NAMI, Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center & AKA Sorority Team Up for Community Outreach
DAVENPORT, Iowa (January 26, 2017) – During a celebration of the African American family, the Reverend Jacque Mccoy will ask community members to come together to address access and support for individuals living with a serious mental health condition.
“It takes the entire community to help families break through the stigma of living with a serious mental health condition. We work our best when we come together to support these families,” says Mccoy, a NAMI Family to Family teacher. Access to care, and religious and family traditions all play a role in how and whether African Americans find help.
A free event will be held Monday, February 13 at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center, 630 7th Avenue, Rock Island. Doors open at 5:15 p.m. with the program starting at 5:30 p.m. A drum line presentation, followed by a community discussion and refreshments is planned.
The Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority are hosting this event. Xi Eta Omega Graduate Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and the National Alliance on Mental Illness first formed a community outreach partnership in 2015. The organizations are committed to increase outreach efforts that offer help and hope to African American families living with a serious mental health condition.
Approximately one in five adults and children live with a mental health condition. According the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, African Americans are 20 percent more likely to experience serious psychological distress than White Americans. More data on the topic of mental health and African Americans can be found here: http://bit.ly/1JTYnOA
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