Statewide Trainings Opportunities
Preparing Your Congregation for the Next Disaster
LFCS and the American Red Cross are teaming up to provide area Lutheran churches with congregational preparedness and continuity of operations planning. Trainings are specifically designed for congregation staff and lay leadership charged with ensuring that facilities and administrative functions are disaster ready and that the congregation has plans to carry out its mission in the aftermath of a disaster. Congregational leaders interested in attending one of these sessions listed below should call Jim Eckrich at LFCS at (314)754-2726 or you can also e-mail us.
Training available for Health Care Professionals on the Positives of Infant Adoption
The Infant Adoption Training Initiative is a free training program being offered for local health care professionals. The Understanding Infant Adoption (UIA) curriculum is designed to help health care professionals in providing adoption information and referral to pregnant women. Studies have shown that often health care workers shy away from the adoption option simply because they do not feel knowledgeable enough about the topic. This training will help health care professionals to feel more comfortable talking with pregnant women about adoption as one of the options available to them.
In the UIA training, participants develop an understanding of the adoption process, learn about state and federal laws that govern the adoption process, and discuss how social and cultural issues impact adoption. Also covered are adolescent development and information on the adolescent’s attitudes toward adoption. Participants will learn non-directive counseling techniques which can be used with clients or patients, and will also learn about adoption resources and referrals in their area. Each attendee will receive resource materials to support their ability to provide information and make referrals when they are back in their working environment.
A one-day or half-day training can also be arranged to accommodate the schedule of your group or practice. Trainings are held throughout the state of Missouri and offer free CEU’s to nurses and social workers. If you are interested in attending a training or arranging a training at your health care facility or nursing school, please contact Michelle Studer at (866) 326-LFCS, ext. 2738
LFCS’ PARTNERS Program for Adoption and Foster Care
Offered in Springfield and St. Louis, can assist you in becoming approved to be a foster or adoptive parent for children who are in the custody of the state of Missouri**. The children who wait are generally over the age of five, have been in foster care for longer than one year and often times have siblings If you would like to add a child to your family, call LFCS and learn how you can become a foster or adoptive parent through our PARTNERS program. *
Springfield:
For more information about this program call Laura Farmer at 417/862-1972
St. Louis:
For more information about this program call Debbie Schallom 314/754-2761