Results from a community mental health assessment in a historically black church: A call for action.

African Americans' rates of mental illness are similar to those of the general population, however, their rates of utilization of any mental health service is lower than many other ethnic/racial groups, specifically, non-Hispanic, Whites. Many African Americans do not receive adequate treatment for mental health issues due to several barriers to help-seeking behavior. Despite these barriers, African American communities have traditionally sought support from pastors or ministers of historically black churches in times of crises or when experiencing mental health issues.