Pittsburgh Demand Treatment! Educates "Caregivers of the Flock" 

Pittsburgh Demand Treatment! recently held its second annual pastoral care conference. According to conference organizer Rev. Dr. Jay Geisler, an Episcopal minister and a member of Pittsburgh's Demand Treatment! Leadership Team, the highly successful meetings can easily be replicated in other communities.

"When we held addition training for pastors, we always got the usual suspects," said Rev. Geisler. "So we decided to frame the training as pastoral care, and spend some time on addiction and mental health issues. Things change so quickly; many of the issues we discuss aren't necessarily taught in pastor training."

Rev. Geisler estimates that 125 pastors and other "caregivers of the flock" from Pittsburgh's Christian community have participated each year.

The conference relies on credentialed professionals, peers, and lay people who volunteer to talk about substance use disorders, mental health, aging, and other issues. The conference also invites keynote speakers, whose participation is supported through scholarships. This year, the Rush Recovery Institute sponsored J. Keith Miller, a widely-published author on the 12 steps as a model for Christian spiritual growth. Last year, Father George Clements, founder of One Church-One Addict, spoke.

The one-day conference costs participants $30. Costs remain low because of the scholarships and volunteerism. Local organizations also donate $100 to host resource tables, which gives pastors and professionals a chance to exchange business cards. Additionally, participants can receive continuing education credits where applicable.

Rev. Geisler is already planning next year's conference, and has hopes to expand to third-world countries as well as working with the International Substance Abuse and Addiction Coalition.

(6/13/2003)