The Oskar Pfister Award was established by the American Psychiatric Association (APA), with the Association of Mental Health Clergy (now the Association of Professional Chaplains), in 1983 to honor those who have made significant contributions to the field of religion and psychiatry.
In 1983, the American Psychiatric Association (APA), along with the Association of Mental Health Clergy (now the Association of Professional Chaplains), established the Oskar Pfister Award to honor individuals who have significantly advanced the field of mental health by bridging the gap between religion and psychiatry.