Healthcare Chaplaincy Inc.

Mission is to advance the integration of spiritual care in health care through clinical practice, research and education to improve patient experience and satisfaction and help people faced with illness and grief find comfort and meaning.

We hold the view that chaplains are essential workers. They ensure that human connection and love ar

Goal One: To increase the quality of spiritual care by providing and promoting evidence-based learning for chaplains as well as 'spiritual care generalists' such as nurses, doctors' social workers, etc.

Goal Two: To strengthen the position of chaplaincy and spiritual care in the medical arena, so care of the spirit is seen more as a must-have service rather than a 'nice-to-have' add on to other services.

Goal Three: To continue advancing research on the impact of spiritual care on patient and family satisfaction, quality of life, and health outcomes, and its impact of health care workers and organizations

All employees of HealthCare Chaplaincy are encouraged to pursue professional education opportunities related to our mission, and receive a stipend each year to cover some of these costs. All are also invited to attend our annual Caring for the Human Spirit conference, which features world leaders at the cutting edge of the spiritual care field. In addition, one of HCCN’s principal focuses is creating leaders in the chaplaincy field. To this end, we have developed numerous education programs such as the Chaplaincy Management Training Program and Specialty Certification in Palliative Care. Our own staff and chaplains across the globe take advantage of these opportunities. While we do encourage the continuing education of all our employees, we simultaneously seek to educate individuals throughout our profession to lead their institutions toward a more effective and assured delivery of spiritual care.

Most hospitals served by HCCN chaplains, in the New York metro area and Rhode Island, have been centers of activity in caring for COVID-19 patients. Adapting to the need for patient isolation and precautions for on-site staff, our chaplains have provided care for patients and their families via tablets and phones, from doorways, and in protective gear at the patient bedside. Our chaplains are also supporting hospital staff, who are experiencing marked levels of stress. We have held informal lunchtime events, providing hospital staff the opportunity to talk with chaplains in a relaxed setting. As the pandemic has worn on, we have found that impromptu hallway conversations and other spontaneous communications have been the most desired and effective way of offering staff support. HCCN has invested in tablets and webcams to ensure our chaplains can connect with patients and their families. We have also hired per diem chaplains when needed, so our own staff can practice the self-care necessary for their ongoing effectiveness. We enlisted 100+ volunteer chaplains for our call center, Chat with a Chaplain, to help reach people in isolation with one-on-one care. In response to requests from FEMA, the helpline is also offering profession-specific support for first responders such as health care workers, EMS, and police. In both 2020 and 2021, we held our Caring for the Human Spirit conference virtually, welcoming over 400 chaplains, nurses, and others from more than a dozen countries to each conference. A website launched in March 2020, www.atimeforcompassion.org, features the call center and offers guidance and resources to alleviate fears and anxiety related to coronavirus. And with our affiliate the Spiritual Care Association (SCA), we created Chaplaincy in the Time of COVID-19, with guidance on effective chaplaincy care in the pandemic, and a 4-part webinar series on Chaplaincy in Times of Crisis.