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A Model for Welcoming
Children and Families
Impacted by Mental Illness
Into the Church
Stephen Grcevich, MD
President and Founder, Key Ministry
Mental Health, Children, Youth and the Church
Fresh Hope for Mental Health
Omaha, Nebraska
October 12, 2017
Building a bridge between two
worlds…
A different way of thinking
about mental health ministry
How do we connect churches
and families impacted by
mental illness for the purpose
of making disciples of Jesus
Christ?
• Why mental illness is
different from other
disabilities
• Why church participation is
difficult
• What would a mental health
inclusion model for churches
look like?
The mission field just
beyond your door…
Among U.S. children and teens…
• 22% of children have at least one mental disorder
• 21.4 percent of America’s teens will experience an
episode of mental illness categorized as “severe” by
age eighteen
• 11% have been prescribed ADHD medication
• 8-12% of teens experience anxiety disorders
• One in 25 teens has had PTSD
Source: National Institute of Mental Health
Why hasn’t the church embraced
mental health inclusion ministry?
• Stigmatization
• Failure to recognize how attributes of common
conditions limit church participation
• We don’t have a ministry model
Is a disability a disability if someone is
disabled some of the time?
How is mental illness different
from other disabilities?
• Episodic
• Hidden
• Situation-specific
Might the culture of the church and the
environments in which we “do ministry” cause
disability?
“It is our culture that disables.”
“When one is disabled, the problem is not
really that they have impairments and social
skill deficits. The issue at stake is that they
live in an ‘ableist’ culture that rarely affords
them the space or opportunity to make their
unique contribution to society and does not
lift up the value of choosing them as
friends.”
Ben Conner - Amplifying Our Witness (2012)
What gets in the way of
church participation for
families affected by mental
illness?
Why is church involvement so
difficult?
• Attributes of common
mental conditions
cause difficulty
functioning in
common ministry
environments.
• Church culture – our
expectations for how
people should act
when we gather
together
Seven barriers to including families
impacted by mental illness at
church…
• Stigma
• Anxiety
• Executive
Functioning
• Sensory
processing
• Social
communication
• Social isolation
• Past experiences
of church
Stigma as a
barrier…
WHAT THEN IS WRONG
WITH THE “MENTALLY
ILL?” THEIR PROBLEM IS
AUTOGENIC; IT IS WITHIN
THEMSELVES.
Jay Adams
• Mental illness defined as
sin or a parenting
problem
• If it’s not a disability, why
would disability ministry
serve them?
• Widespread perception
they’re not welcome at
church
• Kids and adults DON’T
want to be treated
differently
Anxiety as a
barrier…
CORE DIFFERENCE:
PEOPLE WITH ANXIETY
MISPERCEIVE RISK IN
UNFAMILIAR
SITUATIONS
• Social anxiety
• Separation anxiety
• Agoraphobia
Fears specific to church:
• Fear of scrutiny
• Performance worries
• Anxiety results from
lack of faith
Executive
Functioning
as a barrier…
COGNITIVE ABILITIES INVOLVED
IN MODULATING OTHER
ABILITIES AND BEHAVIORS
• Behavioral inhibition
• Verbal working
memory
• Non-verbal working
memory
• Emotional self-
regulation
• Reconstitution
Sensory
processing as
a barrier…
PERSONS WITH SENSORY
PROCESSING DIFFERENCES
MAY EXPERIENCE AS
AVERSIVE NOISE, LIGHT,
TOUCH AND SMELLS THAT
OTHERS FIND ENGAGING
Challenges for kids:
• Pick up and drop-off times
• High energy worship
• Aggression
Challenges for adults:
• Greeting times (hugging,
handshakes)
• High-energy worship
• Multiple conversations in
close proximity
Social
communication
as a barrier…
WHAT CHALLENGES
MIGHT SOMEONE
ENCOUNTER AT CHURCH
IF THEY STRUGGLE TO
PICK UP ON SOCIAL
CUES?
• Body language
• Tone, inflection of voice
• Facial expressions
Church-specific
challenges:
• Small groups
• Small talk
• Bullies
• Unfamiliar situations
Social isolation
as a barrier…
HOW DO FAMILIES FIND
YOUR CHURCH IF THEY
LACK RELATIONSHIPS
WITH FAMILIES
ATTENDING YOUR
CHURCH?
• Kids seen as less
desirable friends
• Less involved in
extracurriculars
• Time, financial
burdens of pursuing
treatment
• Lack of affordable
child care leaves
parents with fewer
social outlets
Past experience
of church as a
barrier…
THE APPLE OFTEN
DOESN’T FALL FAR
FROM THE TREE!
• Children of parents with
bad (or no) church
experiences aren’t
going to church
• Kids depend on parents
for transportation
• Parents struggle with
mental health issues
too!
• Inconsistent attenders?
• Mental health ministry
with kids is FAMILY
ministry!
What might an effective
mental health inclusion
strategy look like?
Seven strategies for promoting mental
health inclusion (TEACHER)
• Assemble your inclusion team
• Create welcoming ministry environments.
• Focus on ministry activities most essential to spiritual growth
• Communicate effectively
• Help families with their most heartfelt needs
• Offer education and support
• Empower your people to assume responsibility for ministry
Who needs a seat at the table?
Building an inclusion team
• Senior leadership
• Ministry directors on
church-wide
implementation team
• Ministry departments
may have their own
team
• Consider gifts, talents,
passions of church
members, attendees
Welcoming ministry
environments…
• Promote focus, attention
• Help attendees prioritize
most important
takeaways
• Support those with
difficulty processing
directions.
• Sensory stimulation
engaging, not
overwhelming
• Supports kids in
maintaining self-control
Inclusion in high-impact ministry
activities
What do you MOST want
people to do to grow in faith?
Prioritize that!
• Weekend worship?
• Small groups?
• Prayer/family
devotions/serving
Communicating about
mental illness
• Preach it from the
pulpit!
• Use of pictures, video
• Printed materials
• E-communication
• Social media
• Online church
Helping families with their most
heartfelt needs…
• Casseroles
• Respite
• Referral services
• Counseling
• Special worship services
• After-school programs
• Parent advocates for kids
on 504 plans, in special
education
• Tutoring at-risk kids
Offering education and support
• Fresh Hope
• “Grace Groups” –
individual, family,
PTSD curriculums
• NAMI Family to
Family, Peer to Peer
• Diagnosis-specific
groups (CHADD)
Empowering your people to assume
responsibility for ministry
• Inviting
• Responding to needs
• Grabbing a mop
• Relational respite
• Business cards with
respite invitations
• 1:1 discipleship
• Parent mentors
• “Ministry of presence”
Key considerations for an effective
mental health inclusion strategy…
• Inclusion is a mindset – not a program
• Buy-in from senior leadership is absolutely essential
• A good strategy benefits everyone and doesn’t require anyone to
self-identify
• Consider creating a role for a mental health inclusion coordinator
or “concierge”
• Ministry is owned by the people, supported by church staff
• No church will be able to include everyone with mental illness, but
every church can welcome, serve and include more people with
mental illness
Next Steps…
• Join Key Ministry’s
mental health inclusion
ministry leaders group
on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1816363571938122/
• Join Mental Health and
the Church book study
roundtable (February,
2018)
• Sign up for
Church4EveryChild
• www.keyministry.org
Key Ministry promotes meaningful
connection between churches and
families of kids with disabilities for
the purpose of making disciples of
Jesus Christ.
Free training, consultation, support and resources
What Does Key Ministry Do?
Stay in Touch!
Key Ministry Website: http://www.keyministry.org
Church4EveryChild…Key Ministry Blog:
http://www.church4everychild.org
www
http://www.facebook.com/keyministry
http://www.pinterest.com/keyministry/
http://twitter.com/#!/drgrcevich
http://twitter.com/#!/KeyMinistry

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A Model for Welcoming Children and Families Impacted by Mental Illness Into the Church

  • 1. A Model for Welcoming Children and Families Impacted by Mental Illness Into the Church Stephen Grcevich, MD President and Founder, Key Ministry Mental Health, Children, Youth and the Church Fresh Hope for Mental Health Omaha, Nebraska October 12, 2017
  • 2. Building a bridge between two worlds…
  • 3. A different way of thinking about mental health ministry How do we connect churches and families impacted by mental illness for the purpose of making disciples of Jesus Christ? • Why mental illness is different from other disabilities • Why church participation is difficult • What would a mental health inclusion model for churches look like?
  • 4. The mission field just beyond your door… Among U.S. children and teens… • 22% of children have at least one mental disorder • 21.4 percent of America’s teens will experience an episode of mental illness categorized as “severe” by age eighteen • 11% have been prescribed ADHD medication • 8-12% of teens experience anxiety disorders • One in 25 teens has had PTSD Source: National Institute of Mental Health
  • 5. Why hasn’t the church embraced mental health inclusion ministry? • Stigmatization • Failure to recognize how attributes of common conditions limit church participation • We don’t have a ministry model
  • 6. Is a disability a disability if someone is disabled some of the time?
  • 7. How is mental illness different from other disabilities? • Episodic • Hidden • Situation-specific
  • 8. Might the culture of the church and the environments in which we “do ministry” cause disability? “It is our culture that disables.” “When one is disabled, the problem is not really that they have impairments and social skill deficits. The issue at stake is that they live in an ‘ableist’ culture that rarely affords them the space or opportunity to make their unique contribution to society and does not lift up the value of choosing them as friends.” Ben Conner - Amplifying Our Witness (2012)
  • 9. What gets in the way of church participation for families affected by mental illness?
  • 10. Why is church involvement so difficult? • Attributes of common mental conditions cause difficulty functioning in common ministry environments. • Church culture – our expectations for how people should act when we gather together
  • 11. Seven barriers to including families impacted by mental illness at church… • Stigma • Anxiety • Executive Functioning • Sensory processing • Social communication • Social isolation • Past experiences of church
  • 12. Stigma as a barrier… WHAT THEN IS WRONG WITH THE “MENTALLY ILL?” THEIR PROBLEM IS AUTOGENIC; IT IS WITHIN THEMSELVES. Jay Adams • Mental illness defined as sin or a parenting problem • If it’s not a disability, why would disability ministry serve them? • Widespread perception they’re not welcome at church • Kids and adults DON’T want to be treated differently
  • 13. Anxiety as a barrier… CORE DIFFERENCE: PEOPLE WITH ANXIETY MISPERCEIVE RISK IN UNFAMILIAR SITUATIONS • Social anxiety • Separation anxiety • Agoraphobia Fears specific to church: • Fear of scrutiny • Performance worries • Anxiety results from lack of faith
  • 14. Executive Functioning as a barrier… COGNITIVE ABILITIES INVOLVED IN MODULATING OTHER ABILITIES AND BEHAVIORS • Behavioral inhibition • Verbal working memory • Non-verbal working memory • Emotional self- regulation • Reconstitution
  • 15. Sensory processing as a barrier… PERSONS WITH SENSORY PROCESSING DIFFERENCES MAY EXPERIENCE AS AVERSIVE NOISE, LIGHT, TOUCH AND SMELLS THAT OTHERS FIND ENGAGING Challenges for kids: • Pick up and drop-off times • High energy worship • Aggression Challenges for adults: • Greeting times (hugging, handshakes) • High-energy worship • Multiple conversations in close proximity
  • 16. Social communication as a barrier… WHAT CHALLENGES MIGHT SOMEONE ENCOUNTER AT CHURCH IF THEY STRUGGLE TO PICK UP ON SOCIAL CUES? • Body language • Tone, inflection of voice • Facial expressions Church-specific challenges: • Small groups • Small talk • Bullies • Unfamiliar situations
  • 17. Social isolation as a barrier… HOW DO FAMILIES FIND YOUR CHURCH IF THEY LACK RELATIONSHIPS WITH FAMILIES ATTENDING YOUR CHURCH? • Kids seen as less desirable friends • Less involved in extracurriculars • Time, financial burdens of pursuing treatment • Lack of affordable child care leaves parents with fewer social outlets
  • 18. Past experience of church as a barrier… THE APPLE OFTEN DOESN’T FALL FAR FROM THE TREE! • Children of parents with bad (or no) church experiences aren’t going to church • Kids depend on parents for transportation • Parents struggle with mental health issues too! • Inconsistent attenders? • Mental health ministry with kids is FAMILY ministry!
  • 19. What might an effective mental health inclusion strategy look like?
  • 20. Seven strategies for promoting mental health inclusion (TEACHER) • Assemble your inclusion team • Create welcoming ministry environments. • Focus on ministry activities most essential to spiritual growth • Communicate effectively • Help families with their most heartfelt needs • Offer education and support • Empower your people to assume responsibility for ministry
  • 21. Who needs a seat at the table? Building an inclusion team • Senior leadership • Ministry directors on church-wide implementation team • Ministry departments may have their own team • Consider gifts, talents, passions of church members, attendees
  • 22. Welcoming ministry environments… • Promote focus, attention • Help attendees prioritize most important takeaways • Support those with difficulty processing directions. • Sensory stimulation engaging, not overwhelming • Supports kids in maintaining self-control
  • 23. Inclusion in high-impact ministry activities What do you MOST want people to do to grow in faith? Prioritize that! • Weekend worship? • Small groups? • Prayer/family devotions/serving
  • 24. Communicating about mental illness • Preach it from the pulpit! • Use of pictures, video • Printed materials • E-communication • Social media • Online church
  • 25. Helping families with their most heartfelt needs… • Casseroles • Respite • Referral services • Counseling • Special worship services • After-school programs • Parent advocates for kids on 504 plans, in special education • Tutoring at-risk kids
  • 26. Offering education and support • Fresh Hope • “Grace Groups” – individual, family, PTSD curriculums • NAMI Family to Family, Peer to Peer • Diagnosis-specific groups (CHADD)
  • 27. Empowering your people to assume responsibility for ministry • Inviting • Responding to needs • Grabbing a mop • Relational respite • Business cards with respite invitations • 1:1 discipleship • Parent mentors • “Ministry of presence”
  • 28. Key considerations for an effective mental health inclusion strategy… • Inclusion is a mindset – not a program • Buy-in from senior leadership is absolutely essential • A good strategy benefits everyone and doesn’t require anyone to self-identify • Consider creating a role for a mental health inclusion coordinator or “concierge” • Ministry is owned by the people, supported by church staff • No church will be able to include everyone with mental illness, but every church can welcome, serve and include more people with mental illness
  • 29. Next Steps… • Join Key Ministry’s mental health inclusion ministry leaders group on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/1816363571938122/ • Join Mental Health and the Church book study roundtable (February, 2018) • Sign up for Church4EveryChild • www.keyministry.org
  • 30. Key Ministry promotes meaningful connection between churches and families of kids with disabilities for the purpose of making disciples of Jesus Christ. Free training, consultation, support and resources What Does Key Ministry Do?
  • 31. Stay in Touch! Key Ministry Website: http://www.keyministry.org Church4EveryChild…Key Ministry Blog: http://www.church4everychild.org www http://www.facebook.com/keyministry http://www.pinterest.com/keyministry/ http://twitter.com/#!/drgrcevich http://twitter.com/#!/KeyMinistry