FADICA and Boston College Embark on Mental Health Initiative

Washington, D.C. ----- Catholic foundations have joined forces with the Lynch School of Education at Boston College, to begin a planning process leading up to a major convocation on pastoral and public policy issues surrounding mental illness in the United States.

The U.S. Surgeon General has found that serious mental illness afflicts nearly one in five Americans. Almost half of these individuals do not seek treatment, mainly because of the stigma associated with mental illness.

"Catholic institutions do not appear to have been as involved with psychiatric illness as is the case with other disabling conditions", said Dr. Francis J. Butler, FADICA’s President.

"We are hopeful that this joint collaboration with Boston College will examine what can be done within parishes as well as all Catholic care facilities and schools to raise the level of awareness and service to the mentally ill," he added.

The FADICA/B.C. initiative is being coordinated by education professor Dr. Mary Walsh, who suggested to the FADICA board of directors last year that foundations could play a catalytic role in mobilizing the church on mental illness.

Funds from the AMS Fund of Milwaukee, and eventually several other foundation members of FADICA, will enable B.C. to plan an invitational conference of church leaders and mental health experts who will illuminate the complex issues related to the church’s engagement with seriously mentally ill persons. The conference will also develop a concrete plan of action both at the policy and pastoral levels of the church.

Among activities that church institutions could undertake are: addressing mental illness through preaching, religious education, seminary curricula, respite care for families with mentally ill members, comprehensive health programs in Catholic schools, outreach through Catholic charities and the health apostolate as well as public advocacy in areas like insurance coverage, community care standards, and other issues.

Within the coming months B.C. will convene two separate planning sessions that will decide the agenda for the working conference.

Strong interest in the project has been expressed by representatives of the United States Catholic Conference, Catholic Charities USA, the Catholic Health Association and other Catholic organizations.

For further information contact either Dr. Francis J. Butler, President, FADICA (202-223-3550) or Dr. Mary Walsh (617-552-8973).