Exploring the Impact of Suicide Prevention Research in Faith-Based Communities
On Tuesday, May 19, 2015, 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time the ICRC-S hosted the webinar”Exploring the Impact of Suicide Prevention Research in Faith-Based Communities” with speakers Dr. Sherry Molock of George Washington University and Rev. Phyllis Jackson of the Rochester, New York area. Faith communities can work to prevent suicide by enhancing many of the activities that are already central to their mission. Dr. Molock shared her research on depression and suicidal behaviors in African Americans and the role of faith in healing. Rev. Jackson talked about her experiences in implementing health ministries as a foundation for suicide prevention. This session was moderated by Dr. Ann Marie White of the University of Rochester Medical Center.
Event Presenter(s)
Reverend Sherry Davis Molock, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor of Psychology at The George Washington University in Washington, DC. Dr. Molock graduated with honors from Dartmouth College in 1979, earned a master’s degree (1981) and a doctoral degree in clinical/community psychology (1985) from the University of Maryland, College Park. In May 2000, she graduated with honors with a Masters of Divinity degree from Howard University. Dr. Molock teaches undergraduate and doctoral courses in the field of clinical psychology and conducts research on depression and suicidal behaviors in African Americans. Dr. Molock is currently developing HIV and suicide prevention programs for youth in African American churches. Her work has appeared in a number of professional journals, including the Journal of Black Psychology, the Journal of Suicide and Life Threatening Behavior and the American Psychologist. She has served on a number of local and national boards, including Adoptive Families of America, the National Organization of People of Color against Suicide (NOPCAS) and the American Association of Suicidology. She also serves as a grant reviewer for NIMH, NIDA, and SAMHSA. Dr. Molock and her husband, Guy Molock, Jr., are the founding pastors of the Beloved Community Church in Accokeek, Maryland.
Reverend Phyllis D. Jackson, R.N., B.S. is a registered nurse, an ordained minister, and Pastor at Joint Heirs Kingdom Ministries in Rochester, New York. She is a community engagement specialist at the Finger Lakes Health Systems Agency. A focus of her work is engaging faith communities and the community at large around health issues such as cardiovascular health and social determinants. She is founder and CEO of His Hands Free Community Outreach Center at Grace United Methodist Church. Rev. Jackson is a founder of the Interdenominational Health Ministry Coalition (IHMC). IHMC’s mission is to establish the truth that health is a spiritual issue, and to promote health and wholeness of mind, body and spirit. She has been a lead partner of the Renewing of the Mind workshop series that aims to advance awareness of mental health and to support mental health ministries in faith settings. She is certified in gerontology and in HIV/AIDS testing, counseling, and education. She is a certified diversity trainer. She sits on several boards and serves a variety of local agencies, advising these entities around various topics of health improvement. For instance, she is a member of the African American Health Coalition, as well as the Latino Health Coalition of the Greater Rochester Area. She works on the National Black Leadership Commission on AIDS. She volunteers with the National Kidney Association and works with her local Scleroderma Foundation. Rev. Jackson has received several community recognition awards.
Moderator:
Ann Marie White, Ed.D. is Director of the Office of Mental Health Promotion (OMHP) and Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Rochester Medical Center. She leads department-level change initiatives to deepen Psychiatry’s community engagement via service, education and research. OMHP oversees community, consumer and diversity affairs for Psychiatry faculty and staff. Dr. White directs local and national training activities in collaborative research to infuse scientific inquiries with mental health-related policy and program activities of communities. She promotes mental health supporting behaviors, services utilization and mental illness prevention strategies within community-based settings. She conducts multimedia education to develop civic engagement among youth and young adults from traditionally disadvantaged backgrounds. Her research interests focus on successful transitions into adulthood. Her 10+ years of research experiences in developmental psychology emphasized the role of community settings such as childcare, arts centers and after-school programs in the development of children and adolescents.