If kids and teens affected by mental illness and their families are to be successfully welcomed and fully included in our churches, the church will need to make great strides in its’ understanding of mental illness. That’s where I hope we can help.

May is designated as National Mental Health Month, and the week of May 6-12 is officially designated as Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week. In order to promote better understanding of common mental disorders in children and teens and the challenges faced their families, we’ll spend the month looking in depth at some of the more controversial topics in the field of child and adolescent mental health.

I’m not saying we’ll be able to cover all of these topics, but some ideas under consideration include…

How much influence does the pharmaceutical industry have with the physicians who treat kids for mental illness?

Are there effective homeopathic treatments for mental illness in children and teens?

Do antidepressants increase suicidal behavior in youth?

How do insurance companies/managed care impact the mental health treatment received  by children and teens?

What legitimate safety concerns exist regarding the use of psychotropic medication in children and teens?

What do we know about the relationship between trauma and mental illness in kids?

How does our educational system contribute to the increased prevalence of mental illness in kids?

Does psychotherapy work for kids? If so, when?

Why is it so hard to find good Christian mental health services for kids?

Are the increased rates of mental illness reported in kids legitimate?

When should a parent search for a new psychiatrist, psychologist or counselor for their child?

What would YOU like us to talk about? Leave your suggestions below in the Comments section. We’ll try to get to as many requests as possible in our May series…that could easily extend into the summer.