Confidential Clergy Counseling Grants

As a pastoral leader in your church, members of your congregation and community lean heavily on you in times of crisis and celebration, when navigating new life pathways and while in despair. Often you are helping one or more individuals deal with difficult situations at any given time. In more extreme times – such as during the pandemic – the entire church and community look to you to offer comfort, support, and encouragement as the heaviness of the world weighs on everyone.

As you care for others, you may neglect yourself. Your ability to provide effective leadership for your church and community depends greatly on your own total well-being.

We encourage you to share your concerns with someone you trust. Someone with your best interests at heart. Someone who can encourage and support you during difficult times. Your district superintendent is a tremendous resource and is often the best first person to seek out.

Below you will find frequently asked questions about clergy counseling grants that are available.

Who may receive the grants? 
 

Clergy of the Louisiana conference and/or their immediate family members. 
 

How much is the grant? 
 

Grants are for up to $300 per request. 
 

How do I apply for the grant? 

There are two ways to apply for the grant.

First, you can fill out this online form.

Know this: The name of the client does not go beyond the letter requesting the grant, and is kept absolutely confidential as the process is implemented. More on privacy is found here. 

If you are not comfortable filling out an online form, please download this paper version of the form and mail it to: 
 

Louisiana Conference of the United Methodist Church
Attn: Office of Benefits

527 North Blvd. 
Baton Rouge, LA 70802
 

In either case, a confirmation letter will be emailed to you and to the mental health professional.
 

Additional Services

After consultation with the Chair of the Conference Board of Ordained Ministry, the Care and Nurture Chair has the discretion to authorize funding for alternative types of counseling such as life coaching, nutritional counseling, etc.

How my name is kept confidential?

The name of the client does not go beyond the letter requesting the grant, and is kept absolutely confidential as the process is implemented. The grant is requested through the CBOM Coordinator and Treasurer to be sent to the provider (with no applicant name attached). The CBOM Care & Nurture Chair sends the provider a separate, confidential letter stating for whom the check is to be used when it is received. Records of correspondence from the applicant are seen and kept only by the Chair of Care and Nurture, and are destroyed at the end of each calendar year along with any correspondence sent to the licensed mental health professional. 

How long does the process take? 

The letter of request will be processed within a week from the date of receipt, and the conference office will prepare and send the payment at the next time for check-writing (usually within another week). The applicant requesting the grant is sent a letter verifying that the process is under way. If the applicant has not received a response from the CBOM Care & Nurture Chair within 10 days of making application, please contact the CBOM Care & Nurture Chair to make sure the request was received. 
 

* Download the Confidential Counseling Grant Brochure