Click on a question below or scroll down to read about the services of New Song Ministries. Contact New Song if you feel there is a question you would like addressed on this page at newsongworld@hotmail.com.

1. How does New Song Ministries provide transitional services?
2. How does New Song Ministries get clients?
3. What are key factors in building relationships between New Song and clients?
4. What specifically does New Song do for clients they work with?

1. How does New Song Ministries provide transitional services?

New Song works to move the client from prison to "life" in 4-stages...

1. Introduction and Triage
	a. Identify and tend to basic needs: food, clothing, housing, job, transportation.
	b. Apply people and other resources as needed: New Song staff and volunteers.
2. Assessment, Planning and Connection
	a. Generate transitional support: fellowship, government and community services.
	b. Build a network of resources: New Song, volunteers, integrated community services.
3. Transition and Transformation
	a. Nurture a quality relationship of caring, fellowship and mutual trust.
4. Growth and continuance
	a. Promote long-term growth through...
		i. Mentoring, be available.
		ii. Fellowship, develop discipleship.
		iii. Prayer, promote encouragement
		iv. Greeting cards, notes: remember holidays, special occasions.
		v. Ministry, prepare for service
	b. Tailor/adjust the network of resources to the needs of the client.

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2. How does New Song Ministries get clients?

1. Successful clients New Song has worked with recommend New Song to their friends in prison.
2. Ministries that go into prison to teach and conduct seminars recommend New Song to the classes, church services, and other programs.
3. Parole officers recommend New Song to their clients.
4. Churches and ministries recommend New Song to people returning from jails and prisons.

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3. What are the key factors in building relationships between New Song and clients?

In general, there are six basic components of the ongoing working relationship between New Song and the returnee-client.

1. Interviews and assessments, interview the client and key people in the client's life.
2. Data collection, collect information and data into a meaningful format.
3. Workplan, develop, and work to a mutually-agreeable workplan.
4. Services, deliver/facilitate transitional services.
5. Respect and trust, build and maintain mutual respect and trust.
6. Spiritual growth, build and strengthen the spiritual growth process.

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4. What are the key factors in building relationships between New Song and clients?

New Song begins with triage and moves through the introduction stage into assessment, planning and connection, (Stages 1 and 2) applying the six basic components listed above. Timeline...

1. Immediately--Make Initial contact and interview the client.
	a. Begin by doing an individual assessment with the client.
		i. Needs
		ii. Wants
		iii. Goals
		iv. Job skills
		v. Spiritual walk
	b. Identify the key issues and concerns of the client.
	c. Establish and get agreement on basic ground rules.
	d. Set mutually agreed upon priorities.
2. Within 24 hours after release--Begin by starting the re-integration of the client into the community. Help ensure that...
	a. Housing, secure
	b. Food supply, adequate
	c. Job hunt, begins
	d. Clothing-shoes, etc, sufficient
	e. Parole officer relationship, good
	f. Parole officer's rules, knowledge/understanding
	g. Family, knowledgeable about plan
3. After the first week--Review the five assessment areas, above, in the following four perspectives of the client's life and make adjustments accordingly.
	a. Work
		i. By now the client should have at least one job.
		ii. Try to make sure the client keeps one job, has transportation and the proper shoes and clothing.
		iii. Call the employer to check if the job and client is a good match.
	b. Church
		i. Check with client's pastor and/or mentor(s) get their view of the spiritual side of the client's life.
	c. Family
		i. Visit with the client's family. The client's family usually is very cooperative and talkative. Family members can talk about things you may want to know or don't know. Use discretion.
	d. Quality-of-Life
		i. Check on attitudes and emotions; listen carefully to highs/lows. Is the client enjoying life-or is the client down and sulking?
4. Week 2--Have a careful review with all mentors, friends, pastor and New Song staff. Arrange for a conference with the parole officer- or go with the client to a scheduled parole officer meeting.
5. Week 3--This is a critical time.
	a. Discuss and assess the following key areas with the client.
		i. Is the client going to church?
		ii. Is the client attending all expected programs?
		iii. Are we working the plan?
		iv. What adjustments do we need to make?
	b. What do they key people in the clients life see?
		i. Discuss the client's progress with each of the key people.
		a. Pastor
		b. Parole officer
		c. Mentor(s)
		d. Family members
		e. Friends
		f. Counselors/teachers
		g. Job foreman/supervisor
		h. Others
		ii. What kind of progress is the client making?
		a, What are the good things each see happening in the life of the client and client's family?
		b. What problems do we have?
		c. How can we make the good better?
		d. How can we solve the problems? Identify problem(s) and specify the steps for correction.
6. Important Considerations
	a. Build a good relationship of caring, fellowship and mutual trust.
		i. Have a time of breakfast or lunch to ttalk about church, sports, news, anything but aftercare.
		ii. Arrange for a social time to get both the client's and your minds off aftercare issues; tell the client in advance "Let's just have a good time."

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