President Obama’s Mental Health Initiative Receives Support from the Adventist Church
by ANN
The Seventh-day Adventist Church in North America joined dozens of other organizations in the United States last week in pledging support for President Barack Obama’s initiative to promote mental health. Katia Reinert, health ministries director for the denomination's North American Division, represented the church at the National Conference on Mental Health in the East Room of the White House as President Obama applauded public commitments made by faith communities and other groups leading efforts to raise mental health awareness.
“The Adventist Church has historically looked at people as wholistic, with mental health and physical health both linked to spiritual health,” Reinert said. "Being able to bring this perspective from the faith community and let them know that Adventists care about mental health and have active recovery and support ministries was significant." The meeting was an opportunity to build partnerships with likeminded groups and benefit from an arsenal of mental health resources, as well as share the church’s unique approach toward health.
In February this year, church health professionals launched Adventist Recovery Ministries, a pathway toward healing for those battling addiction and compulsive behavior. The 12-step program is one of the focuses of next year’s National Health Summit. The weeklong event will also offer training in mental health first aid, depression recovery and optimizing brain potential, Reinert said.
The church’s additional plans in its public commitment presented to the White House include (1) designating February 2014 for a special emphasis on mental health; (2) devoting the February 2014 issue of Vibrant Life, the health promotion journal published by the Church, entirely to mental health; (3) asking all local churches to focus on mental health awareness on Sabbath, February 15, 2014, and promote awareness in their communities; (4) plan a National Mental Health Conference with Adventist HealthCare in 2015; and (5) publish a youth devotional book focusing on mental and emotional health in 2015.
A task force organized by the church’s Health Ministries department in North America is overseeing the efforts. Members were selected from Adventist hospital systems, mental health facilities, education and research institutions, supporting ministries and publishing houses.
The church’s efforts are part of what President Obama is calling a national conversation about mental health. Ongoing dialogue will help lift the stigma associated with mental illness and improve health care for those struggling with such issues, particularly veterans and students, stated a press release from the White House Office of Communications.
Reinert said she hopes the conversation inspires Adventists to offer support and friendship to church and community members struggling with mental illness. She also wants Adventist churches to serve as centers of hope and healing in the community. “Many of our members are afraid to come out of our churches and mingle, but we end up making valuable partnerships and benefiting from other perspectives and resources, as well as sharing what we know and impacting our communities,” she said. “This is a great opportunity moving forward.”
This story was supplied by the Adventist News Network (ANN), the official news service of the denomination, with reporting by Elizabeth Lechleitner.
What is there about this Adventist initiative that distinguishes it from other mental health services and makes it appear to the public or the church as a desirable alternative to the other such services and programs?
There is only ONE reason this President is interested in mental health. That reason is gun confiscation. Anything the church can do it can do much better without the cooperation or assistance from this administration in Washington. Just one example is what Obama is doing to our Military -allowing gays in which has caused the incidents of man on man rape to skyrocket. Also, the persecution and prosecution of any soldier who expresses his or her Christian beliefs. This is a very evil man. The church has no business being associated with him or his administration.
Where are your references for the above accusations?
These things are happening right before your eyes and you want references? Actually the present administration in Washington put most of this information out. However, you may only be convinced if you do your own homework – I did. Don't believe me but check it out for yourself. If you do you will be angry at what you find.
The phrase "do their own homework" sounds suspiciously like "I did a lot of surfing around on websites sponsored by right-wing groups or individuals." And, yes, Greg, we do want references.
People at Fox News also do "their own homework"…
Half of it actually. One can never get the whole story there, since it's so much manipulated.
No use trying to prove a point to those who refuse to see. These events are happening in real time right before your eyes and you ignore them. As for references heres one : http://thenewamerican.com/usnews/item/15500-homosexual-assaults-becoming-a-problem-in-u-s-military-dod-survey-finds.
and thats all I'll bother to give you as your real problem is not references but rather on which side of the political spectrum do I fall. That being said, any so called "right wing" reference I might give will not be credible to liberal idealogues. Only their own personal opinion is credible to them. Therefore this is my last response. God bless.
Thanks. I am really glad it was your "last response."
Fact 1: Making people aware of mental health issues certainly can't hurt. But solving the mental health problem is not that simple.
Fact 2: Some years ago (I don't know when and it doesn't matter anyway) "the powers that be" turned a large number of mentally ill people loose to roam the streets. A great many of these people show up in emergency rooms for their medical care. Just ask your favorite ER nurse. Emergency room care is a very expensive way to have your general medical needs looked after. Many (most?) of these people can not adequately manage their lives. They need continuing guidance and monitoring. The hospital system is not designed for that and is too expensive anyway. Nobody but nobody wants to pay the bill for looking after these people. Making people aware will not in and of itself solve this problem.
Fact 3: The American Psychiatric Association just came out with the Fifth Edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). One opinion about it is that it has every man woman and child in America potentially diagnosable with a mental condition for which the pharmaceutical industry just happens to have a mind altering drug solution. While we can argue about the validity of that opinion, my point is that way too many people are prescribed such drugs. Two examples: (1) normal wiggly restless children are given Ritalin to make the teacher's life easier; (2) a personal example: I once had an annoying skin condition on my lower legs for which I was prescribed an OTC (over the counter) topical cream and a mind altering drug so that I wouldn't care about my legs (I threw the tranquillizer Rx away; the cream didn't help much; as I write this my legs are just fine, thank you).
Fact 4: In view of Fact 3 there is a major role SDA's should (not just could) play: A significant percentage (but obviously not all — we do need psychiatrists) of these mental health problems could be mitigated/eliminated by proper nutrition and good health habits. Show the world how to do this — no entanglement with government required, so avoid it.