Health Resources

Individuals and families dealing with mental illness, physical disabilities or cognitive/ behavioral disabilities in Alberta’s Mennonite churches often find themselves challenged to “celebrate God’s love” in the midst of difficult circumstances.   The congregations these families and individuals are a part of may also face challenges in demonstrating God’s love when lack of information or of confidence limits the church’s response. 

The Health Services Resource Team (HSRT) of MCC Alberta hopes to act as a resource to assist families and congregations so that all may celebrate God’s love, regardless of physical, emotional or cognitive ability. 

Our goals in 2006-2007 have continued to focus on education and individual and family support:

• National and local partnerships for advocacy, education and support:
• Continued MCCC Mental Health & Disabilities Network involvement by the HSRT coordinator (monthly conference calls and participation at Canadian Mennonite Health Assembly in Waterloo, ON Oct 2006 and in Winnipeg in Nov 2007; in conjunction with 2007 CMHA, the MH&D network has organized an interdenominational conference to explore possibilities of working together with other faith organizations involved with people with mental health and physical disability issues)
• Networking with MCC AB programs and local mental health and disability community agencies (e.g. Foothills Fetal Alcohol Society)
• Constituent education and resource regarding mental health and physical/ mental disability issues (workshops are planned at request of local congregations; MCCA and MCCC have educational, Sunday school and worship resources available for loan)
• Constituent education regarding Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) (workshop by Harv and Jane Janzen in LaCrete/ other northern AB communities in fall 2006 and spring 2007, FASD presentation to adult Sunday School group in Gem May 2007)
• Support to families in crisis related to FASD, mental illness, physical disability, autism spectrum (continuing support groups facilitated by Harv and Jane related to FASD: grandparent group,  church leader group, family group;  Harv and Jane and Linda met with parents of children with autism and other developmental disabilities at Foothills Mennonite church, Calgary in Feb 2007; involvement with Calgary COSA staff in planning support group for young man with FASD on release from Bowden Penitentiary summer/ fall 2007)

Linda Janzen - Health Resources Team Coordinator