The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ Matthew 25:40 I want to challenge us to think about who is the “least of these.” I believe that the answer to this question is relative. We may have very different definitions based on how God has opened our individual eyes to the needs/needy in our world. Some would answer that children are the least of these, some would say the homeless, others might say orphans, and still others might say the poor. Every answer is correct based on the awareness of needs that God has placed on each of our hearts.
I want to challenge those of us in the mental health arena to consider the question, “Who is the ‘least of these’?” through the lens of who is the most under-served by mental health services. I propose that individuals with developmental and/or physical disabilities are greatly under-served by the mental health community. These individuals have emotional and mental health struggles like anyone else. They experience grief and loss, trauma, abuse, abandonment, depression, anxiety, fear, aging and health issues, and the list goes on and yet there are very few mental health service providers that are trained and equipped to serve these precious people. I am a Qualified Mental Retardation Professional (QMRP). In addition to my traditional clients, I also serve individuals who have developmental or severe physical disabilities. Serving these special people presents many unique challenges for the mental health professional. Traditional therapy/counseling techniques are less than effective simply because of the disabilities themselves. There is a tremendous need for mental health professionals to serve people with developmental and/or physical disabilities. If God has opened your eyes to the needs of and given you a heart of compassion for these dear ones, I want to encourage you to make a conscious effort to take advantage of training that is available to your through H2H. Please contact us to schedule a training seminar for you and your colleagues on this very important topic. For information on available training on this very important topic, please call 815-796-2207 for more details. We look forward to hearing from you!
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Sandy EgleSandy is the founder and executive director of the H2H ministry. Archives
November 2021
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