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.

Hot Topics: When Should You Fire Your Child’s Mental Health Professional?

Posted on May 20, 2012 by Dr. G

What are some of the signs parents should look for when they’re concerned that they’re not in the right place for their child with a mental health disorder? Continue reading →

Posted in Controversies, Families, Mental Health | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Obstacles Families Face in Finding Mental Health Care For Kids

Posted on May 18, 2012 by Dr. G

Parents of kids with significant mental health disorders frequently experience great frustration in negotiating the confusing maze that constitutes our system of mental health care in many communities across the U.S., along with the yet more confusing (intentionally?) system of paying for needed care. Quite frequently, pastors and ministry leaders are trusted resources to parents of children or teens in crisis, and my own professional society encourages parents who are looking for help for their kids to seek recommendations from their spiritual leaders. This post seeks to help ministry leaders better appreciate common challenges families face in finding the proper help for their kids, and offer some resources to share with parents looking for help.
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Posted in Families, Hidden Disabilities, Key Ministry, Mental Health, Parents, Resources | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Hot Topics: Is Antipsychotic Medication Safe for Kids?

Posted on May 15, 2012 by Dr. G

Among the classes of medication commonly used for kids and teens with mental health disorders, I’m most concerned about the potential long-term safety risks associated with the use of antipsychotics.
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Posted in Controversies, Mental Health | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

A Great Mother’s Day Gift

Posted on May 13, 2012 by Dr. G

The pressures that kids are under in our community are incredible and unlike anything that my wife and I ever encountered growing up. It seems as if every thought, behavior and idea they encounter in school, online and with friends is at work to undermine the values we’ve sought to impart to them. I showed up for our ministry team on Wednesday in a sleep-deprived state after contemplating for much of the night whether we’d done enough to prepare them to make the right choices in the months and years ahead. As our girls have gotten older and become more private about some of the issues they deal with on a daily basis, I worry that I don’t have the relationship with them necessary to be a positive influence when they need to make difficult decisions. I also worry I haven’t done enough to promote relationships between them and other like-minded adults who can provide wisdom and reinforce our values when stuff comes up that they’re not comfortable discussing with my wife or myself. I do know that being a part of a church has helped my wife and myself to be a far more positive influence to our kids than we could have been without that experience.
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Posted in Families, Spiritual Development, Stories | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Hot Topics: What’s Causing the Epidemic of Mental Illness in Kids?

Posted on May 12, 2012 by Dr. G

As a child and adolescent psychiatrist, I frequently encounter parents and skeptics who freely share their opinions that much of the reported crisis in children’s mental health is fabricated…a marketing scheme of the pharmaceutical industry, a consequence of poor parenting or misplaced priorities on the part of families.
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Posted in Controversies, Key Ministry, Mental Health | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Hot Topics: Are Antidepressant Medications Safe For Kids?

Posted on May 9, 2012 by Dr. G

Few topics in child and adolescent mental health have generated as much controversy over the last decade as the debate about the safety of antidepressant medication given to kids. In 2004, the FDA issued a “black box” warning claiming that antidepressant use in children and teenagers is associated with increases in suicidal thinking and behavior, which was expanded in 2007 to include adults between the ages of 18 and 24. In my opinion, the larger controversy about antidepressant use in children and teens is not “are they safe?” but “do they work?” and if they work, what do they work for? Some of those questions were addressed here.
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Posted in Anxiety Disorders, Mental Health | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Hot Topics: New Data on Foster Kids and Medication

Posted on May 7, 2012 by Dr. G

The proportion of children in foster care who were prescribed psychotropic drugs remained much higher than all Medicaid-­‐enrolled children. Continue reading →

Posted in Adoption, Controversies, Families, Mental Health | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Hot Topics: Money and Children’s Mental Health: An Insurance Parable

Posted on May 6, 2012 by Dr. G

We’ll kick off Children’s Mental Health Week by focusing on the challenges families face when seeking to access services for their kids through their health insurance benefits. Continue reading →

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How Money Influences Children’s Mental Health Care…The 15 Minute Medication Visit

Posted on May 3, 2012 by Dr. G

Today’s post looking at financial practices influencing children’s mental health care is the second in a series on Hot Topics in Children’s Mental Health we’re offering in recognition of Mental Health Month, National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week (May 6-12), … Continue reading →

Posted in Advocacy, Families, Mental Health | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Hot Topics: Why is effective mental health care for kids so hard to find?

Posted on May 1, 2012 by Dr. G

Reflecting upon these observations, one barrier to kids receiving effective mental health care is that parents often lack an appreciation of the standard of care they should expect for their children. Another barrier is that many parents don’t know the right questions to ask to ensure that their kids get the treatment they need. Parents may be intimidated by the prospect of questioning professionals about their child’s care, especially when access to other qualified professionals is limited by geography or finances. An additional reality is that too many professionals treating kids aren’t especially competent or effective, but continue because the need is so great and alternatives are scarce in many communities.
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Posted in Advocacy, Controversies, Resources | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments