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Welcome to the Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual Disabilities Services

Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services

Engaging Males of Color

 

Engaging Males of Color (EMOC) Initiative

Engaging Males of Color (EMOC) is a targeted initiative designed to address the impact of health, economic, and educational disparities experienced by males of color. The DBHIDS EMOC Committee is made up of a culturally diverse group of men (African-American, African, Asian, Caribbean, Latino) of all ages working in collaboration with community members, academic advisers, and system partners to achieve its vision and mission.

For questions or inquiries about the EMOC Initiative, please email emoc@phila.gov or call 215-685-4726.

EMOC has partnered with filmakers to help produce a number of films in recent years:

  • TRIGGER: Stories of Those Impacted by Gun Violence in Philadelphia: Watch the trailer for the stunning film. TRIGGER is both a call to understanding and a call to action about the roles each of us has to play in combatting the gun violence epidemic in Philadelphia and beyond. Please email emoc@phila.gov or call 215-685-4726 for details about upcoming screenings.
  • We Breathe, We Live: Brotherly Love Protest Stories: First-person experiences of men who participated in the George Floyd protests in Philadelphia during the summer of 2020. Click for trailers from We Breathe, We Live. 
  • Letters to My Fathers, Letters to My Son – Evolutions: A heartfelt, impactful feature centering the relationship of fathers and sons. Click to view the entire Letters to My Fathers, Letters to My Son.
  • Opioids – A Breakdown of the Invisible Crisis in the Black Community: Click for the full Opioids film and a group discussion of the film.

Mission: The EMOC initiative seeks to promote an enhanced awareness of the behavioral health challenges experienced by males of color across Philadelphia. EMOC’s goal is to improve the health status of males of color by increasing behavioral health literacy and access to resources and services, while reducing stigma and known disparities and building system capacity, in order to sustain wellness.

Vision: The EMOC Initiative aims to cultivate equity and is designed to address the impact of health, economic, and educational disparities experienced by males of color throughout the Philadelphia region and improve their overall quality of life.

 

 

Videos

Synopsis

With the pressures of daily life and our societal stigma associated with mental health challenges, how can males of color engage in a thoughtful, honest and supportive dialogue about mental health?

Synopsis

This video post features the stories of Christian A’Xavier Lovehall, a transgender man who talks about his mental health journey.

Mayor’s Office of Black Male Engagement interviews EMOC Youth Initiatives Specialist Gabriel Bryant
Last modified: Nov 21, 2023 @ 3:32 pm