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Tag Archives: church
What Christians (and the church) can learn from Planned Parenthood
Why can’t Christians be as bold and confident in advancing our cause as the Planned Parenthood folks and other “progressive” organizations are in advancing theirs? Continue reading
Posted in Controversies, Leadership
Tagged Christians, church, Key Ministry, Planned Parenthood, Stephen Grcevich MD, Susan G Komen Foundation
11 Comments
Asperger’s Disorder, Social Disabilities and Church
If we don’t look beyond our narrow definition of “special needs” we’ll miss serving a lot of kids and adults who desperately need to experience the love of Jesus but flounder in church environments that put a huge premium upon social intelligence.
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No Labels…Tying it All Together
Bottom line…We can minister effectively to kids with disabilities and their families without requiring knowledge of diagnoses that may or may not be accurate or by defining children and their adults by their disability as opposed to by who they are in God’s Kingdom. Continue reading
The Purpose of Diagnostic Criteria
Think about this…Diagnosis is ultimately used as a tool to facilitate the treatment of patients/clients with identifiable medical/psychiatric disorders.
Does the church treat kids with disabilities? Or do we disciple them? Continue reading
Posted in Autism, Controversies, Key Ministry
Tagged Autism, church, diagnosis, Dr. Fred Volkmar, dsm-5, Key Ministry, Stephen Grcevich MD
4 Comments
Mini-Series: No Labels…Should Diagnosis Matter at Church?
This coming week, we’ll take a closer look at the topic No Labels…Should Diagnosis Matter at Church? Here’s a preview: Continue reading
Posted in Resources
Tagged Asperger's Disorder, Autism, church, diagnosis, Key Ministry, No Labels, Stephen Grcevich MD
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Kids With Aggressive Behavior…Is it Ever OK for a Church to Say No?
So when should kids at risk for severe aggression be asked to stay home? Schools have guidelines for parents about when they should keep children home to prevent other kids from getting sick. When are other kids, church staff and volunteers at risk of being harmed by kids prone to aggression?
If the parent(s) can’t manage the child’s behavior safely at home
When a foreseeable event has transpired at home (changes/lapses in medication used to control aggressive behavior, marked escalation of behavior while transitioning/preparing to leave for church) or at church (changes from the norm in environment/availability of appropriately trained staff or volunteers familiar to the child) increasing the child’s risk of aggressive behavior.
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Foster Kids and Medication
My purpose in writing this is to help parents and churches go into foster care ministry with their eyes open. Foster care ministry is an incredibly noble calling. Lots of kids are on way too much medication with way too many side effects with problems for which medication is likely to be of little benefit. Unfortunately, the implication of the 20/20 report that loving parents and the absence of medication will generally lead to happy endings for kids in foster care with problems that led to psychiatric referrals is at the very least incredibly naive, and at worst, a deliberate misrepresentation of reality. Continue reading
Posted in Adoption, Controversies, Families
Tagged 20/20, ABC, Adoption, antipsychotics, children, church, Disability Ministry, Foster Care, Inclusion, medication, psychiatry, Stephen Grcevich MD
6 Comments
The Mental Health Needs of Kids in Foster Care
Churches planning ministry initiatives to serve kids in foster care need first to develop competency at serving kids with serious mental health issues and their families.
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Posted in Inclusion, Key Ministry, Strategies
Tagged AACAP, antipsychotic medication, children, church, Disability Ministry, Foster Care, inclusion ministry, Key Ministry, mental health
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Lessons For Church Leaders in “Medication Nation”
This past Friday, we looked at statistics from Medco Health Solutions demonstrating that more than one in five U.S. adults (and more than one in four women) take medication on a regular basis for a mental health condition. The percentage of the U.S. population taking psychotropic medication has increased 22% in the last ten years. Today, I’ll share a few thoughts on why church leaders should care about the data.
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