Recent research from Clemson University demonstrates that families of children and teens with mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, ADHD, Oppositional Defiant Disorder and Conduct Disorder are significantly less likely than their neighbors to never attend church. In this talk, Dr. Grcevich will outline some basic steps every church can take to minister more effectively with individuals and families impacted by mental illness.

1. Five Attributes of the Mental
Health-Informed Church
Stephen Grcevich, MD
President and Founder, Key Ministry
Wonderfully Made Conference
Overland Park, KS
October 24, 2019

3. If a friend with a child with a significant
mental health condition asked you to
recommend a church, what would you
tell them?

4. An
Intentional
Planning
Process
A documented strategy for including
children and adults affected by
mental illness in the full range of
worship experiences and ministry
activities offered by the church.

5. Mental health
education for
pastors, church
staff, key
volunteers,
attendees
• Mental Health First Aid
• Trauma-informed care
• Care and support needs of
individuals and families
affected by mental illness
• Impacts of mental illness on
church attendance, spiritual
development

6. A churchwide
mental health
communication
strategy
• Family members of persons
with mental illness want their
pastors to talk about it to
reduce stigma within the
church
• A majority of unchurched
adults believe that persons
with mental illness won’t be
welcomed at church

7. Helping
families
with their
most
heartfelt
needs…
•Casseroles
•Respite care
•Current mental health
referral list
•Counseling

8. Christian-
based
mental
health
support
• Fresh Hope
• Grace Alliance
• Celebrate Recovery
• My Quiet Cave

9. Key considerations for an effective
mental health inclusion strategy…
• Inclusion is a mindset – not a program
• A good strategy benefits everyone and doesn’t
require anyone to self-identify
• Ministry is owned by the people and
supported by staff
• No church will be able to include everyone
with mental illness, but every church can do
more than they’re currently doing!

10. Defining
the win
• Your ministry achieves a win when
any family member of someone
with mental illness has a
meaningful encounter with your
church.
• Persons with mental illness have
spouses, parents, sons, daughters,
siblings who need churches too!
• Mental health ministry is a natural
outgrowth of special needs,
adoption and foster care ministry.

11. Help from Key
Ministry
Training
• Conferences
• Video training
• Roundtables
Consultation to church teams
Resources
• Networking with other
ministries
• Social media, sermon
videos, research to
support your ministry
Someone to come alongside
your ministry!

12. Connect with Key Ministry
Catherine Boyle –Director of Mental Health Ministry
• www.keyministry.org
• Twitter: @KeyMinistry
• www.facebook.com/keyministry
• www.keyministry.org/contact/
• steve@keyministry.org
• catherine@keyministry.org