Church On The Hill To Host The Compassionate Community Conference May 18, 2019

REDLANDS, Calif. - April 12, 2019 - PRLog -- Church on the Hill will host The Compassionate Community Conference May 18, 2019 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at 1445 Ford Street, Redlands, CA. Assemblyman James C. Ramos will open the event. "I am pleased to join community leaders and people of faith to address the stigma of mental health and highlight resources for those seeking help. As your Assemblymember for the Inland Empire, getting funding and services is a key priority of mine. We can do better to aid individuals struggling with their mental health and make them feel a part of the community," said Ramos

The conference is designed to bring the community and the church together to educate and share mental health resources. We are delighted to be joined by Kellie Fritchel, M.S., LMFT, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with a Master's Degree in Clinical Counseling Psychology.  Kellie's experience includes working with children, teens, families, couples and adults.  She has been a teacher at Cal State University of San Bernardino and a guest lecturer at California Baptist University.  "In recent years I have seen such an increase in the crucial need for awareness in the mental health setting.  In particular, I have seen a saddening rise in suicide and I feel so blessed to be a part of this conference to help bring about this much needed awareness, said Fritchell.  Statistics show that approximately one in 25 adults experience a serious mental illness.  According to the CDC 1(Center for Disease Control) Suicide is the second leading cause of death for young people ages 15 to 34. "These facts are simply too big for our community to ignore. Church on the Hill wants to bring people together and provide a venue for individuals to join the conversation," said Pastor Greg Boatright. Mental Health is a topic that churches are troubled with today. According to a recent poll in ¹Christianity Today, "90% of pastors believe they have a moral and spiritual responsibility to provide resources and support to those with mental illness and their families." Richard Solano, LMFT, PPCI, PPSC has also joined the team of speakers for the event. Richard has two M.A. degrees in psychology and clinical psychology with an emphasis in marriage and family therapy from Pepperdine University. Richard carries several other degrees, but his real passion is working with his community and serving Jesus Christ. "I recognize the power of scripture in comforting those who are in distress, instilling hope to those who are helpless, restoring those who have fallen from their spiritual or religious path, said Solano. A recent study conducted by Liberty University noted that, "individuals with religious or spiritual beliefs are prone to seek help from their church clergy, religious-based counseling centers..." (Cozart, 2019). For this reason, it is crucial for those who counsel members in their congregation, to familiarize themselves with the signs of anxiety and depression to identify appropriate supports and prevent death by suicide. Christianity Today reported that suicide occurs among Christians at essentially the same rate as non-Christians. "It takes a community to support a person in need and if we all do our part and work collaboratively we can have healthier individuals, families, congregations and communities," said Solano.

Doors will open at 8:00 a.m. to allow attendees to connect with the exhibitors in the exhibit hall and network with one another before the conference begins at 9:00 a.m. The exhibit hall will include local resources such as: Building Resilient Communities, VA Behavioral Health, San Bernardino Behavioral Health, Steps 4 Life, Option House and Church West. San Bernardino County has many free services available through their Behavioral Health Services Department that can be a resource to churches and community leaders looking to help those struggling with mental illness. "It is time for church leaders to come together with community leaders to meet individual's needs" said Pastor Gail Boatright. A toolkit is also being assembled for attendees that will contain information they can take home to help them as they work with their staff and encounter those dealing with mental illness challenges.

The event is free to the public. Those working in the education, clergy, as pastors or community leaders are encouraged to attend. Registration is open on Eventbrite at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/compassionate-community-conference-tickets-60021295310

¹ Christianity Today Reference: 2018, The Church and Mental Health: What do the Numbers Tell Us?