1. An Orientation for New Leaders
LDS Family Services
© 2010 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.

2. LDS Family Services
The purpose of this orientation is to help you understand:
The services provided by LDS Family Services.
How to access LDS Family Services.

3. Who has primary responsibility for a member’s social and emotional health?

5. What role can LDS Family Services have in helping Josh and Angela?

6. LDS Family Services has resources that can provide Josh and Angela with such things as:
A face-to-face assessment.
Pregnancy counseling.
Counseling for other issues.
Referral to an LDS 12-step support group.
Consultation with the bishop.
The following screens introduce more about the help available at LDS Family Services.

7. LDS Family Services
LDS Family Services strengthens individuals, couples, and families by providing:
Consultation services
Referrals to appropriate community resources
Gospel-centered counseling services for members
Adoption and birth parent services

8. Consultation Services
LDS Family Services counselors respond to questions from Church leaders regarding the social and emotional well-being of members, including:
General mental health issues.
Marriage and family relationships.
Addiction related problems.
Abuse and domestic violence concerns.
Adoption and birth parent matters.
Treatment plans for Church members.
Community resource referrals.
Counselors are available after hours as well as during business hours.
Call toll-free , ext

9. Community Resource Development and Referral
LDS Family Services assists Church leaders in assessing each adoption, birth parent, or counseling case to determine the resource best suited to satisfy the present needs.
LDS Family Services works with members and Church leaders to locate, review, and recommend trustworthy and professional community resources for member and priesthood leader referrals.

10. Counseling Services for Members
LDS Family Services helps members with social, emotional, and behavioral challenges to find solutions within a gospel perspective. Issues addressed include marital and family relations, addiction, depression, same-gender attraction, anxiety, abuse, and grieving.
LDS Family Services strives to:
Assess clients’ needs and treat or refer clients to qualified community resources when appropriate.
Assess the quality and success of the counseling rendered.
Learn more about the services below on the next slides in this presentation.
Addiction Recovery Program
Strengthening Marriage
Strengthening the Family

11. Addiction Recovery Program
Twelve-step addiction recovery meetings help Church members successfully live in recovery from addiction. Types of addictions include:
Alcohol
Drugs (both prescription and illegal)
Tobacco
Coffee and tea
Pornography
Inappropriate sexual behavior
Gambling
Codependency
Disorders associated with eating
A Guide to Addiction Recovery and Healing is available in several languages on along with a list of locations for addiction recovery support groups.
In the guide, the Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous have been adapted into a framework of the doctrines, principles, and beliefs of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

12. Strengthening Marriage
Strengthening Marriage is a new course designed to help couples develop and maintain an enriching relationship in a marriage. The course covers six topics to help couples identify areas to improve in their marriages:
Applying Gospel Principles
Communicating with Love
Fostering Equality and Unity
Overcoming Anger
Resolving Conflict
Enriching Marriage
This course is taught at LDS Family Services agencies and by volunteer instructors in wards and stakes under the direction of LDS Family Services. Resource guides are available in English, Spanish, and Portuguese.

13. Strengthening the Family
Strengthening the Family is a new course designed to help parents understand principles of effective parenting, improve parenting skills, rear happy and successful children, and foster harmonious and loving relationships in the home. The course covers nine topics:
Parenting Principles and Practices
Understanding Child Development
Communicating with Love
Nurturing Children
Fostering Confidence
Overcoming Anger
Resolving Conflict
Teaching Responsible Behavior
Applying Consequences
This course is taught at LDS Family Services agencies and by volunteer instructors in wards and stakes under the direction of LDS Family Services.

14. Pregnancy Counseling and Adoption Services
Pregnancy counseling is designed to:
Promote the best interests of children.
Promote counseling options for expectant parents.
Adoption services is designed to:
Promote adoption and emphasize the eternal nature of the family.
Provide adoption casework for adoptive families.
Learn more about the services below on the next slides in this presentation.
First Presidency Statement on Adoption
Services for Expectant Parents
Services for Adoptive Couples
“It’s About Love” Web Site

16. Services for Expectant Parents
Services provided to expectant parents and families include:
Free, confidential counseling.
Free support services.
Options and pregnancy counseling (marriage, single parenting, and adoption).
Support groups (where available).
Medical and legal assistance, if necessary.
Individualized adoption planning (open to closed adoptions, face-to-face meetings, and correspondence after placement with adoptive couple).
Call for a referral to the nearest office.

17. Services for Adoptive Couples
Services provided to prospective adoptive couples include:
An in-depth qualification process prior to approval for adoption.
Adoption and parenting education classes and support groups.
A wide range of adoption plans.
Adoption placement services.
Call for a referral to the nearest office.

18. Help for prospective adoptive couples
Help for expectant parents
Help for professionals and Church Leaders
Itsaboutlove.org

19. No one is immune to challenges in this life
No one is immune to challenges in this life. When social or emotional problems arise, counsel and support from family members, Church leaders, and other qualified individuals can often help a person become self-reliant.
How can you access the resources of LDS Family Services?

20. Authorization
Bishops can complete the Bishop’s Authorization for Services form to authorize access to LDS Family Services. This will be helpful if some services are being financially supported from ward fast offerings. The form (31480) can be ordered from Distribution Services.
Members can also directly contact LDS Family Services without going to the bishop first.
A sample of the form is shown on the next slide in this presentation.

22. Assessment and Follow-Up
LDS Family Services will conduct an initial assessment and then contact the bishop to provide a follow-up when the individual has agreed to a release of information.

23. Listen to some LDS Family Services patrons and staff as they share their feelings about their challenges and experiences.
If you wish, share your own feelings about LDS Family Services.
Counseling Recipients
Counselor

24. Listen to some LDS Family Services patrons and staff as they share their feelings about their challenges and experiences.
If you wish, share your own feelings about LDS Family Services.
Counseling Recipients
Counselor

25. Listen to some LDS Family Services patrons and staff as they share their feelings about their challenges and experiences.
If you wish, share your own feelings about LDS Family Services.
Counseling Recipients
Counselor

26. If available, distribute copies of this handout to participants.

27. This concludes this orientation,
“LDS Family Services”