Church-based support groups for African American families coping with mental illness: outreach and outcomes

To better understand how church-based support groups help African American families of persons with mental illness, this study examined the outreach efforts used to provide information about the support group to congregants as well as the participation outcomes reported by families who attended support group meetings. Results indicate that advertising group information in the church bulletin and families sharing their experiences with other congregants may be effective outreach strategies. Respondents' improved knowledge and morale outcomes suggest that church-based support groups may be a valuable coping resource for African American families of persons with mental illness.