When the story broke on Dec. 11, 2012, that a counselor working for the Alabama Baptist Children’s Homes & Family Ministries (ABCH) had been charged with sex abuse of an adult client, there was fear the incident could result in serious fallout for the Alabama Baptist ministry. A month later it appears that Alabama Baptists and others have recognized the situation for what it is — an isolated incident.
During its 18 years of existence, Pathways Professional Counseling, the counseling arm of ABCH, has earned a well-deserved reputation for the quality of the Christian counseling it provides as well as for the quality of the counselors it employs. During the past month that general appraisal evidently helped shield the ministry from negative fallout caused by newspaper headlines.
The outstanding reputation of the counseling program is not an accident. ABCH has been determined in its efforts to employ people who are superior both individually and professionally from the very beginning. The founder of the program was Rod Marshall, who now serves as president of the ABCH organization.
Every counselor goes through a rigorous screening program. National, state and local criminal records are checked. Fingerprints are submitted to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Alabama Bureau of Investigation for screening. Databases for sex offenders, child abuse and neglect are checked.
Candidates also must successfully complete a battery of screenings assessing their skills, temperament, leadership style, communications style, thinking style, personal motivators and more.
Marshall said he knows of no other local agency that does a more thorough evaluation of its employees than Pathways. He recalled several candidates withdrew from consideration because the screening process was so demanding.
Each counselor also must agree to work with the core values of the ministry that note the impact of sin on individuals and that forgiveness of sin is available “only through the gift of grace through Christ,” among other statements.
Once employed, counselors participate in weekly staff meetings. They evaluate one another’s cases while protecting client confidentiality. They participate in continuing education programs. All is designed to provide clients with the best counseling possible.
Marshall said even the partnerships with Baptist associations are designed to enhance the positive reputation of the counseling program. Each of the 35 Baptist associations now partnering with Pathways is required to offer a place for the counseling where there is a window in the door to the office that allows one to see what is going on inside at any time. Also, no client must ever be alone in the building with a counselor. That is a protection for the client as well as the counselor, Marshall pointed out.
Alabama Baptists can be assured that ABCH goes to great lengths to discourage and prevent charges like the Dec. 11 incident from ever occurring because one charge is one too many.
Still, to engage in ministry is to make oneself or one’s church or organization vulnerable. Unfortunately no matter how hard one tries to avoid them, misunderstandings and mistakes still happen.
Today, Pathways Professional Counseling has 18 counselors, most of them full-time. In 2012 more than 3,000 individuals were seen by Pathways counselors. Most of these were referred by Baptist pastors.
One reason Pathways receives so many referrals is its fee base. Clients are charged based on their ability to pay. The average per-hour charge is only a fraction of the fair market value of counseling in the Birmingham area, which ranges between $90 and $110 per hour. And while most clients pay something for the help they receive, counseling fees do not generate enough funds to cover the $1.3 million budget of Pathways. The program is supplemented by funds from Alabama Baptist churches and other sources.
Another reason for the referrals is the expertise of the counselors themselves. Nonprofit entities in Alabama do not have to have licensed professional counselors to do counseling in the state. However, Pathways uses only credentialed and licensed or license-eligible counselors. Again this is a purposeful decision designed to increase the credibility of the counseling provided by Pathways. Currently 14 of the 18 counselors are professional licensed counselors. The others are in the process of obtaining their licenses.
Marshall said ABCH has more registered play therapists than any other entity in the state. This results in referrals from doctors, schools, lawyers and judges as well as pastors. “They know we are well trained and well equipped,” Marshall said during a recent interview.
Officials estimated that children, adolescent, adult and family counseling each totaled about 25 percent of the counseling provided by Pathways during 2012. The wide range of expertise provides Baptist pastors with great resources for their members.
ABCH is trying to learn from the Dec. 11 experience. They are working with outside authorities as well as with internal teams to review their policies and procedures from recruitment to internal supervision. They cooperated with civil authorities and have been forthright in providing information about the situation for Alabama Baptists.
The incident that initiated this review is unfortunate but it does not detract from the confidence Alabama Baptists have in ABCH and Pathways Professional Counseling. Pathways remains a professional, Christian ministry providing counseling that brings hope and healing to individuals and families. It remains a great resource for Baptists of Alabama as well as a ministry worthy of support through prayers and the pocketbook.
Share with others: