# Addressing Emotional Wellness among COVID-19 informal first-responders: REJOICE-P

> **NIH NIH U01** · UNIV OF ARKANSAS FOR MED SCIS · 2020 · $169,556

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
The COVID-19 pandemic is currently devastating many communities across America1–3. The increases in
infection, unemployment, and death are straining resources in disadvantaged communities, such as rural
African American communities4. In rural African American communities, pastors are serving as informal first-
responders, responding to the communities social and emotional needs associated with the COVID-19
pandemic5. For example, many are experiencing increased psychological distress such as anxiety and
depressive symptoms related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Given the decreased access to formal mental health
services46, pastors are responsible for addressing the emotional concerns7 of congregants in addition to
addressing other psychosocial needs such as the need for financial support and food.5 Pastors, a population
already at risk for psychological distress and burn-out,8,9 are experiencing an increase in psychological stress
related to these added demands5; thereby, increasing the likelihood that rural African American pastors will
experience emotional unwellness (i.e. emotional distress or strain that can lead to the development of mental
illness).
The parent grant seeks to test the effectiveness of a culturally adapted an evidence-based intervention to
address emotional wellness in rural African American adults of faith. The multi-level intervention is based on
behavioral activation (BA), an evidence-based psychotherapy for the treatment of depression that focuses on
identifying and scheduling personally meaningful activities to reduce depressive symptoms while
simultaneously addressing obstacles (i.e. avoidance) to participating in identified activities. Small groups led by
lay leaders undergo an 8-session faith-based behavioral activation protocol that provides individuals with
education about: identifying depressive symptoms, identifying pleasurable activities, scheduling pleasurable
activities, and identifying and addressing avoidant behaviors that act as barriers to completing pleasurable
activities.
Given the specific need of pastors serving as informal first responders, this supplement seeks to refine the
existing REJOICE intervention to provide pastors with skills to improve personal emotional wellness related to
serving on the first-lines of the COVID-19 pandemic and build the capacity of pastors to adequately respond to
the emotional needs of rural African Americans. Specifically, this supplement aims to:1) Refine REJOICE for
use with rural African American pastors serving as informal first-responders during the COVID-19 pandemic
and 2) Assess the feasibility and acceptability of a faith-based behavioral activation intervention (REJOICE) for
use with African American pastors serving as informal first-responders during the COVID-19 pandemic.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10197493
- **Project number:** 3U01MD010644-05S1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIV OF ARKANSAS FOR MED SCIS
- **Principal Investigator:** Tiffany Francine Haynes
- **Activity code:** U01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $169,556
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2016-05-01 → 2023-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10197493

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10197493, Addressing Emotional Wellness among COVID-19 informal first-responders: REJOICE-P (3U01MD010644-05S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10197493. Licensed CC0.

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