When Archbishop William E. Lori called for volunteers to help equip parishes to deal with mental health needs following the COVID-19 pandemic, lots of people stepped up.
In the three months since the project was announced, more than 75 people have expressed interest. About half have already signed up for training, according to Mary Ellen Russell, director of community affairs in the archdiocesan Department of Communications.
“It’s been an overwhelmingly enthusiastic response,” she said.
Russell, who serves on the Archdiocesan Mental Health Workgroup and heads the new project, called it a unique initiative. She noted that she knows of no other dioceses attempting to reach out to help people affected by the pandemic.
The workgroup has set up a list of mental wellness resources available on a webpage on the archdiocesan website, www.archbalt.org/help-is-here.
The new step is gathering people to be trained in mental health first aid so they can train others on the parish level to help in their own communities, Russell said. Instructors will be trained in the fall with pastor and parishioner instruction to follow.
“We simply don’t even know how to anticipate what people will need,” she said.
“The more trainers we have, the better off we are,” added Adrienne Mickler, executive director of the Anne Arundel County Mental Health Agency. A parishioner of St. Mary in Annapolis, she serves on the archdiocesan workgroup.
Pastors have reported pandemic-related impacts on marriages and increases in substance abuse, Russell said.
“We really need as a country to take a deep breath and recalibrate,” said Mickler, noting that gun violence is also up.
Deacon John Schmidt, of St. Ignatius of Loyola Parish in Ijamsville, said there is a need for outreach on mental wellness. A clinical psychologist at Walter Reed Hospital and an associate professor at the Uniformed Services University, he’s a member of the archdiocesan workgroup. He noted that the effects of the pandemic on relationships, family dynamics and general well-being isn’t yet known.
“It’s a cost we haven’t really wrapped our hands around,” he said.
During regional meetings with pastors and parish staff, many people have been struggling as a result of the pandemic, he said.
“What really stands out is that we are by nature human beings who need human interaction,” Mickler said. “Not being able to hug someone – that’s hard.”
Mickler said Anne Arundel County brought mental health first aid, an evidence-based practice developed in Australia, to Maryland several years ago.
“Individuals confronted with a situation really don’t know what to do,” she said.
Training is designed to give people the skills to recognize the signs and symptoms of mental or emotional distress or substance abuse, to learn situational awareness and how to engage with individuals who might need help.
“There’s such a stigma with mental health that people are reluctant to do that,” Mickler said, of reaching out to offer help.
“It’s been really well received,” Deacon Schmidt said. “Everybody recognizes this is a need.”
“I really applaud the archbishop for taking this approach and trying to cast such a large net,” Mickler added.
Getting back to normal is adding new stresses, Mickler added. “It’s not going to be the same.”
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