Religiously Affiliated Agencies

Abstract

Religiously affiliated agencies are organizations founded by a congregation or other religious organization to provide human services. They are characterized by at least one but not necessarily all of the following variables: (1) the mission and values of the organization derive from religious beliefs and practices; (2) the organization identifies with one or more religious congregations or other religious organizations, often expressed in the organization's name and funding streams; (3) the policies reflect the organization's religious mission, such as hiring only persons who are members of a religious group or requiring or inviting staff or clients to participate in religious practices; and (4) the goal of service is that service recipients embrace religious beliefs and values, and program evaluation strategies may measure this outcome. This entry describes resources for understanding religiously affiliated social service agencies, with specific reference to social work in these practice settings.