The Role of the Black Church in Mental Health for Older Black Seniors
July 23 @ 9:00 am - 10:00 am PDT
Date: Wednesday, July 23, 2025
Start time: 9 AM Pacific | 12 PM Eastern
End time: 10 AM Pacific | 1 PM Eastern
According to Nguyen (2018), historically, Black congregants’ relationships with the Black church are an informal counseling resource for coping with racial discrimination and the daily stressors of living in America. The lack of utilization of clinical services for mental health symptoms within the Black church underscores the need for accessible interventions and mental health education for this population and the Black community in general (Hankerson et al., 2018). Community partners learning the problem and how to partner with Black churches can help older Black adults who are experiencing social isolation and physical or mental challenges. The participants will take a deep dive into the historical trauma of older Black adults and fear.
Presenter:
Johnola Morales, DSW, serves as chief of staff at the Council on Aging, where her primary responsibility is to provide support and guidance to the agency’s programs, which assist clients with their individual or family needs. She has an extensive background as a social worker, with more than three decades’ experience in various areas such as foster care, preventive services, Adult Protective Services, Child Protective Services, long term care case management, and other community-based programs in the New York City government and nonprofit organizations.