Three Day Advanced Training on Mental Illness

 

Table with bread and wine before a stained glass image.Welcomed and Valued
Three-Day Advanced Training
on Mental Illness

Sponsored by the NCPD Council on Mental Illness

Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows, Belleville, IL
September 26-28, 2009 

Open application by clicking here.

Participants of the July one-day awareness workshop designed to help parishes meet the needs of persons with severe and persistent mental illness are invited to apply to attend a three-day advanced level training sponsored by the NCPD Council on Mental Illness on September 26-28, 2009. It will be held at the Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows in Belleville, Illinois. People with a background and experience in spiritual outreach to people with mental illness and their families who have not attended the NCPD one-day awareness workshop on mental illness are also invited to apply. All applicants will be considered and selections will be made by the committee in light of the applications’ content, recommendations received and available space.

The purpose of this three-day advanced training program is:

  • to equip participants to conduct the one-day “Welcomed and Valued” Awareness Workshop in their parish, diocese, agency, or other Catholic group;

  • to explore in greater depth the concepts introduced in the one-day workshop;

  • to assist participants in providing parishes and other Catholic communities with ideas and strategies for sound, meaningful, and effective ministry to people with mental illness and their families;

  • to present models of support ministries in order to prepare participants to begin such ministries in their locales;

  • to engage in discussion and prayer with others who wish to be a part of this mission and outreach.


In addition, it is hoped that as a result of this series of workshops, a Catholic network on mental illness will emerge.  The creation of a national database of programs and ministries, regular communication among those working on this issue, mutual support and education, and increased awareness in our church are some of the outcomes we anticipate.

Attached is the application for the Three-Day Advanced Training. The number of participants will be limited to 25. Each of the 25 selected participants will be asked to pay a registration fee of $50.00 and to cover their own travel expenses, but the cost of housing, meals and training will be underwritten by the National Catholic Partnership on Disability (NCPD) through a generous grant given for this project from an anonymous donor foundation.

 

We will notify those whose applications have been accepted by August 21.

Please note:
Immediately following the NCPD Three-Day Advanced Training, Pathways to Promise, an interfaith organization supporting caring ministries with people with mental illness, will conduct an Interfaith Summit on  September 29-October 1, also at Our Lady of the Snows in Belleville. Advanced Training participants are encouraged to attend this as a complement to “Welcomed and Valued.”   The NCPD Council works collaboratively with Pathways to Promise, and an information/registration link for the Interfaith Summit can be found on the NCPD’s web page. Additionally, on the web page is a link to another interfaith conference that may be of interest to you, Erase the Stigma, which will also be held at Our Lady of the Snows, October 2-3. Rev. Craig Rennebohm, an ordained United Church of Christ minister who has developed a pioneering outreach to people who are homeless and have mental illness, will be a featured speaker.