Overview of Services

Following the mandate of the Army mission to “preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ and meet human needs in His name without discrimination” the Territorial Social Services Department exists to:

• Provide consultation, evaluation and staff development to assist in the administration of divisional and local social service ministries
• Provide counseling and search assistance in an effort to reunite individuals and families
• Provide advocacy, information and referral services and Bible study correspondence courses to incarcerated persons

This is accomplished through the provision of services to the field which include:

Orientation and Staff Development:  Development of specialized curriculum for in-service training; conducting annual and bi-annual seminars related to Salvation Army social service ministry; targeted consultative services; technical assistance to divisional and local staff; presentation of issues, programs and ministries to various constituencies, including cadets at the College for Officer Training.

Program Consultation, Development and Evaluation:  Program consultants work with the field on matters of program development, compliance with Salvation Army program standards, program changes, troubleshooting and other issues.  Program consultants, as well as contracted professionals and peer reviewers, conduct Program Evaluation and Certification of all major Salvation Army social service programs on a regular basis. 

Mission Action Council:  The Social Services Department oversees the Territorial Mission Action Council (TMAC) process which evaluates proposals for implementing new programs or significantly changing existing programs.  TMAC is charged with giving approval or, as appropriate, making recommendation for approval to administration on all proposals requiring review by the Territory.

Contract Processing:  All contracts with federal, state and local governments, as well as some private sector agreements, for funding, partnerships or services are submitted to the Social Services Department for review and processing for corporate signature. 

National Representation:  Social Services Department staff, including the Social Services Secretary, represent the Territory on standing national Salvation Army commissions and committees, as well as some ad hoc committees.  Consultant staff have assisted or taken lead responsibility in the development and writing of national Salvation Army policy, program standards, service definitions and directories. Staff regularly attend and represent the Territory at national and regional conferences, seminars, summits and workshops, sponsored by The Salvation Army or outside entities.

Pathway of Hope:  Pathway of Hope expands the scope of social service casework through a plan of increasingly enhanced services that enable clients to grow from emergency service recipients to healthy, interdependent members of their communities.  Pathway is grounded in a strengths based case management model and an increased network of resources through community collaboration.  Participants in the Pathway initiative commit to an extensive program of personal development that, guided closely by social service caseworkers, is intended to stabilize their present and sustain their futures. The charter for this bold program, implemented in 2011, is to double the impact of The Salvation Army’s social ministry by 2016 with pathway participants.

Summary Statement:  Embracing the philosophy of supporting the field and those who minister to provide social and spiritual salvation across the Central Territory, the Social Services Department  strives to enable, encourage, empower and enhance the capabilities and dedication of local Salvation Army staff; promote quality programming and minister to those who come under our sphere of influence.  It is the goal of the Social Services Department that at every level of Salvation Army administration, people recognize the importance of integrated ministry – a seamless social, spiritual paradigm - which is the hallmark of The Salvation Army.