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A Qualitative Examination Of The Preparedness Of African American Pastors To Address Issues Of Addiction, Shuntay Tarver, Chaniece Winfield, Judith Preston, Alexis Wilkerson, Pastor Isaac Shorter

Counseling & Human Services Faculty Publications

This study qualitatively explored the preparedness of African American pastors to meet the needs of parishioners with addictions. Findings indicated that African American pastors do not always perceive themselves to be prepared to address issues of addiction, and existing cultural barriers challenge collaboration between human services practitioners and African American pastors. Findings also revealed that despite existing cultural barriers, African American pastors are willing to collaborate with professionals who offer educational opportunities in culturally relevant ways. Human services professionals’ ability to understand cultural nuances of African American pastors is of paramount concern to effectively enhance the quality of life for …