Imagine someone walks through your church doors carrying the weight of a traumatic experience. They may need more than spiritual care—they may need counseling, legal help, or even safe housing. Would your church know where to turn? Do you have a quality referral network? In this article, we’ll provide some simple steps on how to build a referral list for your church as a part of trauma-informed ministry.
In our last post, we talked about why churches need partners in trauma-informed ministry—because no church can meet every need on its own. Today, we’re taking the next step: how to build a referral list.
Step 1: Form a Team
Start by gathering a few key people from your congregation to help. Include leaders, laypeople, and survivors if they’re willing. Consider those with helpful networks—social workers, first responders, teachers, or community leaders who understand local resources.
A small, diverse team can divide the work and provide perspectives you might not have on your own. You may also reach out to other local churches or your denominational office to see if they have referral lists you can learn from.
This team doesn’t need to be permanent. Think of it as an ad hoc group with one clear goal: creating a referral list. Later on, as your church grows in trauma-informed ministry, this ad hoc team might naturally become the nucleus of a longer-term team that helps your church implement trauma-informed care more broadly. (When you’re ready to do that, Hope’s Companionis ready to help — for guidance, training, and resources, visit our resources page). For now, keep it simple: gather a few people to work together on this specific task.
Step 2: Clarify the Vision and Needs
Before compiling names, clarify your church’s role: e.g., spiritual care, community, coming alongside others, and pastoral counsel. Understanding this will help your team identify where you’ll need partners to provide other types of support.
Next, think about the other types of support your church may not be able to provide directly. This could include emergency assistance, mental health support, foster care, or specialized trauma care. Understand what your church can provide, and where you will need partners to provide other needed care. Having this in mind will help the team build a referral list that truly meets the needs of your congregation.
Step 2 is all about identifying the areas where you need support so that your referral list is targeted and practical.
Step 3: Start with Emergency Providers
When you first build a referral list, begin with the essentials: emergency services. Include contacts like police, fire departments, child protective services, and women’s shelters. These are critical connections every church should have on hand.
Step 4: Consider Benevolence and Practical Support
Think about practical resources people may need. This could include food pantries, city assistance programs, local ministries, foster closets, or other forms of benevolence. Having these resources listed ensures your church can respond holistically when someone is in need.
Step 5: Contact and Vet Referral Partners
Don’t assume potential partners are ready to work with your church. A quick phone call or email lets them know you’re building a referral list, shows professionalism, and starts a relationship that can help your church advocate well for those you serve.
Ask Questions
Here are some key questions to ask potential partners:
- What services do you offer?
- Who is eligible?
- Are there fees involved?
- How quickly can someone access services?
- Are there limitations we should know about (age, type of trauma, location)?
- Are there forms or documentation we should help someone prepare?
For each potential referral partner, Understand their limits and fit. For example, a domestic violence shelter may provide emergency housing but not long-term counseling. A therapist may specialize in trauma but not work with minors. Knowing these limits ensures the person you refer will get the right kind of help and may also uncover additional resources you may need to add to your referral list.
Record the information clearly
As you build a referral list, record information clearly: name, organization, contact info, services offered, eligibility requirements, referral steps, wait times, and any special considerations such as faith alignment or accessibility.
Vet trauma therapists carefully
Finding qualified counselors is the area that requires the most care. Look for counselors who are skilled in trauma-informed care, but also consider faith alignment. Note those counselors who are Christians, but include others also – just be sure you are not referring to counselors who are antagonistic to faith or would steer a person away from faith and Christian community. It’s OK to ask direct questions about faith to potential referral partners “How do you approach issues of faith?” etc. You can form your own short questionnaire for referrals to verify fit.
It’s also important to note that even if your church has a biblical counseling ministry, it’s wise to build a referral list that includes vetted clinical therapists on your referral list—because they are trained to safely address certain trauma responses, such as flashbacks, dissociation, or other PTSD-like symptoms, which require specialized clinical skills. Some parishioners may also feel more comfortable seeing a board-certified therapist.
Step 6: Identify Other Needs Your Church Can’t Meet
Consider areas where members might need support beyond the church’s capacity: mental health services, foster care assistance, family law, adult care, hospice, or specialized supports. For example, some domestic violence survivors may hesitate to leave unsafe situations due to pets—include local pet fostering programs if available.
Step 7: Compile and Maintain the List
Once you have gathered contacts, organize the list in a clear, accessible format for leadership and volunteers. Keep it updated as people move, change roles, or new partners become available.
This list is a living tool, not a file in a drawer. Share it with pastors and ministry leaders so they can make timely, appropriate referrals. Encourage confidentiality, care, and prayer in every interaction. The goal is not just handing out names, but walking alongside people with compassion.
Final Thoughts
Creating a referral list gives your church a living network of trusted partners. When someone comes forward in need, you’ll be ready to walk with them and connect them to the resources that can truly help.
When you build a referral list, it isn’t just about organization—it’s about preparing to care well for the people God brings through your doors.
Photo by Luis Morera on Unsplash