In this presentation, Dr. Grcevich identifies eight barriers families often encounter in attending church when kids experience emotional or behavioral challenges and shares practical ideas for pastors, church staff and volunteers looking to help families overcome the barriers.

1. Stephen Grcevich, MD
Director of Strategic Initiatives, Key Ministry
Presented at An Inclusive Children’s Ministry Conference
Christ Church United Methodist
Louisville, Kentucky
November 7, 2015
Hostile Territory
Helping Families Impacted by Mental Illness Overcome
Barriers to Attending Church

2. See a different world…
 How is the nature of
disability different in kids
with mental illness?
 A different paradigm for
thinking about disability –
mindset vs. program
 What are the barriers to
church involvement?
 Seven strategies for
overcoming barriers
 A different model of
ministry…

3. Some guiding principles for mental health
inclusion at church…
 A mindset…not a program
 Helping kids, families join what you already do
 Focus on overcoming barriers to social
connection, communication
 Design environments that promote self-
regulation, minimize anxiety
 No church/school/organization can do
everything, but every church can do something!

4. A very large potential ministry field!
 22% identified with at least one mental disorder
 11% have been treated with ADHD medication
 8-12% of teens experience anxiety disorders
 13% identified with developmental disorders
 The majority of the 1 in 68 kids diagnosed with
autism are of average/superior intelligence!
Carter, AS et al. J. Am Acad. Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2010;49(7): 686-698
Visser et al. J Am Acad. Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2014;53(1): 34-46
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/anxiety-disorders-in-children-and-adolescents/index.shtml
Boulet, SL, Boyle CA, Schieve, LA. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2009;163(1):19-26.
http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/data.html

5. What comes to mind when you think
about “disability?”

6. What comes to mind when you think of
special needs ministry?

7. Is a disability a disability if someone is disabled
some of the time?

8. Do the environments and culture of the church cause disability?
“It is our culture that disables.”
“When one is disabled, the problem is not really
that they have impairments and social skill
deficits. The issue at stake is that they live in an
‘ableist’ culture that rarely affords them the
space or opportunity to make their unique
contribution to society and does not lift up the
value of choosing them as friends.”
Ben Conner…Amplifying Our Witness (2012)

9. Barriers to including kids with mental illness
at church…
Church… Where does she fit in?
 Social isolation
 Social communication
 Anxiety/Fear
 Capacity for self-regulation
 Sensory processing
 Reluctance to self-identify
 Stigma
 Parents with mental illness

10. Social isolation…
Church, school, community… Where does he fit in?
 Avoidance, withdrawal
common symptoms
 Kids may be less
desirable as friends
 Less likely to be involved
in youth sports,
extracurricular activities
 Parents struggle to find
child care necessary to
maintain social life

11. Expectations for social interaction…
Church, school, community… Where does he fit in?
 Are social skills necessary
at church?
 Kids may fail to
process…or are unable to
process social cues
 Negotiating large group
and small group
environments
 Challenges greater in
unfamiliar situations
 When bullies attend
church…

12. The impact of anxiety on social interaction…
Church… Where do they fit in?
 Overestimate potential risk in
new relationships, situations
 Fears persist longer than
developmentally appropriate
 Avoidance of situations with
potential for scrutiny by
others
 Persistent worry about
performance
 Prone to perception that
anxiety is caused by a lack of
faith (See Phil 4:6-7)

13. Regulating emotions or behavior…
Church, school, community… Where does he fit in?
 Capacity to manage
impulses, hide
observable aspects
of behavior
 Understanding of
“executive
functioning”
 Why “structure”
helps

14. Sensory Processing…
Church… What they experience…
 A trait associated with
autism, anxiety, ADHD
 Sound, light, touch, taste
and smells readily
tolerated by others may
be aversive
 Transition times often
present greatest
challenge

15. The reluctance to self-disclose…
Church… Where does he fit in?
 Desperate need to not be
different!
 Kids, families FLEE
special education/special
needs
 How are church staff to
know who needs help
when disabilities aren’t
always evident?

16. Stigma…
Stigma in church WORSE than
school, community…
What then, is wrong with the
“mentally ill”? Their problem is
autogenic; it is in themselves…
Jay Adams Mental illness defined as
sin, or a parenting problem
 Widespread perception
they’re not welcome at
church
 If it’s not a disability, why
would disability ministry
serve them?

17. Parents with mental illness…
Church… Where do they fit in?
 Multigenerational issue
 Parent who couldn’t go to
church have kids with no
experience of church
 Kids depend on parents for
transportation
 Parents struggle with
executive functioning too!
 Inconsistent attenders?

18. Seven strategies for promoting mental
health inclusion (TEACHER)
 Team: Build an inclusion team
 Environments: Establish welcoming ministry environments
 Activities with high impact: Prioritize inclusion in activities
most essential to spiritual growth
 Communicate: Implement a church/ministry-wide
communication strategy
 Help: Meet heartfelt needs of families outside the church
 Education and support
 Responsibility: Ministry is owned by everyone in the church

19. Who needs a seat at the table?
Building an inclusion team
 Senior leadership must
endorse, recruit
 Ministry directors on church-
wide implementation team
 Departments may have their
own inclusion team
 Consider mental health
professionals, advocates,
family members, occupational
therapists, interior designers,
social workers, educators,
media specialists, anyone
passionate for the ministry

20. Welcoming ministry environments for
persons with mental health diagnoses
 Help attendees maintain
focus and attention.
 Help attendees prioritize
most important takeaways
 Support those with difficulty
processing directions.
 Provides engaging, but not
overwhelming sensory
stimulation
 Help kids maintain self-
control

21. Inclusion in high-impact ministry activities
 What do you MOST
want people to do to
grow in faith in Jesus?
 What help do they need
to get there?
 Weekend worship?
 Small groups?
 Prayer/family
devotions/serving

22. Components of a church-wide
communication strategy
 Preach it from the pulpit!
 What NOT to say
 Pictures, video
 Bulletins, printed
materials
 E-communication
 Social media
 Online church inclusion
 Inclusion “concierge?”

23. Help that promotes relationships…
 Casseroles
 Respite
 Referral services
 Counseling
 Special worship services
 After-school programs
 Parent advocates for kids
on 504 plans, in special
education
 Tutoring at-risk kids

24. Education and support
Advancing the Kingdom through coffee and donuts
 “Grace Groups” –
individual, family,
PTSD curriculums
 NAMI Family to
Family, Peer to Peer
 Fresh Hope
 Diagnosis-specific
groups (CHADD)

25. Responsibility for inclusion ministry is
owned by everyone!
 Responding to needs
wherever they’re
planted
 Grabbing a mop
 Relational respite
 Distribute business
cards with respite
invitations
 1:1 discipleship
 Parent mentors
 “Ministry of presence”

26. Overcoming social isolation…
Church Go and tell!
 Include “neurotypical” siblings
at respite events
 Provide food or transportation
assistance to a neighbor in
need
 Invite a kid for a play date
 Advertise online worship
services to families with
mental illness in your
community

27. Including those who struggle with social
communication…
Church… Where do they fit in?
 Partner with parents
 Address physical environments
where ministry takes place
 Let them use precocious gifts to
serve others
 Identify “friendly” small groups
 Opportunity to rehearse new
experiences
 Promote disability awareness,
address bullying
 Alternative paths of discipleship
(mentoring)

28. Overcoming the anxiety barrier…
Church… Where do they fit in?
 Prepare them for first
visit
 Lots of pictures, video
of your ministry
environments
 Avoid drawing
attention to self-
conscious kids
 Don’t shame them
 Pathway for introverts?

29. Helping kids who struggle to regulate
emotions and behavior…
Church Helping them fit in?
 Friendly physical
environments
 Sequence of activities?
(high-energy last?)
 Supervise transition times
 Developmentally-
appropriate content
 Some may be better with
physical activity,
movement

30. Helping kids who struggle with sensory
processing…
Church… What they experience…
 Sensory-friendly
entrances
 Review your ministry
environments (lighting,
sound, use of color)
 Alternative activities for
kids with sensory issues
 Monitor transition times
closely

31. Overcoming stigma in the church…
Stigma in church WORSE than
school, community…
 Talk about it on Sunday
morning
 Encourage families in the
church to share their stories
 Start or host a support group
 Share helpful links, articles,
sermons through social
media
 Value kids, adults with mental
illness by serving them

32. Helping those who won’t self-disclose…
Church… Helping them fit in
 Consider interventions to
help all kids, families
 Review registration
materials
 Communicating with
parents
 Floating support in your
children’s, student
ministries

33. Including kids…when parents have mental
health concerns
Church… Helping them fit in
 Parents of kids who are
inconsistent attenders?
 They may need more
reminders to come
 Watch for folks who
haven’t attended for
some time
 Community helps with
accountability

34. Takeaway points…
 Kids with mental illness and their families
represent one of your church’s greatest
outreach opportunities.
 Mental health inclusion is a mindset…not a
program
 Focus on barriers to connection, communication
 Design ministry environments that promote self-
regulation, engaging vs. overwhelming
 No church can do everything, but every church
can do something!

35. Key Ministry promotes meaningful
connection between churches and
families of kids with disabilities for
the purpose of making disciples of
Jesus Christ.
Free training, consultation, support and resources
What Does Key Ministry Do?

36. Stay in Touch!
Key Ministry Website: http://www.keyministry.org
Church4EveryChild…Key Ministry Blog: http://www.church4everychild.org
www
http://www.facebook.com/keyministry
http://www.pinterest.com/keyministry/
http://twitter.com/#!/drgrcevich
http://twitter.com/#!/KeyMinistry