NAMI: Ask the Expert: Promoting Mental Health Equity in Black Churches OD045

An on-demand video and transcript of the presentation are available here [opens in new tab].

About The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness. They are an alliance of more than 650 local Affiliates and 49 State organizations who work in your community to raise awareness and provide support and education to people with mental illness and their loved ones. Through awareness, advocacy and education, NAMI is committed to building stronger communities and a better future for everyone affected by mental illness.

Course Summary

Practice Level: Beginner

This course, based on the Ask the Expert webinar series by NAMI, provides an evidence-informed overview of mental health equity strategies that partner with Black churches to reduce disparities in depression care. Content reviews the complex relationship between race and depression, key drivers of underutilization of treatment, and the role of clergy as frequently accessed frontline supports for mental health concerns. The course then describes community-partnered approaches – including depression screening, referral-to-treatment pathways, coalition-building, and peer/community health worker models – that are designed to increase trust, engagement, and timely connection to appropriate services.

The course, with an intended audience of social workers, psychologists, marriage and family therapists, and counselors, translates contemporary equity-focused research into practical, community-engaged strategies for improving access, linkage to care, and culturally responsive depression support in historically underserved communities.

Course Format

This course contains a participant guide, practice test, and on-demand video. When you’re ready, purchase the course by clicking the “Add To Cart” or “Enroll” button. This will let you take the test, complete the course evaluation and receive your certificate for CE credits.

Learning Objectives

1. Identify key contributors to racial disparities in depression treatment for Black/African American communities.
2. Describe the roles of Black churches and clergy in early help-seeking and linkage to mental health supports.
3. Explain core components of a community-partnered service delivery approach. 

Course Syllabus

• Racial disparities in depression care and structural drivers
• Black churches/clergy as trusted access points and stigma considerations
• Community-partnered models: screening, linkage to care, coalitions, and peer supports
• Implementation considerations for engagement, sustainability, and reducing stigma

Current References

Baker, E., Bland, J., & Goodwin, A. K. B. (2025). Faith and access: The role of religion in formal mental health service utilization among Black adolescents. Children and Youth Services Review, 179, 108644. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2025.108644[opens in new tab]

Brewer, L. C., Lalika, M. L., Kyalwazi, A. N., Albertie, M., Bowie, J., Burgess, A., Burke, L. E., Buta, B., Cooper, L. A., Crews, D. C., Doubeni, C. A., Elegbede, W., Erickson, J., Jenkins, S., Johnson, J., Jones, C., Krogman, A., Moen, L., Palmer, M., … Hayes, S. N. (2025). Community-based participatory design of a decade: The FAITH! Cardiovascular Health and Wellness Program. Frontiers in Public Health, 13, Article 1622237. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1622237[opens in new tab]

Holland, M. C., Walker, K. A., Badejoh, O. O., Volpe, V. V., Keum, B. T., Huh, J., & Oh, H. (2026). Online racism, digital mental health tools, and online mental health communication among Black young adults with and without depression or anxiety: Cross-sectional quantitative study. JMIR Formative Research, 10, e80657. https://doi.org/10.2196/80657[opens in new tab]

Jones, C. P. (2000). Levels of racism: A theoretic framework and a gardener’s tale. American Journal of Public Health, 90(8), 1212–1215. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.90.8.1212[opens in new tab]

Kroenke, K., Spitzer, R. L., & Williams, J. B. W. (2001). The PHQ-9: Validity of a brief depression severity measure. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 16(9), 606–613.https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1525-1497.2001.016009606.x[opens in new tab]

Luan, H., Song, I., Taggart, T., Arnold, K., Rice, B., & Ransome, Y. (2025). Increasing equity to mental health treatment by adapting churches as alternative facilities: A location-allocation analysis. Health & Place, 96, Article 103580. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2025.103580[opens in new tab]

Mezuk, B., Eaton, W. W., Albrecht, S., & Golden, S. H. (2008). Depression and type 2 diabetes over the lifespan: A meta-analysis. Diabetes Care, 31(12), 2383–2390. https://doi.org/10.2337/dc08-0985[opens in new tab]

Wang, P. S., Berglund, P. A., & Kessler, R. C. (2003). Patterns and correlates of contacting clergy for mental disorders in the United States. Health Services Research, 38(2), 647–673. https://doi.org/10.1111/1475-6773.00138[opens in new tab]

World Health Organization. (2017). Depression and other common mental disorders: Global health estimates. World Health Organization.https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/254610[opens in new tab]

Yu, H., Bauermeister, J. A., Oyiborhoro, U., Villarruel, A. M., & Bonett, S. (2025). The relationship between racial discrimination in healthcare, loneliness, and mental health among Black Philadelphia residents. International Journal for Equity in Health, 24, Article 247. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12939-025-02475-6[opens in new tab]

Instructors

Sidney Hankerson, MD, MBA

Sidney Hankerson, MD, MBA, is Co-Director of the Columbia University Wellness Center and Associate Professor of Psychiatry at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. Dr. Hankerson is also a practicing psychiatrist at the Columbia-New York Presbyterian Federally Qualified Health Center in Harlem, N.Y. His NIH-funded research focuses on reducing racial/ethnic disparities in mental health treatment, with a particular focus on partnering with faith-based organizations. He has presented at the White House and United Nations, among others.

Dr. Hankerson completed a dual M.D./MBA program from Emory University, where he was Medical School Class President for two years. He completed his psychiatry residency at Emory and was named Chief Resident of Psychiatry at Grady Memorial Hospital.

Nicole Errickson, LCSW

Nicole is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in the state of Georgia. She brings over 19 years experience in the social work field, primarily working in school systems as a school social worker and with the McKinney-Vento grant. Over her career, Nicole has had several opportunities to help develop and execute professional development events. Nicole has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of South Alabama and a Masters in Social Work from the University of Alabama.

Accreditation Approval Statements

CE4Less.com is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. CE4Less.com maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

CE4Less.com, provider #1115, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 8/8/24-8/8/27.

Social workers completing this course receive 1 cultural competence continuing education credit.

We are committed to providing our learners with unbiased information. CE4Less never accepts commercial support and our authors have no significant financial or other conflicts of interest pertaining to the material.