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November 5, 2007

NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For More Information, Contact:
Bud Bunce (503) 233-8373
bbunce@archdpdx.org

An Interfaith Approach to Mental Health

        The Interfaith Council on Mental Health, a program of the Interfaith Disability Network of Oregon, will offer an important series focusing on increasing understanding of mental illness and developing skills for supportive response. The series will be offered November 14 – 17th. The speaker will be Reverend Dr. Craig Rennebohm, founder of Mental Health Chaplaincy in Seattle.

        One in four people have a diagnosable mental health condition in a given year, and one in seventeen people suffer with persistent and sever mental illness. Often a hidden condition, mental illness impacts all of our lives. For those people whose condition of mental illness is more evident, often communities want to be supportive, but are unsure how to respond.

        Chaplain Craig Rennebohm founded the Mental Health Chaplaincy in Seattle in 1987, and has served as chaplain ever since. For the past 19 years he has walked daily street rounds in Seattle with a special care for the most isolated, vulnerable, and hard to reach individuals in the community, collaborating with local Health Care for the Homeless teams, shelter providers, day centers, and a wide range of housing programs.

        The series includes presentations to address concerns of faith leaders, mental health professionals and service providers as well as families and those who live with mental illness.

Schedule:
Wednesday, Nov. 14
9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. A relational outreach and engagement model
Archdiocese of Portland Pastoral Center, 2838 E. Burnside St., Portland

7:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Companionship training
Congregation Neveh Shalom, 2900 SW peaceful Lane, Portland

Thursday, Nov. 15
10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Spiritual Care and Mental Illness
Archdiocese of Portland Pastoral Center, 2838 E. Burnside St., Portland

7:00 p.m.
Interfaith Service of Hope

Friday, Nov. 16
1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Support for Families
Archdiocese of Portland Pastoral Center, 2838 E. Burnside St., Portland

Saturday, Nov. 17
9:00 a.m. – 12 noon Companionship Training
Archdiocese of Portland Pastoral Center, 2838 E. Burnside St., Portland

12:30 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. Companionship Trainer Training
Archdiocese of Portland Pastoral Center, 2838 E. Burnside St., Portland

Registration is required, and a suggested donation is $5 per session. To register contact Interfaith Disability Network of Oregon, 503-670-1960. For further information on this important series, contact Dorothy Coughlin at the Archdiocese of Portland, 503-233-8399 or email idno@msn.com.

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