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. 2014 Spring;8(1):11-9.
doi: 10.1353/cpr.2014.0004.

Building partnerships with rural Arkansas faith communities to promote veterans' mental health: lessons learned

Greer Sullivan, Justin Hunt, Tiffany F Haynes, Keneshia Bryant, Ann M Cheney, Jeffrey M Pyne, Christina Reaves, Steve Sullivan, Caleb Lewis, Bonita Barnes, Michael Barnes, Cliff Hudson, Susan Jegley, Bridgette Larkin, Shane Russell, Penny White, LaNissa Gilmore, Sterling Claypoole, Johnny Smith, Ruth Richison

Building partnerships with rural Arkansas faith communities to promote veterans' mental health: lessons learned

Greer Sullivan et al. Prog Community Health Partnersh. 2014 Spring.

Abstract

Background: The Mental Health-Clergy Partnership Program established partnerships between institutional (Department of Veterans' Affairs [VA] chaplains, mental health providers) and community (local clergy, parishioners) groups to develop programs to assist rural veterans with mental health needs.

Objectives: Describe the development, challenges, and lessons learned from the Mental Health-Clergy Partnership Program in three Arkansas towns between 2009 and 2012.

Methods: Researchers identified three rural Arkansas sites, established local advisory boards, and obtained quantitative ratings of the extent to which partnerships were participatory.

Results: Partnerships seemed to become more participatory over time. Each site developed distinctive programs with variation in fidelity to original program goals. Challenges included developing trust and maintaining racial diversity in local program leadership.

Conclusions: Academics can partner with local faith communities to create unique programs that benefit the mental health of returning veterans. Research is needed to determine the effectiveness of community based programs, especially relative to typical "top-down" outreach approaches.

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Figure 1
Site Locations for Clergy Partnership Project.
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