Church Assistance Program

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Description of Services
Program Overview
Telephone Hotline and Consultation
Face-To-Face Consultation
Referral Service
Typical Problems Addressed
Accessibility
Confidentiality
Reporting
Educational Services
Cost

Description of Services
The Church Assistance Program is a contract service of Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services that brings confidential, professional, Christian counseling and education resources to the local church. The program encourages parishioners to deal with the stresses of personal, family, or work-related problems as early as possible and to seek competent help in times of crisis. Our counselors (licensed psychologists and masters level therapists) provide telephone, face-to-face, and referral services.

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Program Overview
Pine Rest's Church Assistance Program is an initial assessment and preventive program. It gives parishioners an avenue to get help with a wide variety of concerns and is a valuable addition to a church's pastoral care.

When churches offer their members a Church Assistance Program, they send two important messages. The first is admitting that Christians do have emotional struggles and problems. The second is recognizing the importance of using appropriate resources to deal with those issues.

Resources include the pastor, the church leadership, and the congregation-at-large. The body of Christ should be a healing, caring, loving community-and can be a therapeutic community.

But there are limits to what the church as a therapeutic community can do. Some people hesitate to confide in a fellow member or pastor. Many situations are beyond the capability of the congregation.

When churches add confidential, professional, Christian counseling to their resources, they enhance their therapeutic potential. Pine Rest's Church Assistance Program offers counselors whose values and theological perspectives are consistent with orthodox Christian beliefs and practices.

Church members need encouragement to use their healing resources-other members, pastors, and Christian counselors. Church leaders need to be active in making those resources available. The Church Assistance Program helps meet those needs.

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Telephone Hotline and Consultation
To initiate: Parishioners call the Hotline telephone number provided 24-hours-a-day, 7-days-a-week. This separate, private telephone line will connect them to a Pine Rest staff. They need only to identify their church.  They also may call their local clinic to schedule an appointment without first calling the Hotline.

Response: The caller will be contacted by a counselor as soon as possible. This professional can help identify a wide variety of problems and offer practical steps for the caller to take.

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Face-To-Face Consultation
If a telephone call is not adequate to help resolve the problem, parishioners may meet with a therapist personally. An appointment will be scheduled as soon as possible, usually within 48 hours. For each problem that occurs, two sessions are available.

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Referral Service
Some problems require further help. If necessary, the counselor will suggest other qualified resources. Pine Rest professionals draw on their network of referral relationships with child, adolescent, and adult services in the community or in the Pine Rest system.

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Typical Problems Addressed

• Marital Difficulties
• Family Stress
• Peer/Dating Struggles
• Depression
• Grief or Loss
• Anger
• Financial Hardship
• Vocational Stress
• substance abuse/addictions
• Self-Esteem Issues
• Aging
• Emotional Distress
• Information Requests

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Accessibility
Church family members, those in their households, and dependent children who may be away from home have 24-hour direct access. There are no gatekeepers, so they have immediate access. In addition, clergy and church leaders can consult with Pine Rest clinicians to gain insight into helping a parishioner.

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Confidentiality
All contacts are strictly confidential. Pine Rest will not release names or specific details without the parishioner's permission. Pine Rest holds your privacy in highest regard.

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Reporting
Pine Rest will send quarterly and year-end reports indicating the number of contacts and general nature of the problems discussed (no specifics).

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Educational Services
The church receives periodic materials on mental health that will educate and remind parishioners to use the Church Assistance Program. Churches also gain access to a wealth of educational materials available on request.

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Cost
A church enters this contract relationship with Pine Rest on a yearly basis. For a reasonable fee, clergy and parishioners gain access to the services included in the Church Assistance Program option the church chooses.

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