Information For Church Leaders

Family Services provides a variety of support services to assist church leaders as they help members pursue a life consistent with eternal gospel principles. (Refer to the Church leader Guide to Family Services)

Consultation Services 

Family Services provides a variety of support services to assist church leaders as they help members to pursue a life consistent with eternal gospel principles.  

Church leaders may contact Family Services to seek advice about individual members who are experiencing social, emotional, and mental health challenges. Possible interventions and solutions may be discussed. 

Church leaders may invite Family Services to participate in Stake Self-Reliance Committee meetings, Bishops Welfare Committee meetings, trainings, workshops or devotionals to educate and assist members and/or leaders to better understand and support members dealing with any social, emotional, behavioural and relationship challenges.  

Church leaders may invite Family Services to identify and develop church, professional or community resources to assist church leaders and members with specific local challenges. 

Church leaders are encouraged to refer to the resources in the Gospel Library app (Life Help & Individuals and Families) and Counselling Resources at ChurchofJesusChrist.org. Other links to Church resources are provided in the Church Leader Resource Guide to Family Services. For more training view Family Services General Leader Training powerpoint presentation.

Counselling Services  

The Melbourne Family Services office provides leaders with resource lists of professional counsellors/psychologists in each area. Resource lists are available for Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania, and the Riverina Stake. Members from other areas may access counselling via the internet or telephone. If you do not have a current resource list of counsellors, please contact Family Services. The professionals on these referral lists have been screened to ensure they have appropriate qualifications, membership in a professional counselling body, professional indemnity insurance, current or sufficient supervised practice experience, and are willing to be respectful of the beliefs of Church members. Most of the counselling professionals on the resource lists are Church members. Leaders who are aware of other Church member professionals or suitable non-member counselling or mental health professionals should provide this information to Family Services for screening and addition to the existing referral network.  

Family Services Counselling

Some counselling and consultation services are provided directly by Family Services. Primary areas of counselling and support focus on missionary services (i.e. pre-mission assessments, in-field and early release counselling), current sexual abuse case consultation (after the leader has consulted with the Area Leader Child Abuse Helpline) , complex or sensitive sexual/gender matters, church leader orientation (including firesides and other presentations), and consultation (advice and support to church leaders). Requests for these services should be directed to the Melbourne Family Services Office. 

Missionary Services 

Pre-Mission Assessments: Priesthood leaders may request a Pre-Mission Assessment (PMA) to assist them in determining the emotional or psychological readiness or suitability of a prospective missionary candidate before they recommend that candidate for missionary service. PMAs gather detailed information through relevant testing and interview of the missionary candidate. The PMA may highlight the need for further specific preparation to be made or for more time to be taken to minimise the risk of mental health complications arising in the mission field. PMAs are completed at no cost to the missionary candidate.

Early Release (ER) Missionaries:  Full-time proselyting missionaries who return home early due to psychological or emotional challenges, may be assessed by Family Services to determine their treatment needs and assist the ER missionary, their family, and leaders to access appropriate services for them. When referred to an appropriate community resource, the first six sessions should be paid for by local unit fast offering funds or by the Missionary Department insurer when authorised by the Missionary Department. 

Use of Local Mental Health and Other Community Resources

It is quite appropriate for church members to use a range of community services when necessary. “Leaders may…help members receive assistance through community and government agencies” (General Handbook, 22.2.4.5). Members may receive Fast Offering financial assistance to cover the cost of medical or mental health services as determined by the Bishop (General Handbook, 22.6.6). Members who are receiving effective services from community resources should be encouraged to continue to receive this support. Government and community organisations are often in a better place to provide longer term help for members with chronic mental health conditions. Family Services may assist Church leaders to identify community resources.

Emergency Mental Health 

Family Services provides specialised services following a disaster or critical incident (such as suicide) at the request of, and in consultation with, Church leaders. Services may include consultation and assessment, crisis intervention and counselling, and resource development and referral. All services are designed to build emotional self-reliance in those affected by the disaster or critical incident. 

Family Services (Melbourne Office) Contact:
Name: Peter Howell
Phone: 0415 694 646
Email: howellpe@ChurchofJesusChrist.org