems into alternatives other than incarceration and punishment, she said.

And this year the Georgia General Assembly passed legislation that seeks to expand access to mental health services and increase the number of mental health providers in the state, Richardson said.

The legislation, HB 1013, also requires insurance companies to cover mental health care the same way as other health conditions.

"It should help Georgians assess affordable and effective mental health treatment," Richardson said. "That is good. Those funds will allow organizations to have additional programs and hire staff so that people can be treated."

Mt. Zion started a mental health ministry in January 2022, and the community fair is a way of getting out the message about the program and bringing together providers, community leaders and the public, said pastor Kim Dandridge, who heads up the ministry.

"The goal for Mt. Zion this year was to bring not only Mt. Zion members to the table but the community to remove the stigma of mental health and mental illness so people can address the struggles they're having," Dandridge said. "We believe by starting out with awareness, we can address the stigma.

"We came up with the idea of having this community forum instead of having members sit around a table. This is part of a collaboration between all the different agencies and resources that are available. There are a lot of resources available, but I'm not sure everybody is aware of those resources."

Since churches often are on the "front battle line" as the place where individuals with mental health issues go for assistance, Mt. Zion will next look to spread the message to other churches in the area.

"If someone came to the church and they were bleeding, we would pray for them, but we would also make sure they have access to all the resources they need," Dandridge said. "The same should be true for mental health."

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