ABSTRACT
A discussion of community-based mental health service delivery to African Americans would not be complete without acknowledging the unique and prominent role of the church in African-American culture. It is generally agreed that the church has had an impact upon virtually every aspect of African-American life and is central to the experience of being black in America (Taylor, Thornton, and Chatters, 1987). In addition to spiritual sustenance provided through a set of core beliefs, the church has a long history of providing social services to members of the African-American community. It has been a particularly reliable vehicle for providing services to elderly African Americans (Coke and Twaite, 1995).
