Community CRC offers all members and regular attenders access to free professional Christian counselling through Shalem Mental Health Network’s Congregational Assistance Plan (CAP).
To book an appointment or to ask any questions, call Shalem at 1-866-347-0041 or email office@shalemnetwork.org. Mention that you attend Community CRC and are using the CAP program. An intake staff will ask you a few questions to determine the issues(s) about which you are seeking counselling and to note any specific requests, such as virtual or in-person. You will then have a first appointment set up with the appropriate CAP counsellor/therapist.
Services include individual, couple, family, and group counselling. All services are confidential.
Why do we have CAP at Community CRC? CAP is part of a larger effort to help each other more fully become God’s community. Through CAP we can make counseling services available for everyone in the church. From time to time all of us are faced with difficulties. This may be a situation related to family, marriage, grief, depression, anxiety, etc. If this happens to you, CAP offers professional Christian counseling support. CAP is part of a range of responses to the biblical command that we care for each other and bear each other’s burdens. The services provided by CAP counsellors and therapists will enable all persons to gain the healing and strength that they need to more fully participate in Community CRC.
How does CAP work?
Are there any fees for me to use CAP, and what if I would like to receive continued support beyond what CAP covers?
• Please note: that if at the end of 6 sessions you are still experiencing much difficulty, do not have any other coverage, and are not in a financial position to cover the cost of further counselling, please make this known to your therapist. Shalem recognizes that financial hardship may be a barrier for some people. The therapist can consult with Shalem regarding an approval for a possible extension of CAP covered services.
What if I cannot keep my appointment as booked? If you are unable to attend a scheduled appointment, please notify your CAP therapist directly at least 24 hours before your session, otherwise your therapist may use one of your 6 CAP sessions to cover the cost of the first missed appointment. Any subsequent missed appointments are not covered by CAP and the therapist may require you to pay them a no show fee. If you are unable to reach your therapist, you may contact Shalem to help assist you with contacting him or her.
What if I want to see a different therapist? If you find after the first or second meeting that there is not a good fit between yourself and the therapist, please contact the Shalem office at 1-866-347-0041, to request another CAP therapist.
Who is eligible for CAP? If your church membership is with Community CRC then you are eligible for participation in CAP. If you have been attending Community regularly and have been identified as so by Community staff then you are also eligible. Contact the Church Office if you are wondering if you are eligble.
How do I gain access to a CAP session and for how many sessions am I covered? Contacting Shalem for CAP sessions is easy. Call (toll free) 1-866-347-0041 to begin the process. CAP specializes in short-term therapy and you are covered for up to 6 sessions per year per case, if required. Within those 6 sessions you and your counsellor will identify the problem and develop a program of treatment. If, at the end of the 6 sessions you wish to continue receiving further counselling support, you are welcome to do so and may use any Employee Assistance Plan or insurance coverage available to you, or you may contract with your counsellor independently on a fee-for-service basis. A full allotment of CAP covered sessions is also available each new calendar year for those who wish continued counselling support. Please note, however, that should imminent support be needed in the same year and if cost is prohibitive, you may be eligible for extended coverage through CAP.
Will my church or anyone else be given any information about my counselling appointments?
No personal identifying information will be provided to your church or anyone else regarding your inquiry or use of CAP.
On a quarterly basis Shalem will provide the church with non-identifying statistical information, helping churches to see how CAP is being used and to better understand congregational needs.
No information about you will be released to anyone without your written consent, except in the event of the following special circumstances where the therapist or Shalem may be obligated to release information:
If we believe you or someone else is in imminent danger of physical harm and information we have might prevent it.
If a child under 16 is reported to be at possible risk of harm and may be in need of protection.
If we are subpoenaed by a court of law.
How else will CAP benefit Community CRC? Shalem Mental Health Network, the organization which is providing CAP, will issue quarterly reports to the church leadership as to which kinds of problems led Community members to use CAP. Note that these reports do not identify individuals. Rather, the church leadership will use these reports to inform sermon topics and other educational programs. Finally, by understanding ourselves in this way we can more clearly comprehend what God is doing at Community and how there may be more ways in which Community can speak the Good News to our cities and regions (i.e., working through our mental health needs may awaken us to the mental health needs within our communities).
What if I have more questions about CAP? Contact the Church Office. Alternatively, you can always call Shalem directly, toll-free, at 1-866-347-0041.
How can I help Shalem Mental Health Network? To help us to continue to evaluate and provide the best service possible, Shalem values the input of all who have used CAP. Following your last CAP appointment we will send a brief questionnaire to the email address you provided, requesting your feedback regarding your overall experience of CAP. Your participation in this service evaluation is voluntary but much appreciated. We hope that your use of CAP will be a blessing to you.