| Churches Care:
Accompanying persons with Mental Illnesses and Addictions
DATES & LOCATIONS:
March 7 and 21 (Lancaster)
OR
May 2, and 16 (Chambersburg)
* Select one location only, must be able to attend both dates.
TIME: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM each day
EVENT DESCRIPTION: Building capacity of churches responding to mental illnesses and addictions. This three-pronged program for church leaders (pastors, parish nurses, social workers or other lay persons) will strengthen churches and communities in their support of people in their congregation who have mental illnesses and addictions.
$120.00 per person and includes: - 2 Saturday training dates
- 15 contact hours (7.5/day)
- Continental breakfast, snacks and lunch both days
- 1 1/2 years (18 months) of on-call professional clinical mental health and addictions guidance to help church leaders address individual needs that arise in their churches
- printed resources for congregational education
Janelle Bitikofer, MSW, LCSWJanelle 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's served in leadership roles in various churches since 1996. Scott Theurer, Certified Recovery SpecialistScott is a person in long term recovery from addiction. He is also a Recovery Support Specialist working within the Center of Excellence Program at T.W. Ponessa and Associates Counseling Services in Lancaster, an opioid treatment and recovery program. He is also a trainer for the GOAL PROJECT, a global organization that assists faith organizations and congregations build sustainable addiction prevention or recovery support ministries. He is the chairperson for the Lancaster County Recovery Alliance, has been involved with the Lancaster County Drug and Alcohol Commission's Advisory Board, Project Lazarus Lancaster, Lancaster County Joining Forces, and is on the Board of Directors with the Elizabethtown area Communities That Care. He works with individuals to establish and maintain recovery from opioid and heroin addictions. Linda E. Witmer, RN, MPH, MSPH, and M.Div.Linda is the Director of the RN-BS in Nursing program at EMU Lancaster. She has 18 years of college-level teaching experience in nursing programs: Linda international experience, serving under both Mennonite Central Committee and Eastern Mennonite Mission with the K'ekchi' Maya 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. |
