Abstract
This study's purpose was to measure clergy's counseling, referral, and supportive activities for those with depression. Among a Minnesota sample (n=367), nearly 80%(n=284) reported counseling their members (mean of 10.25 h/month), with 25 % providing mental health counseling (mean of 2.76 h/month). Ninety-one percent (n=336) reported ability to recognize depression, and 64 % (n=236) reported moderate to high ability in effectively counseling those with depression. Age, past academic counseling coursework/certification, hours of counseling, and number of individuals counseled were significant predictors of clergy's self-efficacy in counseling for depression. A mean of 6.14 individuals approached clergy for depression-related help; clergy reported a mean of 3.86 referrals for mental health care. Nearly 90% stated that one of the roles of the clergy is to provide mental health education.