Grants...
Aten, J. (Principle Investigator) (2007-2008). Church Disaster Mental Health Project: A Gulf-Region Training Network. Pew Charitable Trusts and Rand Gulf States Policy Institute. www.churchdisasterhelp.org
The purpose of this grant is to provide active outreach and education on disaster mental health topics to pastors and church leaders located in the Mississippi Gulf-Region, with an emphasis on reaching pastors and church leaders from African-American churches. Further, this project will seek to actively engage this community in the development of and research of this project in line with community-based participatory research.
In-person disaster mental health trainings and online training modules will be developed to help pastors and church leaders: (a) identify signs and symptoms of psychological distress, (b) provide individual and community-based psychological support, (c) practice self-care strategies, and (d) access available mental health resources (including local and national agencies and programs).
Avila, R. (Project Director), & Aten, J. (Sub-Contract Project Director) (2008-2010). The Disaster Clergy Responder Network: Equipping Gulf-Coast Clergy to Prepare and Respond to Disasters. Funded by the United Jewish Communities, Subcontract with the Interfaith Disaster Task Force.
The purpose of this project is to prepare clergy from all faith backgrounds to prepare and respond to disasters through the development of a disaster clergy credential, disaster clergy response network, and disaster clergy retreat. This project represents a joint effort between IDTF and USM under the guidance of an advisory board. In-person disaster training modules will be offered throughout each project year on (a) basics of NIMS system, (b) disaster ministry, and (c) emotional and spiritual care in disasters, which upon completion, will lead to a credential as certified a Disaster Clergy Responder. Regional coordinators will then be selected from certified Disaster Clergy Responders to collaborate with the project co-directors to facilitate the organized response of other certified Disaster Clergy Responders in their assigned regions in the event of a serious emergency, thus forming the Disaster Clergy Responder Network. Additional training opportunities will be offered annually through the Mental Health Summit, a two day conference put on by the IDTF focused on mental health and pastoral care topics. Moreover, an annual Disaster Clergy Responder Retreat will be sponsored that will focus on self-care and resiliency issues.
Aten, J. (Consultant) (2007-2008) (Interfaith Disaster Task Force lead agency). Pastoral Care and Mental Health Partnership: A Katrina Resiliency Project. Funded by the Foundation for the Mid South and Red Cross Community Resilience Fund.
The goal of this initiative is to better address the mental health needs of Mississippi Coast residents by building partnerships between religious leaders and mental health professionals. This project will seek to work with a broad range of religious leaders, including clergy from Christian, Islamic, Jewish and Buddhist faiths as well as lay leaders. Similarly, mental health professionals may include clinicians, caseworkers, social workers, school counselors and other allied professionals. Participants in this project will have access to 1) appropriate, accessible disaster mental health training; 2) networks of religious leaders and mental health providers that can help provide assessment, referral, and clinical services for their community members; and 3) emotional support/resiliency programs for themselves and their congregations. An emphasis will also be placed on reaching pastors and church leaders from African American churches to facilitate the delivery of mental health services and to improve access to mental health services in minority communities.
Topping, S. (Prinicipal-Investigator), & Aten, J. (Co-Investigator) (2006-2009). Decreasing mental health disparities. The role of the African-American church in overcoming mental health disparities in rural Mississippi. Department of Health and Human Services.
This grant involves a qualitative study and network analysis that includes semi-structured interviews of African American church pastors across the state of Mississippi. The purpose of this grant is two-fold. First, it will examine the current interface between the African American church and formal service delivery emphasizing the type of in-church services/programs being provided, pastor’s knowledge of available professional mental health services within the community, and counseling and referral practices, among others. The second purpose is to determine the role churches may play in future programs and interventions to increase availability and accessibility of services while also establishing research and services partnerships.
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Student researchers on the Spirituality and Mental Health Research Team play an active role in both grants. There are also opportunities for funded graduate research assistant positions provided by funds through these grants.