MCA Overview

Member Care Associates, Inc.

We provide and develop member care resources
to support mission personnel and their organisations.
We connect and contribute across sectors
to support the wellbeing of all people and the planet.

MCAresources@gmail.com       www.MemberCareAssociates.org
www.COREmembercare.blogspot.com     www.facebook.com/globalintegrators

MCA Overview
Member Care Associates Inc. (MCA) is a Christian non-profit organization working internationally. We focus on wellbeing and effectiveness (WE) for mission, humanitarian, development, and health workers and their organizations; global mental health; ethics and good practice; and integrity/anti-corruption. Our services include consultation, training, research, developing resources, and publications.

MCA Specifics
• Our primary focus is working internationally and across sectors with colleagues to promote health and good practice within the member care field and mission sector.
• We emphasize the need to make quality and relevant resources available for personnel/senders around the world.
• A special priority is to support personnel and sending groups who are focusing on unreached people groups and those affected by human and natural disasters.
• We use the Global Integration framework and the Missio Dei model of Global Member Care to help us connect and contribute in light of the challenges facing humanity (“humanity care”).
• Our consultation and training services have included: staff wellbeing, team building, stress/crisis management, counseling, expatriate/family adjustment, practitioner skills and affiliations, ethics/good practice, integrity/anti-corruption, and global mental health.

MCA Background
Member Care Associates (MCA) began as an informal affiliation of member care colleagues from different organisations in 1995 in the United Kingdom. Many of the colleagues had mental health/counseling backgrounds and connected with MCA in order to provide personal and professional support for each other. Over the years they also worked together on projects focusing on mission/humanitarian personnel: consultation for developing member care programs and affiliations; training and counselling at conferences; field visits for mission/aid personnel; and writing/translating materials. MCA Inc. has been registered as a non-profit corporation in the United States since 2009 and has 501c3 status with the Internal Revenue Service (hence donations in the USA are tax-deductible). Kelly and Michèle O’Donnell coordinate MCA’s work and serve as CEO and COO, respectively. Currently (2025) there are four members on the Board of Directors.

MCA Core Commitments
• Good practice: We are committed to further develop good practice within the member care field, as we cross cultures, sectors, and disciplines in our work.
• Strategic projects: We are committed to work closely together with colleagues on strategic projects to support the overlapping mission, humanitarian, development, and health, sectors.
• Accessible resources: We are committed to make resources accessible broadly to help personnel/groups improve the quality of life of people in needy regions.
• Good practitioners: We are committed to grow as “good practitioners” as we integrate the values of knowledge, virtue, and duty (eruditio, probitas, officium).

About Michèle and Kelly O’Donnell

Dr. Michèle Lewis O’Donnell is a consulting psychologist and COO with Member Care Associates, Inc. She grew up in both the USA and Europe and over the last 33+ years has lived in four European countries. Her professional emphases have included individual and family adjustment in the expatriate community, transition and grief/loss, crisis care, good practice/ethics, global mental health, and integrity/anti-corruption. Michèle studied clinical psychology and theology at Rosemead School of Psychology, Biola University, USA, where she received her doctorate. She enjoys “going broadly” in order to learn, teach, and consult internationally. Her publications include several jointly written articles and resources in the member care/mental health fields including co-editing three foundational member care volumes: Helping Missionaries Grow: Readings in Mental Health and Missions (1988) and volumes two and three in the Global Member Care series: Crossing Sectors for Serving Humanity (2013) and Stories and Strategies for Staying the Course (2024). Michèle has been a representative to the United Nations in Geneva for the World Federation for Mental Health (2016-2021).

Dr. Kelly O’Donnell is a consulting psychologist and CEO of Member Care Associates, Inc. (MCA). He has worked internationally in member care in mission/aid over the past 33+ years, focusing on personal, family, team, and organizational health/effectiveness. He is also actively involved in the field of global mental health and integrity/anti-corruption efforts. Kelly holds graduate degrees in clinical/community psychology including a doctorate from Rosemead School of Psychology, Biola University, USA. His publications include 70+ articles and five books in the member care/mental health fields including Doing Member Care Well: Perspectives and Practices from Around the World (2002) and volumes 1-3 in the Global Member Care series (2011, 2013, 2024). He enjoys providing a steady stream of reflections and resources for good practice via the MCA-related websites. Kelly has been a representative to the United Nations in Geneva and New York for the World Federation for Mental Health (2016-2021).