From pews to providers

Danny Federico

[email protected]

In rural communities, people struggling with mental health or substance misuse may not always turn to a doctor or counselor first. Sometimes, they go to their pastor.

​That connection between faith communities and behavioral health services is at the heart of Uplift Communities, an initiative from LSF Health Systems designed to bring faith leaders, behavioral health providers and other community organizations together.

Uplift began in 2022 after LSF Health Systems' CEO asked how the organization could improve mental health and substance misuse services in rural communities. "The faith community," was the answer, according to Dusty Pye, chief of Faith and Community Initiatives with Uplift Communities.

"In these smaller communities, the church is the hub, and everyone turns to the pastors when in crisis," Pye said. "Many of the churches are already involved in support and counseling regarding substance misuse and mental health."

LSF Health Systems serves as the managing entity for substance misuse and mental health services in Northeast Florida, managing state grant funding for those services. Through Uplift, the organization works with churches and grassroots organizations already serving their communities, providing resources, connections and training when needed.

The initiative will bring that effort to the Suwannee Valley on Thursday, Sept. 10, with an Uplift event at Advent Christian Village.

The event will bring together faith leaders, behavioral health providers, health care professionals, educators, first responders, nonprofits, community leaders, recovery advocates and residents. Attendees will have opportunities to learn about behavioral health and community resources while connecting directly with organizations serving the area.

Those connections can be particularly important in rural communities, where access to behavioral health care remains limited. According to Pye, Hamilton, Suwannee and Lafayette counties have only one community-based mental health provider. Transportation, distance, workforce shortages and limited specialty services create additional barriers, with some residents having to leave their communities for certain levels of care.

"Transportation is one of the biggest barriers we see in rural communities," Pye said. "If someone is struggling with depression, anxiety or substance misuse, driving an hour each way to an appointment can feel overwhelming."

For some residents, the local church can serve as an important starting point. Faith communities have been trusted institutions in rural areas for decades, Pye said, and pastors are often among the first people approached when someone or their family is facing a mental health or substance misuse problem.

Pastors do not have to become mental health professionals to fill that role.

"Their role is to listen, provide support, offer hope and help connect individuals to the resources they need," Pye said. "They do not have to be clinicians, but they can be a bridge to professional care when appropriate."

That can mean referring someone to an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting or a recovery support group. In more serious circumstances, it could mean seeking assistance for inpatient treatment when someone poses a danger to themselves or others. Uplift also hopes the partnership can help break down stigma surrounding mental illness and substance misuse, including the misconception that either represents weakness or a lack of faith.

"The reality is that these conditions affect people from every walk of life," Pye said. "Recovery and healing are possible, but they often require support, treatment, connection and time."

Since Uplift began, Pye said churches have become increasingly involved in conversations about behavioral health. Faith leaders have sought training, developed relationships with providers and looked for new ways to support members of their congregations and communities. Those relationships can work both ways, with behavioral health providers also becoming more aware of the role churches and faith-based organizations play in their communities.

Uplift events have helped organizers discover ministries providing free counseling, organizations supporting pregnant mothers and recovery churches where people living in recovery can support others facing similar struggles. Some connections have continued well beyond the events themselves.

Living Hope in Columbia County was formed following an Uplift event after community partners came together around a shared goal. The organization now provides counseling, resources and support to people affected by disasters and other challenges.

"That is exactly what Uplift is designed to do: create connections that continue long after the event is over," Pye said.

He and Lesley Hersey, community engagement specialist with LSF Health Systems, hope the Sept. 10 event leads to similar relationships among organizations serving Hamilton, Suwannee and Lafayette counties. Attendees will receive information about local behavioral health services, faith-based support, recovery resources, training opportunities and community organizations. Lunch will also be provided at no cost.

The ultimate goal, however, is for the conversations started around the table to continue after the event ends.

"Our hope is that the event serves as the starting point, not the finish line," Pye said. "We want providers and faith leaders to continue communicating, sharing resources, making referrals and working together to address community needs."

For Uplift, long-term success would mean creating a network in which residents know where to seek help — whether that first conversation happens in a counselor's office, through a community organization or inside a church.

"Help is available, and no one has to do this alone," Pye said. "There are caring people, organizations, providers and faith communities throughout our region who want to help. Uplift is about bringing those people together so that support is easier to find and access when it is needed most."

Individuals interested in learning more about Uplift can visit lsfhealthsystems.org/uplift-suwannee-hamilton/ or attend the free event on Thursday, Sept. 10, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Advent Christian Village, located at 10680 Dowling Park Dr.