Final Project
Final Project: Case-Study Care Plan & Why I Serve
Write a care plan for the composite scenario below, then a personal reflection on why you serve. Everything may be handwritten. Scenario: Dana is 34, recently released, and attends the church where you serve on the care team. (Dana is a composite example.) She asks to talk. Her mother died eight months ago while Dana was incarcerated, and she says, I wasn't there. I'll never forgive myself. She is anxious about finding a job, and she and her sister argue often about the care of Dana's son, who lives with the sister. Dana says she has hardly slept or eaten much for about six weeks. She was prescribed medication by a doctor and is thinking of stopping it because a real Christian shouldn't need pills. She says she wants to grow closer to God and feels alone at church. She does not mention harming herself or anyone else.
Requirements
- Listening notes: what Dana says on the surface and what may be in her heart (hopes, fears, beliefs about God and herself)
- Five open questions you would ask, and one reflection and one summary you might say
- Two or three Scriptures used in context (grief, shame, anxiety, or hope), with how and when you would share each
- One or two small next steps that Dana might choose
- A short written prayer you could pray with her (with permission)
- A referral decision with reasoning: who you would refer her to and why, how you would handle the medication question, what would change your decision to get help now, and the words you would use
- A circle of care: church and community supports that could surround her
- A one-page Why I Serve reflection
Timeline
- Module 7: read the scenario and complete the case study draft
- Module 8: peer review, revise, and submit the care plan and reflection
Grading Rubrics
Grading Rubrics
Every rubric uses the same four levels. Your instructor will mark the level that best matches your work for each row and add a short comment.
Module Assignment Rubric
| Criterion | Excellent (4) | Proficient (3) | Developing (2) | Beginning (1) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Completeness | Every required part is done | Most required parts are done | About half the parts are done | Little of the assignment is done |
| Accuracy & Skill | Skills applied correctly with no significant errors | Minor errors that do not affect the result | Several errors that affect the result | Major errors throughout |
| Professional Quality | Neat, clear, and ready for an employer to see | Clear with small issues | Hard to follow in places | Unclear or disorganized |
| Effort & Growth | Went beyond the minimum or clearly improved | Solid, consistent effort | Minimal effort | Little evidence of effort |
Total possible: 16 points.
Reflection Journal Rubric
Journals are graded on effort and reflection, never on spelling, grammar, or the details of a personal story.
| Criterion | Excellent (4) | Proficient (3) | Developing (2) | Beginning (1) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Completion | Responds fully to every part of the prompt | Responds to most of the prompt | Responds to part of the prompt | Entry missing or one line |
| Connection to Lesson | Clearly applies the week's skill or idea | Mentions the lesson | Vague link to the lesson | No link to the lesson |
| Faith Reflection | Thoughtfully engages the Scripture or faith theme | Engages the faith theme | Brief mention of faith theme | Does not address the faith theme |
| Personal Application | Names a specific next step or change | Names a general next step | Next step is unclear | No next step |
Total possible: 16 points.
Participation Rubric
Scored at the end of each module. Average the eight scores for the Attendance & Participation grade.
| Criterion | Excellent (4) | Proficient (3) | Developing (2) | Beginning (1) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Attendance & Punctuality | Present and on time for the full session | Present; late or left early once | Missed part of the session more than once | Absent without make-up work |
| Preparation | Completed assignment and brought workbook every time | Usually prepared | Sometimes prepared | Rarely prepared |
| Engagement | Contributes thoughtfully and draws others in | Contributes regularly | Contributes when asked | Seldom contributes, even when invited |
| Respect & Covenant | Models the classroom covenant for others | Follows the covenant consistently | Needs occasional reminders | Needs frequent reminders |
Total possible: 16 points.
Final Project Rubric: Case-Study Care Plan & Why I Serve
| Criterion | Excellent (4) | Proficient (3) | Developing (2) | Beginning (1) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Listening & Understanding | Notes show careful listening, open questions, and insight into Dana's heart | Good listening notes and questions | Notes are thin or questions are mostly closed | Little evidence of listening |
| Scripture in Context | Two or three well-chosen passages, accurately quoted and explained in context, shared gently | Relevant passages with some context | Passages used without context or poorly timed | Missing or misused Scripture |
| Next Steps & Prayer | Small, specific steps Dana chooses; gentle, permission-based prayer | Reasonable steps and prayer | Steps vague or imposed | Missing |
| Referral Decision & Safety | Clear, well-reasoned referral; tells Dana to talk with her doctor before any medication change; affirms faith and medical care; names what would mean get help now | Sound referral with minor gaps | Referral weak, or gives medication advice | No referral reasoning, or diagnoses or advises on medication |
| Why I Serve Reflection | Honest, specific reflection on motives, humility, and calling | Clear reflection | Brief reflection | Missing |
Total possible: 20 points.
Quick Guide
Lay Care Quick Guide
Keep this guide with your important papers after release.
When to Get Help Immediately
- ☐ Any talk of suicide or self-harm
- ☐ Any talk of harming someone else
- ☐ Abuse or someone in danger
- ☐ A medical emergency
- ☐ Inside a facility: go to staff or the chaplain right away
- ☐ Outside: call 911 for emergencies; call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, U.S.)
- ☐ Stay with the person if it is safe; never promise to keep it secret
A Lay Helper Never
- ☐ Diagnoses a mental health condition
- ☐ Advises starting, stopping, or changing medication (refer to the doctor)
- ☐ Handles a crisis alone
- ☐ Gives legal advice
- ☐ Promises total confidentiality
The Five-Step Care Conversation
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| 1. Listen | Open questions, reflections, silence |
| 2. Understand | Summarize and check; hopes, fears, beliefs about God and self |
| 3. Hope from Scripture | One or two passages, in context, shared gently |
| 4. Next step | One small, specific step she chooses |
| 5. Pray or refer | Pray with permission; bring in more help when needed |
Open Questions to Keep Handy
- ☐ What has this been like for you?
- ☐ What has been weighing on you most?
- ☐ What are you hoping will change?
- ☐ Where do you sense God in this, or where does He feel far?
- ☐ What is one thing you could do this week?
- ☐ Who else is supporting you right now?
Calming Steps to Suggest
- ☐ Breathe in slowly, then breathe out even more slowly; repeat
- ☐ Name five things you can see around you
- ☐ Pray a short, honest prayer
- ☐ Call or talk with a trusted person
Referral Cues
- ☐ Trouble sleeping, eating, or functioning for weeks
- ☐ Questions about medication
- ☐ Ongoing trauma, addiction, or panic
- ☐ Legal questions
- ☐ You feel out of your depth
- ☐ Reporting rules vary by role and state: check yours
Scriptures for Care Conversations
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Anxiety | Philippians 4:6–7; 1 Peter 5:7 |
| Grief | Psalm 34:18; John 11:35; 1 Thessalonians 4:13 |
| Shame | Romans 8:1; Hebrews 12:2; 1 John 1:9 |
| Anger | Ephesians 4:26; James 1:19 |
| Relationships | Romans 12:18; Ephesians 4:32 |
| Lament | Psalms 13, 42, 77 |
My Why
I serve because: ______________________________________
People I can go to for help: __________________________
Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.— Philippians 1:6 (KJV)
Final Exam
- 1.
Romans 15:14 teaches that believers can be:
- 2.
Galatians 6:1 says to restore others:
- 3.
Which is a lay helper allowed to do?
- 4.
If someone talks about suicide outside a facility in the U.S., you can call or text:
- 5.
The beam and mote teaching (Matthew 7:3–5) means:
- 6.
Jethro told Moses the work was:
- 7.
In Scripture, the heart is:
- 8.
Genesis 1:27 teaches that every person:
- 9.
Proverbs 18:13 warns against:
- 10.
Which is an open question?
- 11.
What did Job's friends do wrong?
- 12.
The four steps of a simple lament are:
- 13.
Which is a referral cue?
- 14.
The five-step care conversation is:
- 15.
This certificate is a lay ministry credential, not a clinical license.
- 16.
Faith and professional counseling or medication are opposed to each other.
- 17.
A lay helper should promise to keep everything secret, even if someone is in danger.
- 18.
Mandatory-reporting rules vary by role and state, so helpers should check the rules that apply to them.
- 19.
A woman says she wants to stop her prescribed medication because a real Christian shouldn't need it. How should a lay helper respond?
- 20.
Explain how Galatians 6:2 shapes the work of a lay biblical counselor.