Affiliation
Counseling programs interested in joining the Samaritan
Institute and its network of affiliated Centers typically evaluate the
viability of affiliation through the following four steps.
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A center's executive director decides if he or
she is seriously interested in investigating the value of their center
being part of the Samaritan network. This is done through reading
information on the website, particularly The Benefits of Samaritan
Affiliation and discussing this possibility with representatives
of its administrative staff and board.
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Once the executive director decides to continue
with the evaluation process, he or she contacts R.J. Ross, Samaritan
Institute president. If following an exchange of phone calls and/or
emails there continues to be sufficient interest, R.J. will meet with
the center's staff, board, and other representatives. The purpose
of the meeting is for the two organizations to learn more about each
other and determine if an affiliation is viable for both the center
and Institute. The trip is at the Institute's expense.
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Assuming an affiliation is feasible and of interest
to both organizations, the executive director then attends a director
orientation program in Denver to learn more detail about Institute
services and how to best use them.
-
After the orientation program the executive director
and/or board members do reference checks with representative Samaritan
Center executive directors and board presidents. The Institute completes
its reference checks of the proposed center. Upon completion of the
reference checks, the board makes a final decision.
While the affiliation decision may be determined prior
to attending a director orientation program, an onsite visit by the Samaritan
Institute is required. The success of the association is dependent upon
active support and use by affiliated participants. These affiliation steps
have proven worth the investment of time and money. Centers seldom disaffiliate
from the Samaritan network due to unmet expectations or expense.
Benefits
of Affiliation
Starting a New Center
During its 35 year history, the Institute has started 75 Centers and has helped in the development of an additional 88 established programs that affiliated with the Samaritan network. The experience and resources of the Institute greatly enhance the likelihood of a Center’s success.
Opening a new Samaritan Center normally requires 18 –
24 months. This includes forming a board, incorporating as a 501(c)3 organization,
fundraising, recruiting an executive director, securing office space,
and marketing. The Institute charges a set fee per month plus travel expense
for 3 – 4 onsite visits. The fee includes all consultation and materials.
The first phase in starting a new Samaritan Center is
to investigate interest level, need, and potential support. There are
normally three steps:
-
Someone interested in having a counseling center
and willing to provide leadership for the investigation phase should
become familiar with Samaritan Centers. This information is available
at several locations on the Institute's website plus there are downlinks
to many of the Centers' websites.
-
The Samaritan Center information is then shared
with congregational and community leaders to see if they believe
a program is needed.
-
After receiving a positive response from the preliminary
evaluation, the leader contacts R.J. Ross, Samaritan Institute president,
to discuss the next phase.
The Institute does not charge for its assistance with the investigative
phase.
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09/09/04
