CLEVELAND (AP) -- A northern Ohio Roman Catholic Church diocese wants to reach out and help problem gamblers.

The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer ( http://bit.ly/NAuxRV ) reports that with the opening of casinos in Cleveland and other Ohio cities, a diocesan committee wants to teach clergy, deacons, lay ministers and parishioners how to identify and assist problem gamblers.

The effort began when a small group of priests met this past week to address the issue.

Jennifer Clegg, who supervises the gambling-addiction program at Recovery Resources in Cleveland, told the priests that only 4 percent of people nationwide are considered to be problem gamblers, and only 1.5 percent reach the pathological stage.

Still, that adds up to tens of thousands of Ohioans whose finances, relationships and lives could be severely damaged.

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Information from: The Plain Dealer, http://www.cleveland.com