BY AUDREY ALEXANDER, Community Engagement Consultant
CENTRAL FLORIDA – Project IMPAC is an educational project specifically designed for local Black churches in Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties. For far too long, mental health in the African American community has been swept under the rug and considered taboo. Many have suffered in silence due to shame, stigma, and lack of resources. Truth be told, all of us have experienced some form of depression due to circumstances beyond our control like the death of a loved one, job loss, financial stress, domestic violence, health complications, and more. Many have experienced trauma in their formative years only to bury it in the recesses of their minds because it was too painful to talk about or they felt no one would understand. Statistics tell us that only about 25% of African Americans seek mental health treatment compared to 40% of white Americans. With your help, we can turn this around so our people can be empowered to get the help they need for themselves or their loved ones.
Project IMPAC provides licensed and trained professionals to conduct presentations that address stigma, signs and symptoms, and provides resource information related to mental health. Topics include: Stigma and Cultural Beliefs, Types of Mental Disorders, Suicide and Suicide Prevention, How to be an Effective Helper and Self Support Strategies. We would love to speak to the members of your congregation and provide them with this vital information. The presentation will last less than two hours, including time for questions and answers. It can be scheduled for any day and time of the week convenient for your congregation, including Saturdays and Sundays after worship service.
Project IMPAC is a project of Simeon Resource and Development Center for Men, Inc., and is funded by the 2022 Community Health Impact Grant received from AdventHealth.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available.
- Call or text: 988
- Chat: org
For more information about the project, mental health resources, and to schedule a presentation for your church, please contact us at 407-836-6730.
