about us
WHO ARE WE?
Pathways to Promise founded in 1988, is an interfaith assistance and resource center that provides virtual and in-person support to faith, spiritual and non-spiritual communities. Through training, consultation, liturgical and educational materials, program models, and assessments, we educate and affect change that creates welcoming and supportive caring communities for persons with mental health challenges, disabilities, and addictions and those who care for them.
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OUR MISSION
Pathways to Promise collaborates with faith, spiritual, and non-spiritual communities to share resources that assess, educate and effect change to welcome, support, engage and include persons with mental illnesses and those who care for them.
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OUR VALUES
People living with mental illnesses and those who care for them are welcomed and supported in all faith and spiritual communities.
our core Commitment
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Our history
In 1988 a group of dedicated people, representing 15 faith groups and 2 mental health organizations, created Pathways to Promise “to promote caring ministry with persons who have prolonged mental illness and their families” with these goals:
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to assist groups in reaching out and serving needs of persons with mental illness and their families, welcoming them into the life of the congregation, and fostering support for them in the community;
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to provide resource materials, information, training and technical assistance at all levels to foster ministry, service, and advocacy on behalf of persons with mental illness and their families;
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to facilitate development of faith group networks of volunteers, collaborations between faith groups and with health and advocacy groups.
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Since then, Pathways to Promise has provided:
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thousands of publications
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hundreds of consultations
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dozens of conferences and presentations
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research and referrals
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newsletters and an outstanding web site
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technical assistance by phone, email, and web
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help with countless collaborations in ministry and service
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assistance in developing and nurturing seven faith group networks
recent history
In recent years, Pathways to Promise has continued through cooperative partnerships to provide technical assistance, to foster the development of mental illness ministries, to promote collaboration and networking, to develop and distribute resource materials, and to disseminate new models of ministry. Some recent highlights include:
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The first-rate Web site www.Pathways2Promise.org, recently redesigned by website Deloy Cole and Lead Consultant Jermine Alberty, this site provides the first contact and continuing assistance with mental illness ministry
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“Sunshine from Darkness”: in collaboration with the American Psychiatric Association Foundation, Pathways distributed nationwide 25,000 posters featuring art contributed by NARSAD Artworks, awareness information, and resource materials to congregations in 10 faith groups. Follow up consultations and technical assistance helped congregations in starting or expanding mental illness ministries.
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Walking Together; the Community of Faith and Mental Illness” an interactive training workshop for faith communities in educating congregations, and supporting people with mental illness, was developed and distributed in collaboration with the Auckland Anglican Church of New Zealand; a United States version was developed for use in this country.
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Acting Executive Director Bob Dell in 2007 represented the faith community at the “National Wellness Summit for People with Mental Illnesses,” a conference sponsored by the Center for Mental Health Services, on integrating primary medical and mental health care.
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Pathways contributed consultation to anti-stigma documentaries produced by Mennonite Media and Faith and Values, focusing on those about aging and suicide; Susan Gregg-Schroeder of Mental Health Ministries and her husband gave key interviews in “Shadow Voices: Finding Hope in Mental Illness”
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Pathways participated in the launch of Chaplain Craig Rennebohm’s book “Souls in the Hands of a Tender God” through Reading Circles and workshops in Seattle, Chicago, and St. Louis, and in continuing education workshops for clergy.
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Pathways have provided leadership for similar workshops in Phoenix and Chicago, and has participated in NAMI conferences and in the development of NAMI FaithNet.
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As more local and regional groups develop their own programs, Pathways is increasingly called on for consultation and coordination, rather than originating conferences; the 2009 National Faith Based Mental Health Summit is a notable exception promoting innovative models of ministry and collaboration: Pathways for the 21st Century.
In 2016, Pathways hired Rev. Jermine D. Alberty serves as the Lead Consultant in October 2017 he was voted by the board of directors to serve as the Executive Director. Sadly, in early 2023 Jermine has moved further to advance his career in other ventures. Learn more about the open executive director role here.
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