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the CHURCHES CARE PROGRAM

Girl with hands clasped against forehead in prayer.

The Churches Care Program

  Accompanying persons experiencing  mental illnesses and addiction/SUD

Empowering churches to support & Assist People experiencing mental illnesses and addictioN/sud.

Broader and deeper than 'Mental Health First Aid,' the  Churches Care program will help you and your church support  individuals and families with knowledge, understanding,  reduced stigma, and hands-on strategies to promote improved  long-term positive mental health and sobriety.   

WHY THE CHURCHES CARE PROGRAM?

25% of people who experience a mental illness in the U.S. say the first place they sought help was not a counselor's office, doctor's office, or clinic -- it was a local church. But many churches  and church leaders say they are not adequately prepared to respond to these needs.  

What is the Churches Care Program?

The Churches Care Program is an initiative that strengthens the ability of churches to support  and empower individuals and families experiencing a mental health or addiction struggle. The program  provides intensive training and support for churches, church leaders, and health professionals in churches, to increase their ability  to support, assist, empower, and refer to effective mental health or addictions treatment, people in their congregations and communities who are in need. 

Who can participate?

This comprehensive program for church leaders (pastors, parish nurses, nurses, social workers/counselors or other lay leaders in churches) will strengthen churches  in their support of people in their congregation or community who experience mental illnesses and addictions.

  

If you or your group are interested in the Churches Care Online Course, email health-team@weriseinternational.org.

Training

Training

Training

14 individuals of mixed diversity and gender standing or sitting at a table in a conference room.

  Church leaders (pastors, lay leaders, and church-connected health & mental health professionals)  receive  2.5-days of 

in-person training or 18 hours of online training on mental illnesses & addictions/SUD. 


1.8 Clergy CEUs available from Brethren Academy.

Guidance

Training

Training

Woman holding paper and  eye glasses in conversation with the man across from her.

Professional clinical mental health and addictions guidance from a licensed counselor helps church leaders respond to individual needs that arise in their churches and communities.


Referral guidance, support strategies, and more.

Linking

Networking

Networking

10 hands, each reflecting a different ethnicity, grasping the wrist next to it, forming a circle.

  Participating church leaders learn about mental health and addiction/SUD treatment agencies, halfway houses, and support programs, to increase church leaders’ knowledge of local treatment resources, and their ability to refer and connect individuals in their church and community to effective treatment and support.

Networking

Networking

Networking

4 diverse women talking while sitting at two small round tables.

  Interact and Network with other participating church leaders (pastors, lay leaders or health professionals) in your cohort to share resources and lessons learned.

Resources

Assessment

Assessment

Hands using a cell phone while at a desk and in front of a laptop, notepad, and mug.

  Diverse mental health and addiction/SUD resources will increase your knowledge and help you create a resource and referral list for  your church congregation.
 


Assessment

Assessment

Assessment

Empty Christian church sanctuary with several pews and a cross front and center.

  Church Assessment and Consultation
 

Supplementary to the course, this confidential congregational questionnaire helps each church identify areas of strength and areas for growth in how their congregation perceives the church is supporting people experiencing mental illnesses or addictions. Church leaders receive a confidential results report and in-person consultation to help them understand and respond to the results.

PRESENTERS

Headshot of Janelle Bitikofer. Caucasian female with dark, long, curly hair and glasses.

Janelle Bitikofer, MSW, LCSW

Jannah Welcome, Trauma Trainer and Facilitator

Janelle Bitikofer, MSW, LCSW

  Janelle Bitikofer, MSW, LCSW is a mental health and addictions counselor and educator with more than twenty years of experience assisting individuals and families. She has worked in all levels of mental health and addictions treatment, from psychiatric hospitals and inpatient drug treatment programs to outpatient counseling and emergenc

  Janelle Bitikofer, MSW, LCSW is a mental health and addictions counselor and educator with more than twenty years of experience assisting individuals and families. She has worked in all levels of mental health and addictions treatment, from psychiatric hospitals and inpatient drug treatment programs to outpatient counseling and emergency response services. Janelle is the Executive Director of We Rise International and the author of “Streetlights” a mental health and addictions guidebook for Christians. She has served in leadership roles in various churches since 1996.

Headshot of Mark Troyer. Caucasian male with short, straight grey hair and glasses.

Mark Troyer, Lay Leader

Jannah Welcome, Trauma Trainer and Facilitator

Janelle Bitikofer, MSW, LCSW

  Mark Troyer is an accountant and a lay leader at two churches.  He is part of a house church plant in State College, PA and serves as an online host for Calvary Church in Boalsburg, PA (where he has also helped with men's ministry).  He provides volunteer accounting support to City Church Ministries (an association of churches in the St

  Mark Troyer is an accountant and a lay leader at two churches.  He is part of a house church plant in State College, PA and serves as an online host for Calvary Church in Boalsburg, PA (where he has also helped with men's ministry).  He provides volunteer accounting support to City Church Ministries (an association of churches in the State College area). Mark enjoys spending time with his wife and young daughter, songwriting and playing music (influenced by Sara Groves and Bob Dylan), and studying the Bible and theology. 

Headshot of Jannah Welcome. Black/African American female with dark, long, curly hair and big smile.

Jannah Welcome, Trauma Trainer and Facilitator

Jannah Welcome, Trauma Trainer and Facilitator

Jannah Welcome, Trauma Trainer and Facilitator

Jannah Welcome is a Big Leap Certified Coach with the Hendricks Institute; Trainer & healing group Facilitator with the Trauma Healing Institute; and Founder of Sound Happiness, helping individuals live free from the effects of trauma.

PRESENTERS

Headshot of Carmen Nahir Medina. Hispanic female with long, straight dark hair.

Carmen Nahir Medina, Certified Family Recovery Specialist

Carmen Nahir Medina, Certified Family Recovery Specialist

Carmen Nahir Medina, Certified Family Recovery Specialist

  Carmen Nahir Medina is a Certified Family Recovery Specialist who works as a Case Manager for individuals experiencing Substance Use Disorder at the Naaman Center in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. She is the Board Director and Presenter on addictions and families for the GOAL Project (Global Addiction Recovery Partners), an addiction educatio

  Carmen Nahir Medina is a Certified Family Recovery Specialist who works as a Case Manager for individuals experiencing Substance Use Disorder at the Naaman Center in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. She is the Board Director and Presenter on addictions and families for the GOAL Project (Global Addiction Recovery Partners), an addiction education organization. Carmen serves as a church youth leader and part-time missionary, and she is passionate about assisting Spanish communities and others with substance use disorder, encouraging them to make positive changes in their lives. With over seven years of professional experience, and personal experience with addiction in her family, Carmen's motivation is to educate the community and church to understand and respond to the disease of Substance Use Disorder.

Headshot of Scott Theurer. Caucasian male, bald and wearing a purple button down.

Scott Theurer, Certified Recovery Specialist

Carmen Nahir Medina, Certified Family Recovery Specialist

Carmen Nahir Medina, Certified Family Recovery Specialist

Scott Theurer is a native of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania and a man in long-term recovery from substance use disorder. For the past several years he has been involved in the recovery advocacy movement in Lancaster County which works to strengthen recovery within individuals and our various communities. As Chairperson of The Lancaster Co

Scott Theurer is a native of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania and a man in long-term recovery from substance use disorder. For the past several years he has been involved in the recovery advocacy movement in Lancaster County which works to strengthen recovery within individuals and our various communities. As Chairperson of The Lancaster County Recovery Alliance since 2015, Scott has been involved with the creation of Joining Forces Lancaster and Project Lazarus Lancaster County. He is also part of the team presenting the annual Recovery Day Lancaster event in September.


Most recently Scott has consulted for the Pennsylvania Certification Board with a team of peers reviewing CRS testing curriculum and with the Donegal Substance Abuse Alliance on a program designed for recovering individuals who are re-entering communities after an incarceration. Scott is the Director of Recovery Environments for R3 House/ R3 Recovery Services a residential recovery program in Lancaster PA.

Headshot of Linda Witmer. Caucasian female with short, straight grey hair and glasses.

Linda Witmer, RN, MPH, MSPH, MDiv.

Carmen Nahir Medina, Certified Family Recovery Specialist

Linda Witmer, RN, MPH, MSPH, MDiv.

 Linda Witmer is the past Director of the RN-BS in Nursing program at Eastern Mennonite University Lancaster. She has 18 years of college-level teaching experience in nursing programs. Linda has worked internationally, serving under both Mennonite Central Committee and Eastern Mennonite Mission with the K’ekchi’ Maya people in Guatemala. 

 Linda Witmer is the past Director of the RN-BS in Nursing program at Eastern Mennonite University Lancaster. She has 18 years of college-level teaching experience in nursing programs. Linda has worked internationally, serving under both Mennonite Central Committee and Eastern Mennonite Mission with the K’ekchi’ Maya people in Guatemala.  Her work as a community health nurse in Coatesville, PA led to the initiation of Bridge of Hope, Inc. a non-profit organization serving homeless women and children. Linda is also a trained spiritual director and leads retreats. She is involved in leadership roles at Laurel Street Mennonite Church .

Registration Fee and What you receive:

Participants Receive

18-hours of training available in-person or online include:

  • Knowledge and skills for responding to mental illnesses &  addiction.
  • Stigma reduction strategies to strengthen the ability of your congregation to support people who  are experiencing  mental illnesses and addictions.
  • Tools to increase your ability and confidence for providing appropriate and effective referrals. 
  • Educational resources that include diverse mental health and addiction/SUD agencies  to empower you to link people effectively to support and treatment
  • Networking with cohort church leaders
  • 1.8 Clergy CEUs available from Brethren Academy

Registration Fee

$149.00 per participant. Group discounts available.  

Testimonials

Pastor Todd Gusler

 "As a pastor, this is the type of resource on mental health that I have been looking for."  

Pastor Leslie Homer-Catell

 "Your training and support made a huge difference for us!" 

J. Christophel, Nurse

"It would be good for everyone in the church to have this kind of training."

Patti Jo Hibshman, church staff member

 "Great information and practical for use in my church and community."  

P. Stratten, church addictions ministry

 "Very helpful in discussing how to serve our parish members...concrete thoughts and suggestions on how to educate the parish and reduce stigma associated with substance use disorders and mental illnesses." 

Pastor Janet Newett

"Thank you so much for this opportunity and the heart of compassion you inspire in others through this program!"


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