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There have been times when a participant under 18 desires to attend the program. LT@reliant.org will be notified during the assessment process and will reach out to the LT director to let them know. 

In the case of the Collegiate LT program, this happens often with children of Reliant missionaries Field Staff who are also attending the program with their parents wanting to be participants. The YMCA has been known to hire participants under the age of 18 for the Collegiate LT participants. However, the YMCA is not legally allowed to let them live in their provided employee housing. In the case of a Reliant missionary Field Staff son/daughter, the participant can live outside of the dorms on the YMCA property with their parents. 

If the applicant is not a child of a Reliant missionary Field Staff that is also a part of the LT program if a director wants the minor to attend the program they will need to find separate housing for that participant. The director will need to discuss the living situation options for the minor with Reliant before moving forward with finding housing off the YMCA property as this is a higher liability for all. 

Here is an example of a liability form created for a minor staying off-site. It will need to be modified for each specific situation. This special waiver will need to be created with specifics of location, dates, transportation expected to and from,  etc. for each one of these unique circumstances that will need to be signed by both parent and minor.

 Sample waiver for off-site housing of a minor: Reliant Release and Liab Waiver for Minor Example

To Mike and Jason and the local church pastor

Subject: Counselor Review Instructions: {{ applicant.full_name }}

Hello!

The National LT Program Reviewers have requested a counselor review for  {{ applicant.full_name }}  due to the nature of the concerns on their assessment.  

The applicant may or may not have been asked this question based on their responses in the assessment (so the below answer may be blank), but here are their responses on their assessment regarding counseling: 

• Are you currently seeking a counselor for your suicidal concerns?:
• Have you discussed your participation in this program with your counselor?: 
• If accepted into the Program, would you plan to continue seeing a counselor during the Program?: 
• If needed, would you be willing to consent to sign a release with your counselor asking them to fill out a current assessment and stabilization plan to share with our national LT assessor to assess readiness for your attendance for this Program?:

Please follow up with the applicant to confirm that they are willing to ask their counselor for a current assessment and stabilization plan and share the information below on how to receive a current assessment and stabilization plan.  Mike Klunke can assist you with any questions. There may have also been other conditions requested for this applicant that Mike will share with you as well when he follows up. 

It is a standard procedure for a counselor to talk to someone about their client if the applicant is willing to sign a release form. The counselor is then able to share their current assessment and stabilization plan. Please ask the applicant to sign a release form with their counselor (the release form would be given to them by the counselor upon their request) giving the counselor permission to share their current assessment and stabilization plan for Program attendance with Mike Klunke (National LT Assessor) as the receiver. Mike Klunke's email is mike.klunke@reliant.org. 

Here is a sample letter template that you can share with the applicant to fill out together with their counselor to receive their current assessment and stabilization plan for their attendance to the Program.  Sample Letter from Counselor

We also require all applicants needing a counselor review to create a safety plan.  A copy of this plan will be shared with the Program Directors, the Program leader assigned to meet with the participant, and Reliant. Please ask the applicant to fill out this safety plan (we recommend local leadership review it with them) and please send a completed plan to Mike Klunke (mike.klunke@reliant.org). Safety Plan Template

Most counselors will not be able to continue meeting remotely during the summer due to the fact that the applicant will be in a different state. If needed, you can ask the applicant if they would potentially be willing to meet with a local counselor during the Program.  Reliant missionaries Reliant Field Staff can view Counseling for Event Acceptance on Solomon for more details on options for counseling at the different Programs to discuss the options with the applicant.   

Please also inform the applicant so that they are aware that if they are accepted, it is always recommended that an applicant needing a counselor review to be assigned an LT Program leader to meet with on a regular basis during the Program for accountability. If possible, we suggest that the LT Program Director reach out to the applicant prior to the beginning of LT to follow up and see how things are currently going (in case things have changed between now and the beginning of LT) and also to let them know the name of the leader that will be meeting with them over the summer. 

Recommended Steps for talking with the applicant: 

The local church leadership would set up a meeting with the applicant and explain the following:

• Share with the applicant that we are excited for him/her to have this opportunity.
• Discuss that we want to make the program a success for them.
• Explain that there are some condition(s) that he/she needs to meet in order to be accepted.
• Explain to him/her the needed current assessment and stabilization plan from his/her counselor/therapist and how to obtain that as outlined above
• We will also need a filled-out safety plan 
• Explain that we will need to wait for National Directors to review the counselor's current assessment and stabilization plan before we move forward.
• Explain to them that if he/she is conditionally accepted, one of the conditions is generally to meet with a staff member for # of weekly meetings for check-in, accountability, and to care for him/her and ask if they would be willing to do that. And let them know that they may also be contacted a few weeks before LT begins by a Program leader begins to follow up. 
• Discuss the possibility of pursuing counseling over the summer with a local counselor (if necessary.)
• After the meeting, respond back to Mike Klunke with how the meeting went, and if he/she agrees to those condition(s).