Author Archives: Dr. G

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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.

The secret to launching a missional special needs ministry

Posted on May 11, 2014 by Dr. G

But BIG is not always better…or most effective for creating a missional movement into the disability community. Continue reading →

Posted in Inclusion, Key Ministry, Strategies | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

This Week at The Front Door…May 11-17, 2014

Posted on May 11, 2014 by Dr. G

As we begin our fourth week of offering church for families of kids with disabilities at The Front Door, we’re expanding our worship schedule to four evenings per week. Continue reading →

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Thinking differently about kids and mental illness…

Posted on May 8, 2014 by Dr. G

One of the challenges in understanding the epidemic of mental illness in kids is that conditions such as anxiety disorders and ADHD may be disabling in some environments, but not others. Continue reading →

Posted in ADHD, Anxiety Disorders, Autism, Controversies, Hidden Disabilities, Key Ministry, Mental Health | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The struggles families face to find good mental health services…

Posted on May 7, 2014 by Dr. G

Our team at Key Ministry seeks to help ministry leaders better appreciate the challenges families face in finding the proper help for their kids with emotional or behavioral disorders and offer resources when parents turn to churches in search of help.
Continue reading →

Posted in Advocacy, Families, Key Ministry, Mental Health, Resources | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

What’s causing the epidemic of mental illness in kids?

Posted on May 6, 2014 by Dr. G

Here are some of my hypotheses as to why over 20% of U.S. kids meet criteria for at least one mental disorder: Continue reading →

Posted in Key Ministry, Mental Health | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Common mental health conditions can be MAJOR barriers to church involvement

Posted on May 5, 2014 by Dr. G

It’s particularly difficult to understand why parents who might be able to maintain a job and a household or kids who are able to school without one-on-one aides or lots of support services aren’t able to attend church. I’ll try to explain why in today’s post…and give churches a conceptual framework for anticipating the obstacles kids and adults might experience in attending church and addressing them so they no longer remain obstacles.
Continue reading →

Posted in Anxiety Disorders, Autism, Families, Hidden Disabilities, Inclusion, Key Ministry, Mental Health, Ministry Environments, Strategies | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

This week at The Front Door…

Posted on May 4, 2014 by Dr. G

We’re also beginning the practice of having regular worship hours three evenings each week, supported by wonderful hosts who have agreed to be available to our attendees for chat and prayer at the same worship hour every week. Continue reading →

Posted in Advocacy, Anxiety Disorders, Families, Inclusion, Key Ministry, Resources | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Thinking “Orange”: Things every kids need…with or without disabilities

Posted on May 3, 2014 by Dr. G

All of the needs listed above tend to be more acute for kids with disabilities and their siblings, and parents of kids with disabilities have fewer places to go outside of the church where they can receive help in meeting those needs. Continue reading →

Posted in Families, Hidden Disabilities, Inclusion, Spiritual Development, Strategies | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Thinking Orange…Partnering with parents when kids have disabilities

Posted on May 2, 2014 by Dr. G

More so than with parents in the general population, church leaders may need to do more to earn the right to partner with parents from families affected by disabilities. Continue reading →

Posted in ADHD, Anxiety Disorders, Autism, Bipolar Disorder, Hidden Disabilities, Inclusion, Key Ministry, Resources, Strategies | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Thinking Orange: Supporting the family’s role in spiritual development when kids have disabilities…

Posted on May 1, 2014 by Dr. G

How are the kids in the family supposed to come to know and love Jesus if we’re not prepared to welcome the parents to church…and all the other activities at church we’ve found to be helpful in facilitating spiritual growth?
Continue reading →

Posted in Families, Hidden Disabilities, Inclusion, Key Ministry, Strategies | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment