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Category Archives: Controversies
Is “Special Needs” Acceptable People First Language?
I think there’s considerable risk that kids who become aware of being served through a “special needs ministry” would feel hurt and offended. I think there’s a minimal risk that parents who are currently outside the church might avoid involving kids in a “special needs ministry” because of assumptions their child would be treated differently. But why should the church run the risk of using language that might present an additional barrier to families of kids with disabilities connecting with their larger family in Christ through the local church? Continue reading
What’s the Definition of “Special Needs?”
When we use the term “special needs” to refer to a population of underserved children, who exactly are we referring to?
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Should We Abandon Use of the Term “Special Needs Ministry?”
I’d argue that our use of the term “special needs” narrows our focus in such a way as to exclude large numbers of kids and families who require some intentional effort and support to be successfully included at church, but fall somewhere outside our existing ministry paradigm. Continue reading
Summer Series: Difficult Questions
This summer, I’m going to ask…and offer my best answers for some difficult questions about disability ministry, and inviting some colleagues with differing opinions the opportunity to respond. Continue reading
Hot Topics: Should Christian Parents Seek Out Christian Mental Health Professionals?
Effective treatment of your child’s mental health condition can often reduce or remove significant barriers to spiritual growth. Unfortunately, parents may find it far easier to find someone to fix their kid than finding someone to fix the attitudes demonstrated toward persons experiencing mental illness at their church. Continue reading
Hot Topics: When Should You Fire Your Child’s Mental Health Professional?
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 adolescents, children, counseling, mental health, psychiatry, psychology, When to end treatment
4 Comments
Hot Topics: Is Antipsychotic Medication Safe for Kids?
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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Hot Topics: What’s Causing the Epidemic of Mental Illness in Kids?
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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Hot Topics: New Data on Foster Kids and Medication
The proportion of children in foster care who were prescribed psychotropic drugs remained much higher than all Medicaid-‐enrolled children. Continue reading
Hot Topics: Why is effective mental health care for kids so hard to find?
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 AACAP, access to care, children, church, effectiveness, Inclusion, Key Ministry, mental health care, NAMI, NIMH
2 Comments
Church4EveryChild 