PAR-Faith Partners for Recovery
Mike Barry-CEO
People Advocating Recovery
Dona Daubitz-Barry, PAR-Faith Partners for Recovery
Owner-Spiritual Energy Solutions
PAR-Faith Partners for Recovery
Our Goal today: A brief introduction and overview of
Faith Partners for Recovery (FPfR)
Not on our agenda today:
• Defining addiction or recovery
• Recommending any type of treatment or recovery
program
• Attempting to become treatment professionals
About PAR
(501c3)
 PAR Mission:
People Advocating Recovery is a statewide group of
concerned individuals working to eliminate barriers to
recovery from addiction.
 PAR Vision:
Society views addiction as a disease without shame,
stigma, or discrimination.
About-Faith Partners for Recovery
 FPfR Mission
To decrease the number of high–risk substance users
and increase the number of dependent substance
users entering recovery programs as early as possible in
the progress of their illness.
The Faith Community
 Recovery means reaching out, reconnecting with
people who have healthy lifestyles and learning how to
attend to others as well as care for oneself.
 Entering a healing faith community can open the door
taught by all faiths (compassion, forgiveness, hope)
and set an individual on a path to new, meaningful way
of life.
 Spiritually-Physically-Mentally
Did You Know?
 Over 94% of clergy consider substance abuse and
addiction to be important issues they confront -- yet
only 12.5% of priests, ministers and rabbis completed
coursework related to substance abuse during their
theological studies.*
*National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) Columbia University, New York City
Years ago
 Actually not even that long ago
 Asylums, ridicule, shame
 Medications, shock treatment
 Pledges, stockades for town drunk or jails
How it all started
 Dr. Bob Smith and Bill Wilson in 1935 found that two
people with the same problem talking with each other
really did the trick and 12 step programs were born.
The Healing Place
 A volunteer, Dr. Richard Blondell, at The Healing Place
in Louisville realized people were in and out of the
hospital ER repeatedly due to alcohol or drug
problems without being addressed.
A Clinical Study-UofL
 If no one talks to an individual about possible substance
use disorder there is a 10% chance that the individual will
make a life altering change.
 If someone talks with the individual to let him/her know
there might be a problem there is a 30% chance the
individual will make a life altering change.
 If a person in recovery makes contact and shares their
Experience, Strength, and Hope, there is a 60% chance the
individual will make a life altering change.
Blondell et al. J Fam Pract 2001;50:447
University of Louisville Hospital
SBI-How It Works
 Screenings and brief interventions (SBI) address risky
alcohol/drug use long before it leads to health,
financial, social, employment and family problems.
 Research shows that a brief, non-judgmental
intervention by a health care professional or those
with experience can have a positive, long term impact
on risky alcohol or drug use.
(SBI) Screening and Brief Intervention
 Designed for use by service providers who do not specialize in
addiction treatment
 Uses motivational approaches based on how ready the person is to
change behavior
 Gives feedback and suggestions respectfully in the form of useful
information, without judgment or accusations
 Has been shown by research to be effective in reducing alcohol use and
alcohol-related adverse consequences, including injury
(There are many sources available to describe SBI in formal clinical settings and informal settings.
Sometimes the term SBIRT is used. Screening, brief intervention, referral, and treatment)
Substance Use vs. Substance Abuse
 Medical professionals follow certain criteria to determine if
a person abuses alcohol or drugs.
 These established criteria also can mark whether the
substance abuse has progressed to dependence.
 Alcohol and drug dependence cause people to suffer from
withdrawal symptoms when they stop using the substance.
Dependence also causes major behavioral changes, such as
overwhelming preoccupation with drug or alcohol use.
The Beginnings-The Angel Program
 Hospital does an SBI (screening and/or brief intervention) suggesting
to the patient he/she might have a problem with drugs or alcohol
 Dr., Nurse, or Social Worker calls Mike Barry at The Healing Place
requesting a visit by our Angels (Person in Recovery) with permission
of the patient
 Angels visit the patient and tell their story of Experience, Strength, and
Hope
 Gives encouragement on taking some action to change
Keeping it Simple
I’m not an alcoholic/addict
 A common reaction when confronted….
 Our goal is not to make that determination….
 Remember this part of the FPfR Mission:
“To decrease the number of high–risk substance users….”
FPfR Development
 Expand the concept of the Angel Program to the Faith
Community realizing not all groups would have all the
needed resources
 Keep the concept simple so that “Formal Training” isn’t
required
 Relieve the stress and time constraints on church leaders
Faith Community
 Faith-based communities can come together to
help plan and provide for the emotional and
supportive needs of their communities.
 Their role is beneficial for supporting the
substance use disorder or mental health needs of
congregational and community families.
Initial contact or question
 Pastor or someone speaks to individual that may
identify that he/she and/or family member might
have a problem with drugs or alcohol.
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May happen after the service
Perhaps in an informal setting
Individual may not even know what/how to ask
Clergy may not know how to respond
Clergy may not know who to contact
Clergy may be on overload and not have the time to fully devote to the problem
Perhaps doesn’t feel qualified to address the issue
Doesn’t have time for formal training on the issue
The modification
 Clergy, Assistant, etc. (Hospital)
 Recovery Resource Person (Mike)
 Recovery Guide (Volunteers-Angels)
Defining the Terms
 Recovery Resource Person: A Person who has been educated regarding
recovery resources, but is not necessarily in recovery…not necessarily a
member of the clergy.
 Recovery Guide: A person in long term recovery, who has agreed to share their
story about life pre-recovery, compared with life now, along with sharing
information on valuable resources if a high-risk individual is interested in
learning more.
The Recovery Guide plays an important role in the success of this program.
Under ideal or normal circumstances men should work with men and women
with women.
The Process
 Clergy or assistant contacts the Recovery Resource Person with
permission of the individual. The Recovery Resource Person has
contacts within the church and other churches in the community with
persons who can speak with experience about problems with drugs or
alcohol. This person is called the Recovery Guide. (SBI takes place
here)
 Recovery Guide (Person in long term recovery) shares their story of
Experience, Strength, and Hope.
Comparison
Hospital (SBI)
Mike is called
Volunteers
Clergy/Assistant
Recovery Resource
Person (SBI)
Recovery Guide
More on the Recovery Guide
 Recovery Guides cannot be caretakers or enablers doing
things such as giving rides or handing out personal phone
numbers or addresses.
 Recovery Guides are simply going to carry the message,
that’s all that the Recovery Guide is expected to accomplish.
 The Recovery Guide’s number one job is to help someone
Take Action!
(For those in 12 step programs it’s important to note that ideally the
Recovery Guide does not become a sponsor)
FPfR-Making Connections
Within the Church or Church to Church
Clergy/Assistant
Recovery Resource
Person
Recovery Guide
Clergy/Assistant
Recovery Resource
Person
Recovery Guide
Requirements for participation
 Volunteers may or may not be clergy members.
 Volunteers must follow the standards for moral and ethical
behavior
 Volunteers must not have any physical or mental health conditions
that would interfere with the ability to perform any of the tasks
 Volunteers must be trustworthy and able to maintain confidences
 Volunteers must be welcoming toward those who seek information
and advice
Confidentiality
 Conversations
 Our moral/ethical obligation to keep certain information in
confidence
 Records that might be shared
 What things to NOT keep in confidence
 Abuse
 Suicide intentions
 Homicide intentions
FPfR Foundations Concepts
 Awareness–Acceptance-Action
 How can you identify alcoholism/addiction?
 Live and let live
 Seek help yourself
 Remember: You didn’t cause the addiction, you can’t
control it, and you can’t cure it.
 Avoid “home treatments”
FPfR Foundations Concepts
 Don’t become an “enabler”
 Tell children that alcohol changes how people act
 Protect yourself and your children
 Take a good look at yourself
 Encourage an interest in treatment if needed
Finally----Encouragement to take Action
Planting the seed
 First Church: Involved in many boards, good home, married with
children, actively involved with church, teaching Sunday school
classes, but overrun with alcoholism. Got no help…no one said a thing
 Second church: Now divorced and remarried. Minister offered
counseling, but I felt like wife and minister were ganging up on me. I
couldn’t be one of those persons. Marriage nearly fell apart.
 Third Church: Minister introduced me to some really nice people who
had a brother-in-law who recovered from alcoholism. Here’s the
important part….it didn’t help right away, but the seed was planted. I
still visit that couple frequently in Lexington.
Thank You
Kentucky Department of Behavioral Health,
Developmental & Intellectual Disabilities
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Thank You
People Advocating Recovery
Mike Barry-CEO
502.552.8573
http://www.peopleadvocatingrecovery.org
mike.barry@peopleadvocatingrecovery.org
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