Mental Health Forums

NAMI Metropolitan Baltimore hosts quarterly Mental Health Forums for community members. Baltimore area health care professionals, professors, researchers, and community partners are invited to discuss topics related to mental health and wellness. Families and community members learn up-to-date information to better understand mental health issues and resources.

Recent Mental Health Forums have addressed:

• Suicide Prevention and Crisis Management
• “Ask the Doctor” Session
• Special Needs Trust and Estate Planning
• Geriatric Mental Health
• Social Security and Disability Benefits

These free community events are held virtually in February, May, August and November. Our next forum, Parenting During a Pandemic: Strategies for Coping and Thriving, will be held on Thursday, May 6th from 12:00pm – 1:00pm on Facebook Live.

To learn more about our Mental Health Forums, please contact our HelpLine at (410) 435-2600 or email info@namibaltimore.org.

Get to Know NAMI Metro

For over 35 years, NAMI Metro Baltimore has worked with dedicated grassroots leaders to raise awareness and provide essential education, advocacy, and support group programs for people living with mental health conditions and their families. These quarterly, virtual events are open to anyone looking to learn more about NAMI Metro Baltimore, including community members, providers, and partners. Get to Know NAMI Metro will be held on Tuesday, July 13th from 12:00pm – 1:00pm on Zoom.

To learn more about our Get to Know NAMI Metro events, please contact our HelpLine at (410) 435-2600 or email info@namibaltimore.org.

Mental Health Education Conference for Faith Leaders

Hosted every spring, this conference grants attendees the opportunity to hear from fellow faith leaders who lead mental health programs in their communities and organizations. Individuals and family members also share their lived experiences and the role faith has played in their journey to recovery. Faith leaders learn what role they can play in ending the stigma surrounding mental health conditions, including offering effective support and connection to resources to community members.

Tuesday, May 4th at 11:00am: “Critical Collaboration: Faith and Mental Health Professionals as Partners in Community Care” presented by Bishop C. Guy Robinson. This first webinar in our series will explore the critical need for strategic partnerships between professionals in faith and mental health traditions.

Tuesday, May 11th at 11:00am: “Mental Health Matters: Creating Effective Mental Health Ministries” presented by Rev. Domanic A. Smith. This webinar will continue the conversation about the efficacy of creating mental wellness teams by exploring the origins of health teams in organized faith systems, understanding key components of established wellness teams, and creating teams based on your faith organization’s capacity.

Tuesday, May 18th at 11:00am: “Supporting Internal Family Systems Mental Health Model with Spiritual Practices” presented by Claudia Cameron, LCSW-C, ATR-BC, Rabbi Elissa Sachs-Kohen and Cantorial Intern Becky Mann, of Baltimore Hebrew Congregation. This webinar will illustrate the intersections between Jewish spiritual practices and IFS, the Internal Family Systems model of mental health. They will explore how Torah study, meditation and chant can support mental health and wholeness.

Tuesday, May 25th at 11:00am: “Connecting the Dots…And it Doesn’t End with Us” presented by Min. Lisa Connors and Belinda Kock. The final webinar in our series will connect the dots by encouraging interfaith leaders to educate and promote mental health and substance use wellness in their faith communities.

To learn more about this conference or to join our planning workgroup, please contact Director of Programs and Outreach, Clarrissa Taylor Jackson, ctaylorjackson@namibaltimore.org.

Faith Toolkit for Faith Leaders and Community Members

Faith and spirituality can be a very helpful component of someone’s recovery from mental illness. People experiencing a mental health condition may often turn first to a trusted faith leader for support. There are many ways that faith leaders, just like you, can be welcoming and inclusive to the 1 in 5 people who are impacted by a mental health condition. This toolkit connects faith leaders to resources that will help you:

• Gain Better Knowledge and Understanding of Mental Health Conditions
• Learn What Actions You Can Take to Create an Informed, Inclusive and Supportive Environment
• Connect Individuals and Families to Help and Support

To receive your digital copy of NAMI Metro Baltimore’s Faith Toolkit, please contact Director of Programs and Outreach, Clarrissa Taylor Jackson, ctaylorjackson@namibaltimore.org.