Faith-based Recovery Programs - A Summary Of Terry Gorski's Position

The Executive Order of President Bush regarding faith-based initiatives for the treatment of addiction can have positive or negative effects upon addicted people and their families.  The outcome depends upon how the addiction and mental professionals and faith-based organizations respond to the challenge.

When properly integrated with proven addiction treatment methods, faith-based approaches can enhance treatment and improve recovery rates.  Spiritual counseling alone, in isolation from proven multimodality addiction treatment, will be insufficient to produce and sustain recovery.

Mr. Gorski is available to speak or consult on the issue of Faith-based Addiction Programs
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NASADAD Letter to Congress regarding Faith-based Addiction Programs

NASADAD sent a letter to Congress asking them to not support language in a Community Renewal Bill that allows the Secretary of DHHS to exempt any faith-based treatment counselor from state licensing requirements.  Read the letter for important information why Faith-based Addiction Programs represent a step backward and violate current scientific knowledge about addiction as a brain disease.

Update On Bush's Faith-based Initiative (04-12-01)
A News Analysis By Terence T. Gorski

Opposition to the White house Faith-based Programs is growing among labor groups and religious organizations.  The leadership of the addiction and mental health field have still not been heard on the level of national media.  Check out details.

Poll On Bush's Faith-based Initiative (04-11-01)

Find out how Americans feel about George Bush's Faith-based Initiative.  Here's a summary of the most recent findings of the largest poll done to date.

WA State HB 1252 On Faith-based CD Programs (Posted 01-24-01)

Washington State House Bill 1252 calls for the establishment of a simple procedure for faith-based programs to apply for an exemption from state program licensure requirements for chemical dependency treatment programs.  Read Terry Gorski's summary and review the proposed legislation. 

Gorski's Position On Faith-based Programs 
(Go to the full position paper of 2-11-01).

Faith-based organization can play an important role in bringing needed services to suffering addicts and their families, but we need to exercise caution by: 

1.  Sending a clear message that addiction is a biopsychosocial illness and not a moral problem;  

2.  Affirming that addicts are sick people who need to get well, not sinners who need to repent; 

3.  Assuring that national policy continues to treat addiction as a health care issue;   

4.  Preserving quality standards for addiction treatment by holding Faith-based Programs accountable to existing standards;

5.  Protecting the budgets of traditional addiction, mental health, and social services from diversion to  Faith-based Programs. 

Gorski's Review Of Texas Faith-based Programs (Posted 2-6-01) 

President George W. Bush wants to remove the barriers that keep faith-based programs from providing substance abuse treatment.  He plans to model his national policy along the lines of the Texas Faith-based exemptions implements while he was governor.   How  does  the Texas faith-based initiative work?  Should it be a model for the nation?

How do I get help developing an effective Faith-based Recovery Program

Mr. Gorski is available to speak or consult on the issue of Faith-based Addiction Programs
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