Mental Health PlaybookSanctuary Mental Health
- Geographic Focus: Domestic and International, with 43% of current users based in the US
- Mission: Sanctuary Mental Health equips the church to support mental health and well-being.
- Operating Budget: $3.1 million
- People Served: Adults and youth (11-15), with a goal of creating resources for all ages and stages of life in multiple languages (currently have various resources in five languages).
- Focus Areas and Core Competencies: Equipping churches to become stronger communities of resilience. Approaching mental health from a theologically rooted and biblically informed lens.
Impact Statement
The Sanctuary Course has been used by over 300,000 people to help facilitate integrated conversations about faith and mental health in churches all over the world. To date, Sanctuary’s resources have been downloaded in 92 countries.
A Conversation with Daniel Whitehead, CEO of Sanctuary Mental Health
Q: What is the mission of your organization? What specific areas related to mental health challenges are you working to solve?
Sanctuary aims to empower churches to foster mental health resilience through robust community support. Research shows people often seek pastors over health care professionals in crises, yet many churches lack proper tools for support. Sanctuary’s vision is to equip churches with a resource suite combining empathetic education and insights from theology, psychology and lived experiences, allowing for meaningful care.
We stress the importance of spiritual friendship alongside medical intervention for stress reduction, self-worth and combating isolation, as both play a crucial role in recovery. Our mission includes teaching churches to provide spiritual and emotional support, introduce spiritually rooted coping techniques and offer comfort and hope during crises.
Q: How do you describe the big goals your organization is working to achieve? How do you measure impact?
In an ever-growing world of challenges surrounding mental health, our vision is for the church to be at the forefront of prevention and recovery efforts within communities. The Sanctuary Course aims to initiate crucial conversations, fostering companionship and care through a strong theological and biblical foundation.
Our reach has been remarkable. Despite a modest marketing budget, the course has been downloaded in 92 countries and used by more than 300,000 individuals over the past five years. Through partnerships with individuals, educational institutions and organizations worldwide, we continue to expand our impact.
To understand and measure our success, we rely heavily on user feedback. Results from our surveys have been overwhelmingly positive, with 98% of participants willing to run the course again and 97% likely to recommend it to others. A study assessing the efficacy of the Sanctuary Course found that 92% of participants felt it effectively facilitated discussions on mental health. We regularly engage with theologians, users and mental health professionals for feedback, ensuring our course remains relevant and impactful.
Looking ahead, we are excited about the future. In 2024, we completed a groundbreaking study in Canada on the church’s relationship with mental health and are currently engaged in our most extensive study ever, focusing on the new Sanctuary Youth series. Launching in January 2025, this initiative targets 11- to 15-year-olds, drawing on two years of research into young people’s mental health concerns. By the end of 2025, we plan to release research conducted with a leading U.S. research institution, reinforcing our dedication to supporting mental health across all ages and languages within the church.
Q: What are some of the biggest challenges the organization has experienced in working to accomplish its mission? How did your organization overcome those challenges?
Our biggest challenge lies in the limited awareness of our organization, despite having a proven model that thrives across various cultures and settings, including diverse denominations, prisons and educational institutions. This lack of widespread recognition is mainly due to our limited capacity for effective marketing. To address this, we’ve established strategic partnerships with individuals, denominations, renowned Christian leaders, musicians, thought leaders and educational institutions.
Interestingly, this constraint has spurred innovation within our organization. Facing these challenges head-on, we’ve adapted and evolved, gaining profound insights into our audience and the sector. When exploring the intersection of mental health and theology, the feedback and opportunities we’ve received have reinforced our exceptional expertise and hands-on experience.
Consequently, our organization is exceptionally well-positioned to scale. We have tested the market, understand our audience’s needs and have developed a robust infrastructure ready to expand. Our goal is to mobilize millions of Christians to embody the compassionate mission of Jesus during this pivotal time, as we confront a global mental health crisis.
Q: What are the organization’s biggest needs? How can philanthropists help your organization achieve its goals?
Our primary focus right now is securing the resources necessary to build the infrastructure that will elevate our organization into a global movement. In 2025, we will launch a capital campaign to support our upcoming three-year strategic plan. This plan is designed to establish a robust foundation, enabling us to reach market saturation in North America and expand internationally with enhanced resources, new marketing strategies and improved financial sustainability through cutting-edge digital solutions.
The campaign’s goal is to create a framework that allows us to share our message and resources on a broader scale. A well-developed infrastructure is crucial for maximizing our impact and empowering spiritual communities around the world.
Q: Beyond the organization, where should philanthropists who care about advancing knowledge related to improving mental health invest their charitable dollars?
One of the main challenges with a strictly medical approach to mental health is its heavy emphasis on symptom reduction, often overlooking the crucial role of community and support systems. While symptom management is important, offering individuals a sense of hope and connection during a crisis is equally vital. Medical professionals play a crucial role, but for those looking to make a philanthropic impact in this field, I recommend supporting initiatives that complement the medical model.
If we focus solely on reducing symptoms, we’ll continue to face an overwhelming demand for mental health services. Research indicates that isolation can intensify feelings of depression, anxiety and severe mental illnesses. Many people report that loneliness feels more debilitating than the actual symptoms of their illness.
To address underlying issues like loneliness, hopelessness and shame, we should encourage a more holistic approach to mental health. Our children are growing up in what has been termed the “anxious generation,” so it’s essential to invest in organizations that are forward-thinking and explore mental health through lenses beyond just biological responses. We should also consider the social and spiritual aspects of well-being, fostering relational healing and profound peace.
Addressing this crisis will require various agencies operating from multiple perspectives. However, I believe the areas I’ve highlighted—particularly those focusing on community and holistic well-being—are underserved, especially in terms of philanthropic support.
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Contact the Roundtable’s Programs team to learn more about this investment opportunity.