1. Recruit an assistant coordinator (or more) to work with you in your area. The more members you get involved the lighter the load. Working alone can be difficult and oft times discouraging.
2. Ensure the AMCAP Vice President (who supervises the chapter coordinator network) has your current email address and other contact information. AMCAP initiatives, programs and needs will primarily be dispersed through email. It is recommended that you keep a current directory of members in your area including email addresses so you can forward AMCAP information.
3. Organize and supervise meetings in your area.
4. Hold at least one chapter meeting a year if most of your group usually attends semi-annual conventions of AMCAP in Salt Lake. A chapter meeting allowing members who have just returned from an AMCAP convention to share their experience is a good beginning.
5. Listening and discussing convention tapes may also be a worthwhile meeting. If no one in your area is able to attend AMCAP conventions, hold two meetings a year to share area growth and development (additional meetings can be held as desired by your group).
6. If you intend to offer CE hours at your chapter meetings, you will need clearance from the AMCAP board. AMCAP CE hours may be endorsed by NBCC, APA and on a case by case basis by NASW. AMCAP has to report annually all CE activities to the 3 organizations listed above. To obtain CE credit for chapter meetings you will need to follow this process: 1) learn the CEU requirements for your profession and state, 2) Follow these guidelines and submit required paperwork to AMCAP, 3) We will send a certificate of CEUs.
7. Recruit new AMCAP members through contacting LDS professionals, therapists, and especially new graduate students in your area. Give out membership applications. Invite priesthood and relief society leaders to attend your meetings as appropriate. Respond to invitations from Ward and Stake leaders to share the mission of AMCAP and offer your services as a local professional group.
8. Serve as chapter coordinator for at least 3 years. Train and recommend another member as a replacement when your term ends.
9. Account to appropriate board member on progress and activities in your area. We also encourage you to share special events and happenings in your area with the AMCAP office at mail@ldsamcap.org.
10. Contact the AMCAP secretary for brochures, forms and membership lists for your area as needed. Send any address changes and completed membership forms to our executive secretary for AMCAP. Keep your local AMCAP membership list current to pass on to the next chapter coordinator.
11. The following list represents some activities that other area coordinators have done in their respective areas or a brainstorming of ideas that could be done:
- Meet for a brown bag luncheon to listen to a conference CD or discuss a specific topic.
- Organize a conference in your area in conjunction with AMCAP members and/or church leadership. In Arizona, Everett Bailey organized a conference for members in 5 local stakes. The conference theme was “strengthening marriage and family” which included a Friday night devotional on marriage and a variety of workshops the following day. In Washington DC, Brent Bowen, in conjunction with LDS family services, organized a conference for Bishops and Stake Presidents on a variety of topics related to difficult problems facing the saints in that area. This conference drew leaders from three states.
- Contact AMCAP’s executive secretary to set up a LinkedIn group for your chapter for AMCAP members and professionals to network and communicate.
- AMCAP members meet regularly and take turns sharing their program and services so they can better support one another and be aware of services offered by AMCAP members in that area.
- Consider mentoring students to join AMCAP and giving them some exposure to the profession and career guidance.
- Identify needs or problems in your area and unite with AMCAP members to discuss ways you can address these needs or problems.
- Some AMCAP members have united to get specialized training in a specific program or theory of practice. Some recent examples include: Emotional Focused Therapy for couples counseling, Life Star Program for sexual addictions, and Carl Jung Model for increasing the spiritual dimension in counseling practices.
As you can see, the ideas are limitless. Thank you for taking a moment to learn what it takes to serve as a chapter coordinator for AMCAP.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the AMCAP Secretary at mail@ldsamcap.prg to find out which Board Member supervises this program.