In the past years, Black Majority Churches (BMCs) have been filling up a critical care gap in failing mental health services in the UK.
During a visit to a London BMC in April, Prime Minister Tony Blair confirmed the significant role they play in meeting the community’s needs.
He told the congregation at Ruach Ministries in Brixton: “Churches such as yours have been the bedrock of our local communities. This can be seen in your work in schools, your contribution to welfare, your support for the vulnerable and the most needy.”
According to the recently published Count Me In Census, African Caribbean psychiatric patients are among the neediest in this community, more likely than any other ethic group to be detained on medium and high secure psychiatric wards.
