Samaritan Counseling Centers

Samaritan Counseling Centers (SCC) of Greater Birmingham is a nonprofit agency that is willing to partner with churches to help meet the ever-growing need for counseling in our congregations. Today's pastors are often thrust into the counseling role, sometimes with little time or preparation to adequately meet the needs. Counseling can be time-consuming, and a church member may need more time than a minister is able to give.

In 1979, SCC was created in the Baptist hospitals of Montclair and Princeton to help churches meet this critical need. Today, SCC partners with local congregations to provide ministers with assistance in the important area of Christian counseling through the CAP program.

Congregational Assistance Program (CAP)

What is CAP?

The Congregational Assistance Program (CAP) is a supportive ministry that provides counseling services and life enrichment education for pastors and members of congregations through a contractual relationship with Samaritan Counseling Centers.

Through the Congregational Assistance Program, your church can select a care plan to fit your need and budget. The economic challenges of today, family issues, illness, and everyday stresses of life are a few of the many things that remind us that some members in every church will probably have a need for Christian counseling during the year. When a church has a line item in the church budget to provide for CAP, members can receive a systematic care ministry. You can be assured that licensed, caring, Christian counselors will do their very best to minister in Christ’s name. As your partner, SCC will become adjunct members of your ministry team.

How does CAP work?

CAP provides members of your congregation, or anyone the pastor refers, with counseling sessions at a Samaritan Counseling Center. Depending on the CAP Level chosen by the church, the sessions are on a free or reduced-fee basis. The pastor may refer members to SCC, then they contact us directly to make an appointment. The sessions are confidential and the pastor receives a monthly report on the number of sessions members have attended. No names are provided unless a release form is signed by the member.

Samaritan Counseling Center is here when congregation members need to talk to someone about the crises, situations and stresses in life. With licensed counselors, our program gives easy access to professional and confidential help with issues that impact personal, family, and work life. This benefit is available for any number of issues, including but not limited to:

Relationships
Child and elder-care
Stress, anxiety and depression
Alcohol and drug abuse and addictions
Domestic violence and anger
Divorce, remarriage and step-parenting
Grief
Work or church issues

With the new year on the horizon, now can be the perfect time to discuss and consider the best plan for your church. This ministry can be designated as a line item in the church budget, perhaps as a part of benevolence ministries or pastoral care. A study done by Georgia Family Council revealed that 40% of people who are seeking help go to the church to find it.

Here are some advantages of choosing a CAP plan:

It is more cost effective for the church than establishing a staff position for counseling at your church with salary, benefits, etc.
It provides reputable, reliable and less expensive access to counseling for your congregation.
It enables the pastor to provide quality pastoral care and still perform the many tasks of leading the congregation.
It encourages members to seek help when needed.
The church makes a positive statement about the importance of strong marriages, healthy family life, and creative parenting as it partners with SCC.
CAP helps people at points of real need and therefore becomes part of the congregation’s mission outreach.
It helps to avoid situations in which members may decide to leave the church because they regret revealing to the pastor too much of their hurts, feelings, and problems.
It creates a firewall to better protect the church from legal issues and law suits.

CAP Plans

SCC offers four levels of participation. The cost is determined by the CAP plan the church decides to select for a period of one year. The benefits provided by SCC are paid through the contractual agreement between your church and Samaritan Counseling Centers. Each month, the church pays one-twelfth of the annual CAP fee.

COMPREHENSIVE PLAN

Anyone referred by the pastor receives 6 individual or 12 couple/family counseling sessions without a fee.
The church is entitled to receive 6 one-hour educational seminars or workshops during the year, on a variety of topics.
$17 per active member.

ENHANCED PLAN

Anyone referred by the pastor receives 6 individual or 12 couple/family sessions for a co-pay of $25 per session.
The church is entitled to receive 3 one-hour educational seminars or workshops during the year, on a variety of topics.
$10 per active member.

PRIMARY PLAN

Anyone referred by the pastor receives 3 individual or couple/family sessions for a co-pay of $25 per session.
The church is entitled to receive 1 one-hour educational seminar or workshop during the year, on a variety of topics.
$4 per active member.

BASIC PLAN

Anyone referred by the pastor receives 1 individual or couple/family session for a co-pay of $25.
$400 per church.

ALL CAP PLANS INCLUDE:

Timely scheduling of appointments. Our goal is to see your congregation member within two days. In crisis situations, we do our best to see the client the same day.
Access to trauma response teams. In case of a disaster or trauma, our team of trained counselors could be scheduled to come to your church and conduct a debriefing that allows participants to begin the healing process.
Access to several office locations throughout the greater Birmingham area, with the convenience of one central telephone number for appointments (205.967.3660).

Caring People, Caring for You, and Your Congregation

Please call Jim Branum today at 205.587.8838 to discover how you can get started.