The Department of Public Health at Campbell University along with Fayetteville State University recently hosted the Recovering Hope Conference on Campbell’s main campus, bringing together more than 50 attendees for a full day of learning and dialogue on how faith-rooted communities can respond to behavioral health crises.
Supported by Interfaith America, Alliance Health, and UnshameNC, the event emphasized collaboration between health professionals, faith leaders, and community advocates to promote healing, understanding, and resilience. Drs. Adam English, chair of Christian Studies, and Amy Hinkelman, director of the School of Osteopathic Medicine’s Academic Center for Excellence, helped organize the event as collaborators on the Interfaith America grant.
The conference opened with a keynote from Dr. Monty Burks, deputy director of the Governor’s Faith-Based and Community Initiatives for the State of Tennessee. Drawing from his lived experience, Dr. Burks inspired attendees with a call to action—encouraging communities of faith to play a vital role in supporting individuals and families navigating recovery. Presentations throughout the day included sessions from “Soul Shop” on suicide prevention to the Poe Center for Health Education’s Community Resilience Model training.
Participants also engaged in small group conversations on topics like “Facing Despair with Compassion and Clarity” and “Cultivating Hope,” fostering meaningful discussions and action planning for local impact. The day concluded with shared reflections and a commitment to ongoing collaboration across disciplines and faith traditions.
“Our goal with the Recovering Hope Conference was to create a space where faith communities and public health professionals could come together to address behavioral health challenges with both compassion and evidence-based strategies,” said Dr. David Tillman, chair of the Department of Public Health. “Hope is something we cultivate together—and when we do, we strengthen not only individuals but entire communities.”
