Baptist Health hosts Faith & Mental Health Conference

Baptist Health will host its third Faith & Mental Health Conference from 8:30-11:30 a.m. Friday, Nov. 4, at the Schultz Center, 4019 Boulevard Center Drive in Jacksonville.

The purpose of the conference, which is free and open to public, is to explore ways for faith and mental-health professionals to work together to improve the overall mental health of residents in the community, according to a Baptist Health news release.

The keynote speaker is Glenda Wrenn, M.D., assistant professor of psychology and behavioral sciences at the Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta. Her presentation, "Faith and Mental Health: Creating Caring Communities," will help to open a dialogue about how faith leaders and mental-health professionals can work together to help those in the community who suffer from mental-health problems, the release says.

Jacksonville Sheriff Mike Williams will also speak at the conference about mental-health needs in the community.

Other topics will include the faith community's role in combating youth suicide and the stigma associated with mental illness. Panelists, who will include psychologists from Baptist Behavioral Health as well as local clergy, will discuss how conference attendees can support those suffering from mental-health issues.

To register for the conference, go to fmhconference.eventbrite.com.

"Faith and mental health each impacts the other," said Audrey Moran, senior vice president of social responsibility and community advocacy, in the news release. "By creating a forum for faith leaders and mental-health professionals to address the needs of the entire person, we can help provide a holistic approach to improving the mental health of our community."

Mental health is one of Northeast Florida's greatest needs, according to the 2015 Community Health Needs Assessment. In response to the community's need, mental health is an issue that Baptist Health champions not only through its extensive network of behavioral health-care professionals, but also through community outreach for those who don't have access to behavioral-health services, the release says.