Our new ministry division for families will seek to provide encouragement and support for families of kids with disabilities through several types of online gatherings; large group communities (housed on Facebook and organized around a specific condition, disability or area of interest), special interest study groups organized around a topical study (Bible study, book study or shared media, housed on Facebook but including opportunities for real time interaction via videoconferencing) and more intimate small groups.

We’re pleased to announce the launch of our first large group community on Facebook… the Key for Families Mental Health Community.

We’ve established a place for families of kids and young adults with common mental health conditions to find encouragement, resources and support from a decidedly Christian perspective.

Our Facebook communities will be:

• Broadly organized around common interests (child and adolescent mental health, trauma, Asperger’s Disorder, parents in ministry, homeschooling and disability are examples of a few communities that will be starting at launch)
• Directed by a team of hosts responsible for overseeing the content and membership of the community.
• “Closed” groups…any member can invite a new member, but members need to be registered with Key for Families and approved by a community host. Membership is NOT confidential…anyone can find the group on Facebook and see who belongs to the group.
• Typically feature links to articles or content of interest to the group shared to promote awareness or discussion.
• Open-ended.

Within our Facebook communities, members will have opportunities to join smaller, more intimate studies and discussions…

Special interest study groups are:

• Organized around a study/discussion of a book, Scripture or other media easily shared with all participants in the group.
• Housed on Facebook as “secret groups.” Only current and former members can see the group’s name and description on Facebook, and only current members can see links and comments posted to the group. Any member can invite a new member, but (as with Facebook communities) members need to be registered with Key for Families and approved by a community host. Comments and discussion inside the group is confidential.
• Are offered under the sponsorship of one or more Key for Families Facebook communities.
• Led by an assigned host.
• Are limited to a maximum of fifty participants.
• Are typically time-limited, with exceptions made upon approval of Key for Families leadership.
• May involve a requirement for group members to purchase resources or materials.

We encourage the development of friendships outside of our communities. We especially encourage group members from churches intentional about welcoming families impacted by mental illness to let us know so we might help find “a church for every child.”

Interested in joining our online mental health community? Let us know a little bit about you, and we’ll activate your membership.

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Key Ministry encourages our readers to check out the resources we’ve developed to help pastors, church leaders, volunteers and families to better understand the nature of trauma in children and teens, Jolene Philo’s series on PTSD in children, and series on other mental health-related topics, including series on the impact of ADHD, anxiety and Asperger’s Disorder on spiritual development in kids, depression in children and teens, pediatric bipolar disorder, and ten strategies for promoting mental health inclusion at church.