Supporting Mental Health Needs

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Shabbat of Wholeness
Learn more about the Shabbat of Wholeness, Holiness, and Wellness: Responding to the Mental-Health Needs in Our Communities, a communal Shabbat dedicated to elevating the issue of mental health within the congregational setting.

Mental-health challenges, such as depression, anxiety, substance abuse, or bipolar disorder, can affect members of the Jewish community regardless of their age or financial situation. This is not only an individual issue — it's a communal one.

Mental-Health Issues Facing Our Community

  • Twenty percent of Americans face a diagnosable mental disorder at some point in their lives. In New York City, nearly 330,000 children are coping with mental-health issues.
  • The percentage of Jews suffering from psychiatric disorders is comparable to figures for non-Jews. However, there are higher rates of depression and lower rates of alcohol abuse among Jews.
  • According to the Jewish Community Study of New York: 2002, seven percent of all local Jewish households have sought individual, marriage, or family counseling. Fifty-eight percent were helped by a Jewish agency.

The stigma associated with mental-health issues prevents too many members of the Jewish community from accessing care. UJA-Federation recognizes the need to address this problem, to help people view their communities as embracive sources of comfort through challenging times.

UJA-Federation’s Response

We provide vital support to beneficiary agencies and grantees that serve children and adults with mental-health challenges. And we support educational conferences and are instrumental in creating initiatives to increase awareness and reduce the stigma associated with mental illness.

  • Partners in Caring connects Jewish community members to social-work professionals in synagogues, Jewish community centers, and Jewish day schools to help adults, children, and adolescents confront difficult issues.
  • Mental Health GPS (Guiding Parents through Services) helps families navigate a confusing, bureaucratic mental-health system. Family resource specialists at three licensed mental-health agencies in our network offer evaluations, referrals to specialists, and follow-up for children and teens.
  • Project SEED provides guidance and support to directors and teachers in Jewish early-childhood centers throughout Westchester. Through this program, professionals learn how to work more effectively with children with serious behavioral issues — and parents receive much-needed support.
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