For immediate release: November 8, 2002
For more information, contact George Stamatis, 216-368-3635 or gxs18@po.cwru.edu

CLEVELAND—The Department of Bioethics at the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine has initiated the Clinical Ethics and Clergy Project to aid patients and their families who wish to understand and make difficult medical decisions within the context of their religious beliefs and traditions.

Stuart Youngner

Mark Aulisio

Directed by Stuart Youngner, the Susan E. Watson Professor of Biomedical Ethics and chair of the department of bioethics, and Mark Aulisio, assistant professor at CWRU and director of the clinical ethics program at MetroHealth Medical Center, the Clinical Ethics and Clergy Project seeks to educate and empower local clergy of diverse faiths.

Participants will learn about the law and hospital polices regarding clinical ethics decisions such as the use of living wills, informed consent for participation in research and legal distinctions concerning life-sustaining medical treatment.

Clergy will undergo a series of classes, training sessions and limited clinical experience and will attend an area-wide conference. They will be instructed by the full-time clergy who are involved with the pastoral care programs at St. Vincent Charity Hospital and MetroHealth Medical Center, as well as those involved with hospice care at the Hospice of the Western Reserve.

Three local foundations are funding the pilot project. The Sisters of Charity Foundation of Cleveland has contributed $30,000 for general support of this project, the St. Luke's Foundation of Cleveland has contributed $28,815 for general programmatic support and the Mt. Sinai Health Care Foundation has contributed $25,000 for marketing and salary support for the program's coordinator.

 

–CWRU–

 

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