Mini-Series: No Labels…Should Diagnosis Matter at Church?

Posted on January 21, 2012 by Dr. G

At this week’s Key Ministry planning meeting (Rebecca, Katie, Harmony, and myself), one of our tasks involved assigning content for our blogs in the coming year. One of my assigned topics is to discuss the importance (or unimportance) of diagnoses for churches seeking to connect with and minister to families of kids with disabilities.

This past Friday, news reports surfaced of a chart review study suggesting that proposed changes to the diagnostic criteria for autism would result in a 55% reduction in the number of children and adults who would qualify for the disorder.

Given the interest in the special needs community about the impact of changes in the criteria for autism, along with proposed changes in diagnostic criteria for ADHD and mood disorders in children, there seemed to be no better time than the present to examine the topic of diagnosis in serving families touched by disability.

This coming week, we’ll take a closer look at the topic No Labels…Should Diagnosis Matter at Church? Here’s a preview:

Sunday, January 22: The Purpose of Diagnostic Criteria

Tuesday, January 24: Do We Put People in Boxes?

Thursday, January 26: Communication Breakdown?

Sunday, January 29th: Tying it All Together

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About Dr. G

Dr. Stephen Grcevich serves as President and Founder of Key Ministry, a non-profit organization providing free training, consultation, resources and support to help churches serve families of children with disabilities. Dr. Grcevich is a graduate of Northeastern Ohio Medical University (NEOMED), trained in General Psychiatry at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation and in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at University Hospitals of Cleveland/Case Western Reserve University. He is a faculty member in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at two medical schools, leads a group practice in suburban Cleveland (Family Center by the Falls), and continues to be involved in research evaluating the safety and effectiveness of medications prescribed to children for ADHD, anxiety and depression. He is a past recipient of the Exemplary Psychiatrist Award from the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). Dr. Grcevich was recently recognized by Sharecare as one of the top ten online influencers in children’s mental health. His blog for Key Ministry, www.church4everychild.org was ranked fourth among the top 100 children's ministry blogs in 2015 by Ministry to Children.
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