Shared Access Playbook • Network Leaders
Mental Health Access Channel
Partner with mental health platforms (EAPs, telehealth) who want trusted distribution into faith communities. Your network becomes the "Care Channel"—churches get subsidized counseling, partners get reach, you reinvest revenue.
What's Inside:
Case study: 20-church network channels $90K from Headspace for Work
Revenue model: $3.75-$7.50 per member/month passive income
90-day pilot: Secure 1 partner → Onboard 5 churches → Measure usage
Five Resource Channels You Can Activate
From enterprise app licenses to EAP programs and federal health navigators, these channels bring clinical-grade mental health services to your network without depleting church budgets.
1. Corporate App Licenses — Calm, BetterHelp, Headspace
Aggregate your pastors and families to unlock enterprise pricing on meditation apps, therapy platforms, and wellness tools. Partners want your "covered lives"—you negotiate bulk discounts or free seats.
Church of God in Christ (COGIC) + Wellvana Interfaith Network
COGIC (6.5 million members, 12,000 churches) partnered with Wellvana to provide value-based care integration. The network uses behavioral health screenings and care coordinators to identify mental health needs and facilitate referrals. The model generates shared savings revenue—when the network improves health outcomes and lowers costs, revenue is shared between payers and the network.
- Network Size
- 12,000 churches
- Members Reached
- 6.5 million
- Revenue Model
- Shared savings from improved outcomes
Mid-Atlantic Baptist Network — Calm + BetterHelp Pilot
An 18-church network (800 families, urban/suburban mix) activated Calm Health enterprise contract and BetterHelp Impact Grant. Economic outcome: $45K in therapy/wellness value channeled in Year 1 with 40 Calm seats activated for pastors/staff and 12 families connected to in-person therapists.
- Network Investment
- $3K for Calm licenses
- Value Channeled
- $45K Year 1
- Timeline
- 4 months to first pastor accessing care
Sample Budget: 20-Church Network Mental Health Pilot (Year 1)
| Item | Detail | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| 501(c)(3) Setup (if needed) | Backbone entity for contracts | $5K-$10K |
| Partnership Development | Outreach to Calm, BetterHelp | $2K-$5K |
| Calm Enterprise License | 40-100 seats for clergy/staff | $3K-$5K |
| BetterHelp Impact Grant | Social impact program (often free) | $0 |
| Tech Stack (Multiply) | Communication & distribution platform | $2K-$3K |
| Network Coordinator (0.75 FTE) | Manage partnerships, track usage | $30K-$45K |
| Total Year 1 Investment | $42K-$68K | |
| Value Channeled: $45K-$90K in therapy/wellness resources (break-even to 30% ROI) | ||
Economic Impact: Preventing Pastoral Burnout
- Clergy Retention: Providing mental health support prevents pastoral dropout—replacing a pastor costs $50K-$100K in transition/search costs.
- Capital Efficiency: Aggregating 1,000 therapy seats drops per-session cost to $0 (subsidized by partner marketing budgets).
- Family Stability: Including household members (age 13+) addresses family systems stress that impacts pastoral effectiveness.
- Revenue Potential: Networks can negotiate 10-15% revenue share on member usage after pilot phase.
2. Federal Health Navigator Grants — HRSA, CDC Funding
Apply for federal grants to hire full-time Health Navigators who provide mental health screenings, referrals, and navigation services. The church becomes a public health node funded by taxpayers.
Choose Healthy Life (CHL) — National Black Clergy Health Council
Founded by Debra Fraser-Howze, CHL received a $9.9 million HRSA grant (2021) to deploy full-time Health Navigators across 120 Black churches in 13 states. Navigators provide biometric screenings (Quest Diagnostics partnership) and mental health navigation. The program has reached 24 million people and screened 21,000+ for comprehensive health risks including mental health.
- HRSA Grant
- $9.9 million (2021)
- Network Size
- 120 churches, 13 states
- People Screened
- 21,000+ comprehensive screenings
Key Innovation: Churches hire full-time, trained Health Navigators (not volunteers)—professionalizing the role and ensuring consistency.
Economic Impact: Federal Capital Unlocked
- Zero Church Cost: Federal grants fund 100% of Navigator salaries and program costs—churches provide space and trust.
- Workforce Development: Creates professional pathways for congregants—Navigators earn $35K-$50K annually.
- Preventative Care: Early mental health screening prevents costly ER visits and hospitalizations.
- Trust Multiplier: Federal agencies need church trust to penetrate communities with histories of medical abuse (e.g., Tuskegee).
3. Denominational Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs)
Leverage your denomination's pension fund or benefit pool to purchase enterprise mental health licenses. The collective asset base subsidizes free therapy for all clergy and families.
Pension Fund of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
The Pension Fund manages $3 billion in assets for 14,000 clergy/employees. In 2021, they launched Learn to Live—a digital CBT therapy platform offering free, 24/7 access to clergy and household members (age 13+). The cost is absorbed by the pension fund, not individual churches. Year 1 saw 163 users with 44 mental health assessments and 81% ROI from productivity gains.
- Assets Managed
- $3 billion
- Members Served
- 14,000 clergy/employees
- Platform
- Learn to Live (free CBT therapy)
Privacy Architecture: HIPAA-compliant with data firewall—denomination pays but receives only aggregate utilization data, not individual identities.
Shalem Mental Health Network — Counselling Assistance Plan (CAP)
Shalem operates an aggregated EAP model across 97 Christian organizations in Canada. Congregants and staff receive up to 6 free therapy sessions annually through a network of 224 licensed therapists. Churches pay annual fees based on household count and utilization rates—creating a cost-sharing model where churches aggregate purchasing power. The program has grown from 2 churches (2006) to 97 (2024) through word-of-mouth.
Economic Impact: Asset-Backed Sustainability
- Self-Sustaining: Asset-backed models don't expire like grants—mental health becomes a permanent member benefit.
- Privacy Assurance: HIPAA-compliant firewalls protect clergy from career repercussions for seeking help.
- Family Systems Approach: Including spouses and teens addresses root causes of pastoral stress.
- Productivity ROI: 81% ROI from reduced absenteeism and increased ministry effectiveness.
4. Community Health Worker Training Programs
Train church members as certified Community Health Workers (CHWs) who provide depression screenings, health insurance navigation, and mental health referrals. CHWs are often funded by Medicaid or health systems.
Columbia University + Harlem Churches Coalition
A 30-church network partnered with Columbia to train 152 church-based Community Health Workers (CHWs) in depression screening, motivational interviewing, and health insurance enrollment. CHWs have screened 10,000+ New Yorkers for depression and hypertension. The initiative is funded by NIH grants, Pfizer ($2M grant), and Medicaid SBIRT reimbursement. CHWs are hired as part-time Columbia employees with malpractice coverage.
- CHWs Trained
- 152 certified
- People Screened
- 10,000+ for depression
- Funding
- NIH, Pfizer $2M, Medicaid
Bridges to Care and Recovery — St. Louis Behavioral Health
Since 2015, this initiative has trained individuals from 78 churches in a 20-hour mental health first aid course covering suicide prevention and substance use intervention. Trained clergy successfully intervened in suicidal crises and connected congregants to ongoing therapy. Funded by Medicaid CHW dollars and health system community benefit funding.
Economic Impact: Medicaid-Funded Workforce
- Medicaid Reimbursement: CHWs delivering SBIRT services generate Medicaid revenue, making the model self-sustaining.
- Job Creation: Church members become certified CHWs earning $35K-$50K—lifting families from poverty.
- Crisis Intervention: Trained lay leaders prevent suicides and overdoses, avoiding catastrophic family costs.
- Health System Partnership: Universities and hospitals fund training to reach hard-to-reach populations.
5. BIPOC-Focused Wellness Platforms — Shine, Confess Project
Partner with platforms designed for Black and Brown communities. These tools address cultural stigma and provide culturally competent content—increasing utilization rates in communities where traditional therapy is avoided.
The Confess Project of America — Barbershop Mental Health Advocacy
Founded by Lorenzo Lewis, The Confess Project trains 4,000 barbers across 69 markets as Mental Health Advocates. Training (developed with Harvard University) covers active listening, validation, and stigma reduction. Corporate partners like Gillette and BetterHelp provide free therapy access codes for barbers to distribute to clients. The model has reached 6 million people with 1 million directly impacted. Surveys show 90% of participants are more likely to seek care after barbershop conversations.
- Barbers Trained
- 4,000 advocates
- People Reached
- 6 million total
- Partners
- Gillette, BetterHelp, Harvard
Cultural Insight: Black men confess in the barber chair—training barbers as gatekeepers lowers psychological barriers before addressing financial barriers.
Economic Impact: Cultural Congruence
- Stigma Reduction: Validating mental health in hyper-masculine spaces (barbershops, churches) lowers entry barriers.
- Provider Diversity: Only 4% of clinicians are Black—cultural platforms increase perceived relevance and trust.
- Corporate Partnerships: Brands like Gillette fund programs to reach Black male demographics, subsidizing free therapy access.
- Behavior Change: 90% utilization intent rate vs. <20% in traditional outreach—cultural congruence drives adoption.
Your 90-Day Launch Pilot
Mental health access channels convert your network's social capital (trust, reach) into clinical value. Start with one pilot partner and 5 churches to prove the model.
Month 1: Audit & Backbone Confirmation
Days 1-30: The Foundation
- • Survey your network: How many churches? How many pastors/staff? How many families?
- • Document burnout/need: Anonymous survey or anecdotal pastor stories about mental health crises
- • Confirm 501(c)(3) backbone: If you don't have one, begin setup or identify fiscal sponsor
- • Research partnerships: Reach out to Calm Health, BetterHelp, Headspace Health
- • Prepare aggregated pitch: "We steward X pastors and Y families across Z churches"
Investment: $2K-$4K (coordinator time, survey tools, initial legal/fiscal setup)
Month 2: Partnership, Pilot, & Tech Setup
Days 31-60: The Infrastructure
- • Negotiate pilot terms: Secure 20-40 free or discounted therapy seats for Year 1
- • Clarify reporting: Anonymized usage data only—no clinical details
- • Set up activation infrastructure: Launch Multiply workspace or communication tool
- • Build signup form: Simple tracking spreadsheet for member enrollment
- • Train mental health champions: Identify 2-3 pastors to model usage and promote
Investment: $3K-$5K (coordinator time, Multiply setup, champion training)
Month 3: Launch, Activate, & Report
Days 61-90: The Rollout
- • Soft launch to pastors/staff first: Push signup links via Multiply text/email
- • Host network-wide Zoom orientation: "Here's how to access your free therapy"
- • Expand to families if seats available: Announce in member churches with sample bulletin language
- • Track activation: Goal of 15-30 people accessing care in first 90 days
- • Collect 1-2 anonymous testimonials: For funder reporting and member church communication
Investment: $2K-$4K (coordinator time, event hosting, initial reporting)
Expected Output: Pilot proves viability, positions network to secure foundation grant for Year 2 scaling. Target: 15-30 therapy seats activated, first wave of pastor relief stories, proof of concept for funders.
Access partnership templates, negotiation scripts, and Multiply setup guides
Ready to Build Your Mental Health Access Channel?
Mental health access channels are structural interventions—converting trust into therapy seats, preventing pastoral dropout, and unlocking corporate/federal capital that individual churches could never afford.