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Abstract
The purpose of this study was to describe the experiences of Pacific Northwest churches in developing outreach, programs, and services to persons with severe and persistent mental health issues. Eleven interviews were conducted with church leaders involved in ministry for persons coping with severe and persistent mental illness (SPMI). Even in churches with established programs, evidence for mental illness stigma was found; problems were also noted between churches and mental health systems. Content analysis of interview data revealed the larger theme of sojourners in the spiritual community and these three subthemes: faith community estrangement, mental health care system estrangement, and church as setting/opportunity for healing. Findings are discussed in light of Biblical theology regarding the estrangement of God's beloved, and the Scriptural call to embrace the sojourner in the community.
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Acknowledgments
This research was supported in part by the Living Well Initiative and Faculty Research Grant Program at Seattle Pacific University.