WHAT DOES THE STRONG biblical emphasis on love and care have to do the work of caregivers for those struggling with mental health challenges? How do biblical distinctives like reaching out to the hurting, listening, mercy, and restoration play into a Christian psychiatric social worker’s thinking and practice? How might the life of Jesus and the role of the Holy Spirit as “Comforter” or “Counselor” be any kind of inspiration and model for this vocation? How do “kingdom of God” perspectives and values interface with the insights of psychiatry as well as the realities of today’s culture and its challenges? Many are hurting, many are neglected. Can we Christians reach out and make a faithful and wise contribution here?

Our Work Story features Art Hom who studied at UC Berkeley (BA, MA). Art served 19 years as Director of Crisis Services and Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Mount Zion Hospital and the UCSF Medical Center and then 20 years as Chief Psychiatric Social Worker for Alameda County Behavioral Health Care Services.

Art was born and raised and still lives in Oakland, where he attends First Covenant Church. What’s faith got to do with it? Click above, watch, and find out.