Submission #334 by B'Nai Amoona Men'S Club - St. Louis, MO (631)
I have read the General Guidelines, "Nuts and Bolts" and Program Advanced Planning (Excel Spreadsheet) Documents
Hearing Men's Voices: Removing the Stigma – Mental Health Issues
Hearing Mens Voices
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Mental health issues are stigmatized and swept under the rug. Our successful Hearing Men's Voices program hit this topic head-on. One of our members, who has a family member with a history of mental health problems, volunteered to lead a Hearing Men's Voices discussion and prepared talking points and questions to pose to the HMV group. The goal of the presentation was to provide an opportunity to remove or lessen the stigma of mental health issues and to help congregants to be more open and inclusive of those with mental health issues.
B'nai Amoona Men's Club
Hearing Men’s Voices, Removing the Stigma – Mental Health Issues
We have successfully used the FJMC Hearing Men's Voices model for two years. That model is that of a small group of men from the congregation in an informal non-threatening setting discussing serious topics in complete confidence. We presented this issue in two sessions.
Congregation B'nai Amoona is strongly committed to inclusion. For example, two years ago, an ad hoc committee quickly raised more than $50,000 to construct an accessible "lower" bimah at the foot of the sanctuary's "upper" bimah. This lower bimah wasn't built "just in case" someone with a disability would visit the shul, or that some time in the future a congregant is disabled. The lower bimah was built because we have members with disabilities and the congregation felt a strong need to insure that the Torah was accessible to all of our members.
Likewise, B'nai Amoona's Men's Club has a reputation for addressing tough issues. Because mental health issues are stigmatized, this two-part HMV presentation was, perhaps, the toughest topic we had ever presented. However, it was the best attended, and the discussion was the most impassioned and open discussion to-date.
Further, each member at the session had a story to tell of their personal experiences either with family members or about themselves regarding mental health issues.
In the next section, I will upload the talking points and questions for the sessions.
Hearing Men’s Voices, Removing the Stigma – Mental Health Issues
We have successfully used the FJMC Hearing Men's Voices model for two years. That model is that of a small group of men from the congregation in an informal non-threatening setting discussing serious topics in complete confidence. We presented this issue in two sessions.
Congregation B'nai Amoona is strongly committed to inclusion. For example, two years ago, an ad hoc committee quickly raised more than $50,000 to construct an accessible "lower" bimah at the foot of the sanctuary's "upper" bimah. This lower bimah wasn't built "just in case" someone with a disability would visit the shul, or that some time in the future a congregant is disabled. The lower bimah was built because we have members with disabilities and the congregation felt a strong need to insure that the Torah was accessible to all of our members.
Likewise, B'nai Amoona's Men's Club has a reputation for addressing tough issues. Because mental health issues are stigmatized, this two-part HMV presentation was, perhaps, the toughest topic we had ever presented. However, it was the best attended, and the discussion was the most impassioned and open discussion to-date.
Further, each member at the session had a story to tell of their personal experiences either with family members or about themselves regarding mental health issues.
In the next section, I will upload the talking points and questions for the sessions.
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Original Program