Interview with Maurice Mercier, March 7, 1991

Partial Transcript: This is, uh, tape two, second session interview with Mo Mercier of the Christian Appalachian Project.

Segment Synopsis: In this second interview with Maurice Mercier, he discusses the Christian Appalachian Project programs that were running at the time of the transition to the current management team structure. He talks about the group homes, the home for children with disabilities, and the spouse abuse program and their structures at that time. He talks about why the spouse abuse program changed locations several times.

Keywords: Beattyville (Ky.); Camp Nelson; Children with disabilities; Christian Appalachian Project (CAP); Cumberland District; Federal funding; Harrison Home; Lexington (Ky.); Management teams; Mount Vernon (Ky.); Moving; Personal responsibilities; Programs; Residential programs; Somerset (Ky.); Spouse abuse programs; State funding; Structure

Subjects: Appalachia.; Appalachian Region--Social conditions; Children.; Christian Appalachian Project; Communities.; Community; Community life.; Community-based family services.; Community-based social services.; Families.; Foster home care.; Group homes; Social service, Rural; Social work.; Spousal abuse.

Partial Transcript: Also at the, uh, Mount Vernon complex we had the retreat center at that time.

Segment Synopsis: Mercier talks about Christian Appalachian Project's retreat center in Mount Vernon, Kentucky and why it was later converted into the center for the family life services program. He talks about the purpose and goals of the family life services program and how the retreat center facilitated that mission.

Keywords: Changes; Christian Appalachian Project (CAP); Communal areas; Costs; Crisis; Elderly people; Facilities; Family Life Center; Family life services; Houses; Intergenerational programming; Jack Morris; Liz Phelps; Locations; Long-term care; Mount Vernon (Ky.); Older people; Residential programs; Retreat centers; Sharing; Short-term care; Single parents; Spouse abuse programs; Unwed mothers; Value systems

Subjects: Appalachia.; Appalachian Region--Social conditions; Christian Appalachian Project; Communities.; Community; Community life.; Community-based family services.; Community-based social services.; Counseling.; Families.; Group homes; Social service, Rural; Social work.; Spousal abuse.

Partial Transcript: The, um--that facility called--former retreat center which was again the family life services, that moved out...

Segment Synopsis: Mercier talks about the issues with the early counseling services offered by Christian Appalachian Project and how their services improved with the hiring of professional counselors. He talks about the issues that arose during the transition between the early programs and the more professional programs.

Keywords: Attitudes; Behavioral; Changes; Christian Appalachian Project (CAP); Clients; Community needs; Control; Counseling services; Credentials; Education; Effectiveness; Family Life Center; Family life services; Father Beiting; Father Ralph W. Beiting; Focus; Healthy; Maturation; Problems; Process; Professional counseling; Professional counselors; Professionalization; Residential programs; Responsibilities; Roles; Skills; Spiritual counseling; Staff; Success; Teams; Territorial; Unskilled; Volunteers

Subjects: Appalachia.; Appalachian Region--Social conditions; Christian Appalachian Project; Communities.; Community; Community life.; Community-based family services.; Community-based social services.; Counseling.; Foster home care.; Group homes; Social service, Rural; Social work.

Partial Transcript: But that's when, uh, I feel Judy Harrison, uh, and Jody, uh, they, they plowed through a lot of issues with the community.

Segment Synopsis: Mercier talks more about the various group homes run by Christian Appalachian Project. He talks more about the issues surrounding the early versions of the group homes, which were often dependent on the work and devotion of one person.

Keywords: Children with behavioral problems; Children with disabilities; Christian Appalachian Project (CAP); Closed; Credentials; Crisis management; Drug abuse; Drug programs; Effectiveness; Format; Harrison Home; Integrated; Juvenile delinquents; Leaving; Needs; People with disabilities; Problems; Programs; Residential programs; Roundstone school system; School systems; Staff; Staffing; Training; Unskilled; Volunteers; Youth in custody

Subjects: Appalachia.; Appalachian Region--Social conditions; Children.; Christian Appalachian Project; Communities.; Community; Community life.; Community-based family services.; Community-based social services.; Foster home care.; Group homes; Social service, Rural; Social work.

Partial Transcript: Uh, I--my first two years as Director of Human Development was totally spent, uh, doing crisis management.

Segment Synopsis: Mercier talks more about the lack of structure and consistency in Christian Appalachian Project's early programs. He talks about how CAP has improved these programs and become more professional since that time. He talks about how this came about through hiring people with more education, working with universities and colleges, improving communication, and consolidating the management of the programs. He talks about the issues that arose during the transition between the early programs and the more professional programs.

Keywords: "Do-gooders"; 1988; Administration; Baldwin College; Changes; Christian Appalachian Project (CAP); Clarity; Communication; Confusion; Consistency; Credentials; Crisis management; Crisis situations; Decision-making; Director of Human Development; Education; Effectiveness; Ellen Burke; Expectations; Functioning; Goals; Guidance; Healthy; Helping; Improvements; Management; Managers; Missions; Position descriptions; Problems; Professional counseling; Professional counselors; Professionalization; Program descriptions; Progress; Psychologists; Responsibilities; Roles; Salary; Separate; Skills; Staff; Standards; State agencies; Structure; Supervision; Training; Unity; Unskilled; Volunteer programs; Volunteers; Wright University

Subjects: Appalachia.; Appalachian Region--Social conditions; Christian Appalachian Project; Communities.; Community; Community life.; Community-based family services.; Community-based social services.; Counseling.; Social service, Rural; Social work.

Partial Transcript: We, uh--I guess, uh, from '83, really, up until, um, '89, uh, those were years and, and just developing the whole Human Development Department.

Segment Synopsis: Mercier talks about Christian Appalachian Project's plans for the future and how their plans strive to maintain consistency through use of a team-oriented approach rather than single individuals running each program. He talks about the changes that led to the makeup of the current human development department.

Keywords: 1983-1989; Board of directors; Christian Appalachian Project (CAP); Collectiveness; Communication; Consistency; Consolidation; Continuity; Departments; Director of Human Development; Educational background; Ellen Burke; Employment; Future; Growth; Hubs; Human Development Department; Local people; Management; Managers; Planning; Plans; Resignation; Separation; Stabilization; Staffing; Team concept; Team-oriented; Teams; Transitions

Subjects: Appalachia.; Appalachian Region--Social conditions; Christian Appalachian Project; Communities.; Community; Community life.; Community-based family services.; Community-based social services.; Counseling.; Social service, Rural; Social work.

Partial Transcript: You, uh, you gave the earlier model, in which was your case with the group home of the individual getting the idea and starting the program.

Segment Synopsis: Mercier talks about how new Christian Appalachian Project programs came into existence in the past and how that differs from their current approach to starting new programs. He talks about how their new approach is more structured and planned, but still maintains CAP's original mission.

Keywords: Alone; Assessments; Changes; Christian Appalachian Project (CAP); Coordination; Education; Flexibility; Hubs; Improvements; Individuals; Isolation; Locations; Longevity; Management; Mergers; Missions; Needs; New programs; Plans; Population bases; Procedures; Productive; Professionalization; Progress; Quality; Satellite offices; Services; Streamlining; Structure; Studies; Three year plans

Subjects: Appalachia.; Appalachian Region--Social conditions; Christian Appalachian Project; Communities.; Community; Community life.; Community-based family services.; Community-based social services.; Counseling.; Foster home care.; Group homes; Social service, Rural; Social work.

Partial Transcript: Uh, I'm visiting a lot of new counties.

Segment Synopsis: Mercier talks about how some of the areas that Christian Appalachian Project services have changed in the past ten years, focusing especially on Berea, Kentucky. He talks more about how their new approach is more structured and planned, but still maintains CAP's original mission, focusing on the idea of bringing CAP's Attic stores back to their original, broader mission.

Keywords: Accountability; Berea (Ky.); Changes; Christian Appalachian Project (CAP); Counties; Father Beiting; Father Ralph W. Beiting; Focus; Improvements; Locations; Missions; Needs; Networking; Partnerships; Professionalization; Programs; Services; Standards; The Attic

Subjects: Appalachia.; Appalachian Region--Social conditions; Christian Appalachian Project; Communities.; Community; Community life.; Community-based family services.; Community-based social services.; Social service, Rural; Social work.

Partial Transcript: With, uh, the regulations and all these things, do you see growth possible out the state in the future for CAP?

Segment Synopsis: Mercier discusses whether he thinks Christian Appalachian Project will begin to expand their services beyond the state of Kentucky. The interview is concluded.

Keywords: Christian Appalachian Project (CAP); Counties; Expansion; Future; Growth; Kentucky; Out of state; Plans; Project sharing; Satellite offices; West Virginia

Subjects: Appalachia.; Appalachian Region--Social conditions; Christian Appalachian Project; Communities.; Community; Community life.; Community-based family services.; Community-based social services.; Social service, Rural; Social work.