Embracing Children with Special Emotional/Behavioral

Needs and Their Families: Responding to God’s Call

Stephen Grcevich, MD President, Board of Directors

Key Ministry FoundationFall, 2009

Key Ministry Foundation, 8401 Chagrin Road, Suite 14B, Chagrin Falls, OH 44023Rebecca Hamilton, Executive Director (440) 708-4488, rebecca@keyministry.orgStephen Grcevich, MD, President (440) 543-3400, drsteve@keyministry.orgWeb: www.keyministry.org

What are “Hidden Disabilities”? A hidden disability (HD) is a serious

emotional, behavioral or developmental disorder with no outwardly apparent physical symptoms

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Examples of Hidden Disabilities: Autism, autistic spectrum disorders Developmental disabilities Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Learning disabilities Anxiety disorders Mood disorders (depression, bipolar disorder) Attachment disorders (common among adopted,

foster children) Fetal Alcohol Effects (FAE) Brain injury: resulting from trauma, epilepsy, stroke

Stephen Grcevich, MD, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine

Hidden Disabilities: Facts and Figures Four million US youth suffer from major mental illness

resulting in significant impairment at home, in school, and with peers

12-20% of school age population experiences an emotional or behavioral disorder significant enough to require treatment

Prevalence rates: ADHD 6.7-7.5%, anxiety 3-8%, autism 1:150

Four of five marriages in which a child or family member has a disability end in divorce after that disability enters the family

What about siblings of affected kids? The ultimate “low-hanging fruit”

Report of the Surgeon General of the United States, 1999

Unique Aspects of Hidden Disabilities Parents, kids with most common conditions (ADHD,

anxiety) don’t think of themselves as disabled, they don’t meet traditional legal criteria for “disability”, but condition has major impact on church participation, spiritual development

Parents fear being judged within the Christian community-“People at church can’t tell when the disability ends and where what they think is bad parenting begins”

Parents become tired of having to explain their child’s behavior

Social isolation, stress, financial strain, fatigue common

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Why Should Our Church Start a Ministry to Children with Hidden Disabilities and Their Families?

God has placed our church in the midst of families with a need for such a ministry (both inside and outside our body)Without such a ministry, these children (and their families) are less likely to:

Experience a saving faith in Jesus Christ and a personal relationship with Him as Lord and Savior

Experience genuine worship, authentic fellowship, meaningful discipleship, and opportunities to serve others

Experience God’s love through the support and witness of a caring faith community and:

The church is denied the blessings/gifts of those excluded!

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Childhood religious impairments arising from ADHD: The battle begins at home getting ready for

church Difficulty delaying gratification for long-term

spiritual outcomes More difficulty adhering to spiritual disciplines Prone to “roller coaster” spirituality As they get older, may be drawn to religious

contexts that are more action-oriented, participatory, richly intertwined in lives of members

Kids may view organized religion as aversiveHathaway WL, Barkley RA. J Psychol Christianity 2003, 22(2) 101-114

Challenges presented to the church by persons with ADHD: Style of worship may not be engaging to persons

with ADHD Expectations in some church traditions for kids to

sit for extended periods during adult worship Leaders of church-based educational programs

don’t have training or experience in working with kids with ADHD

Church environments often less structured, more noisy than school

Lots of activities occur when medication has worn off or rebound is occurring

Parents choose not to use, or physicians encourage discontinuation of effective medication on weekends

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Issues with church participation arising from anxiety disorders: Time to leave for church: “meltdowns”,

physical complaints “my stomach hurts, I don’t feel good”

Visiting a new church Drop-off prior to worship service Need for familiar people at Sunday School,

PSR Discomfort in large group environments Self-disclosure and small group participation Performance anxiety Expectations at church camp, mission tripsKey Ministry Foundation

Possible impediments to spiritual growth in kids with autistic spectrum disorders: Impact of impaired language and

communication skills in understanding the Bible

Difficulty understanding abstract concepts (grace, faith, forgiveness)

Reactions of other kids at church to their social inappropriateness in teen years may put them at greater risk of rejecting their faith

Less likely to have relationships with others to encourage, model spiritual growth

Very diverse group of kids carry this labelKey Ministry Foundation

What does Key Ministry hope to accomplish through our church? Enable more families affected by hidden

disabilities to explore your church, through respite events and by providing support during worship experiences.

Support inclusion of children with special needs and their families in your church’s discipleship process.

Equip your church’s staff, volunteers, and families served through your ministry to use their gifts and talents to share the outrageous love of God with an ever-expanding circle of families touched by hidden disabilities.

What might such a ministry look like? Start with Sunday morning or respite events It doesn’t have to be a PROGRAM! Designing ministry environments to be more

welcoming to kids with HDs and their families Inclusion for children’s/youth ministry activities

(VBS, retreats, etc.) Respite: Events vs. relational respite Support groups Opportunities for small group participation,

involvement in service activities

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Who will partner with us?

Key Ministry Foundation www.keyministry.org provides resources to churches free of charge:

Best Practices Resource Kit on CD-ROM Web-based resources Opportunities to network with other churches Phone consultation On-site consultation, training

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Please Stay in Touch!

Key Ministry FoundationRebecca Hamilton, Executive Director

8401 Chagrin Road, Suite 14BChagrin Falls OH 44023Phone: 440/708-4488

rebecca@keyministry.orgwww.keyministry.org