Jess Cho Kim | Mental Health Ministry in the Asian American Church

Asian Americans have the lowest rates of mental health service use despite struggling with mental health disorders, trauma, substance use, and suicide. Instead, we often look to the church for support. Pastors and lay leaders often feel unequipped to respond to these overwhelming needs. What is the role of the Asian American church in addressing our national mental health crisis, post-pandemic? This plenary explores what mental health ministry in Asian American church spaces can look like, and help us better understand why we cannot ignore this any longer.