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Could you
be a Chaplain?
Here is your chance to be involved in a dynamic pastoral care ministry within the healthcare setting. You can make a difference in the lives of those who are suffering, recovering or dying... and to their loved ones. Relationships forged in these stressful situations can restore the spirits of those in need and make an eternal difference in their lives. [more
on Chaplains] |
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What is
a Healthcare
Chaplain? |
What are the
qualifications?
Prerequisites for a potential applicant to HCMA are:
HCMA Full Chaplain
- A clear statement of conversion to Christ
- A clear leading to Christian service in general and chaplaincy in particular
- An undergraduate degree from a college, university or theological school accredited by a member of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA)
- A graduate-level theological degree from a theological school accredited by a member of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). Equivalencies for theological education may be granted
- A minimum of two years experience in pastoral ministry
- Ordination or commission by a recognized faith group to function in a pastoral ministry
- Ecclesiastical endorsement
- Good references
- A people-oriented personality
- A vital walk and relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ
- Ability to raise one’s own financial support
HCMA Affiliate Chaplain
- A clear statement of conversion to Christ.
- A clear leading to Christian service in general and chaplaincy in particular.
- An undergraduate degree from a college, university or theological school accredited by a member of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). Equivalencies for undergraduate education may be granted.
- At least two years of pastoral care ministry experience
- Endorsement by candidate’s church
- Good references
- A people-oriented personality
- A vital walk and relationship with the Lord
- Ability to raise one’s own financial support
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In-depth Clinical Pastoral Training
Purpose
The Purpose of the HCMA Clinical Pastoral Training Program is to prepare persons for this unique, demanding and rewarding ministry who are called and gifted by God to become Board Certified Chaplains (BCC) with HCMA. Once fully trained, these Chaplains will serve as competent spiritual caregivers in a healthcare facility.
Method of Training
The HCMA Clinical Pastoral Training Program was developed after the mentorship model rather than the peer group model of learning. Under the mentoring and supervision of a certified HCMA Teaching Chaplain, the Chaplain-Trainee will undergo 1600 hours (4 Units) of intensive and extensive clinical pastoral education. The HCMA Clinical Pastoral Training Curriculum covers a number of areas related to pastoral care in a healthcare setting. The course of study outlined in the curriculum will guide the Trainee in this pursuit of knowledge and experience in the day-to-day routines of providing spiritual care within a healthcare setting. The Trainee will be expected to read widely in the field, to complete assignments that will involve a variety of methods (verbatims, book reports, essays, role playing, didactic lessons, etc.), and to conduct a spiritual ministry in accordance with his/her sense of God's calling. This Clinical Pastoral Training will also include exposure to tense, life-and-death situations that will test his/her ability to function adequately and professionally in times of crisis. Segments of the training curriculum will focus on three areas of growth: personal, spiritual and professional. Clinical hours spent in a healthcare setting interacting with patients/residents, family members and staff will be complemented with classroom hours spent with the Teaching Chaplain in reviewing assignments, discussing the Trainee's progress, evaluating verbatims and sharing mutual concerns.
Philosophy of HCMA Training
The following explains the values and principles that form the foundation for the HCMA ministry within the healthcare setting.
- The training philosophy of HCMA has more of a pastoral (spiritual) emphasis rather than a psychological ministry emphasis.
- The training of an HCMA Chaplain has a greater emphasis on pastoral/spiritual issues rather than on humanistic issues. It is more God-centered than man-centered.
- HCMA training considers the central task of a Chaplain is to bring to the sufferer the adequate resources that are found in a personal relationship with the living God, while at the same time respecting each person's personal belief system.
- The training philosophy of HCMA is more vertical (eternal) focused than horizontal (temporal) focused in its ministry to patients.
- HCMA training is more concerned about having the Chaplain help the patient relate well to God rather than primarily focusing on the patient relating well to others or the Chaplain.
- HCMA trains a Chaplain to primarily focus on the ultimate eternal issues concerning the patient (i.e., providing spiritual care) rather than making the Chaplain's main focus on helping the patient cope with the temporal concerns of the immediate situation (i.e., providing psychological care).
- HCMA does train Chaplains to be sensitive to and deal with psychological concerns; however, it is not considered a Chaplain's primary role.
- The training philosophy of HCMA has a greater emphasis on personal ministry to individual needs than on doing case studies.
- In training a Chaplain to minister to hurting people, HCMA views each sufferer as a person of worth rather than simply a case study.
- HCMA trains a Chaplain to not only enter a patient's room and make observations, but to come alongside the patient's life as a comforter in the tradition of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is done, among other ways, by being transparent and open; by being available to listen objectively; by being present to comfort individually; and by praying with them for their specific needs.
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Goal of HCMA Training
The 1600 hours (4 Units) of the HCMA Clinical Pastoral Training is designed to develop a professionally qualified Chaplain who has demonstrated competency in providing pastoral care ministry to hospitalized patients, convalescent home residents, hospice patients, their families and healthcare personnel. HCMA has established Professional Competency Standards for being certified as a Board Certified Chaplain (BCC) with HCMA.
| | Professional Competency Standards |
Distance Learning
Some of the HCMA Clinical Pastoral Training is done with Chaplain-Trainees who are at a significant distance from their Teaching Chaplain. The HCMA Clinical Pastoral Training Curriculum gives substance and focus to this learning-at-a-distance process. And e-mail allows for regular interaction between the Teaching Chaplain and the Trainee. A key learning tool is the assessment of the Trainee’s verbatim reports by the Teaching Chaplain and a peer review group. In a distance learning setting, the process of clinical pastoral education is more complex, but it is still possible for a Trainee to achieve clinical competence. HCMA does provide the Trainee with some learning-at-a-distance guidelines that are helpful. In addition, it is the responsibility of the Trainee to find a healthcare institution where he/she can receive clinical experience.
Objectives of HCMA Training
The following is a summary of the training objectives for the HCMA Clinical Pastoral Training Program. To receive a detailed explanation of the training goals and objectives, please contact the HCMA office for a copy.
- To orient the Trainee to
the healthcare system as it functions in a healthcare facility.
- To help the Trainee become effective in meeting the spiritual and emotional needs of patients, family and staff.
- To help the Trainee develop beneficial communication skills in the area of interpersonal relationships.
- To support the Trainee in
finding friends to support his/her ministry.
- To prepare the Trainee to skillfully respond to the varied crises faced by patients, families and staff.
- To help the Trainee become a valuable team member working in cooperation with the healthcare staff, religious community and the HCMA.
- To keep the Trainee informed
of his/her progress in the program by periodic evaluation sessions.
Contents
The HCMA Clinical Pastoral Training Curriculum is provided in six manuals to which the Trainee may add his/her own written assignments and notes.
- Unit One (400 hours) - Covers the Chaplain's professional and personal role in providing pastoral/spiritual care in the health care setting. In this Unit the Trainee will learn, among other things, about practical bedside manners so he/she can effectively visit the sick. In addition he/she will become aware of oneself as a Chaplain and ways one's ministry affects persons.
- Unit Two (400 hours) - Deals with the Chaplain's relationship to HCMA and the healthcare organization in providing competent pastoral care. In this Unit the Trainee will become acquainted with the history, purpose and policies of HCMA. In addition, he/she will learn to provide competent pastoral/spiritual care within the healthcare setting as a team player, working effectively as a pastoral member of the interdisciplinary healthcare team.
- Unit Three (400 hours) - Provides training on the Chaplain's role in crisis intervention. In this Unit, the Trainee will learn about providing competent pastoral/spiritual care and counseling during terminal illness, death, crisis situations and ethical dilemmas.
- Unit Four (400 hours) - Focuses on the Chaplain and special needs. In this Unit, the Trainee will learn to provide competent pastoral/spiritual care in a variety of situations while ministering to culturally and spiritually diverse people and also avoiding burnout in the process. The Trainee will also understand and establish appropriate ministry boundaries during this Unit of training. In addition, the Trainee will learn what is involved in setting up a Pastoral Care Department.
Completion of all four units (1600 hours of clinical pastoral education), plus a year of internship and approval by the HCMA Board of Directors may lead to professional certification as a Board Certified Chaplain (BCC) with HCMA.
- Medical Terminology - Chaplain-Trainees are encouraged to gain familiarity with medical language in order to assist them in better understanding what is going on around them. It also helps them be more comfortable in the healthcare setting. This medical knowledge is for the Trainee's personal understanding, not for diagnosis or prognosis.
- HCMA Policy Manual - This notebook contains the policies that govern all HCMA Chaplains. It will be studied during Unit Two and is for personal reference.
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How to get
started
Use the contact page to send an e-mail or call HCMA at (714) 572-3626. The
HCMA office would be happy to answer any questions that you might have.
The HCMA office can put you in touch with an Area Director near you
to give you a better understanding of the great ministry opportunities available.
If you decide to apply, correspondence with the Area Director is the
first step in the application process. If approved, you will be assigned
a Teaching Chaplain in a healthcare facility near you. [Contact
HCMA] |
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How to
Contact
the HCMA |
Cost
Application Fee - There is no charge for completing and submitting the Preliminary Application for HCMA Clinical Pastoral Training (or Equivalency). If an applicant satisfactorily meets all qualifications after the Preliminary Application process, he/she is sent the Final Application for HCMA Clinical Pastoral Training (or Equivalency). There is a non-refundable Final Application Fee of $225 when this completed application form is submitted to HCMA. This fee covers processing of the final application, verification of credentials, doing a criminal background check, a credit check, and the cost of the Personal Career Development Profile (PCDP).
Training Fee - There is no charge for the actual training provided by the HCMA Teaching Chaplain. Each Teaching Chaplain/Mentor willingly donates his/her time in training a Chaplain-Trainee. The cost for each Unit of the HCMA Training Curriculum Manual is $150 (or a total of $600 for all four Units).
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Certification Fee - An applicant for professional certification with HCMA must submit the certification fee of $200 along with the required documents for certification. [more on certification] |
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HCMA Certification Process |
Can't join
but still want to help?
As a faith mission, the HCMA relies on individuals for support, encouragement and prayer. You can be involved by supporting an individual Chaplain, by supporting the HCMA organization, by referring a potential HCMA Applicant or a hospital to HCMA, by referring patients to a Chaplain, by praying for HCMA and its Chaplains, or by applying as an HCMA Chaplain yourself.[more
on how you can help] |
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How You
Can Help |
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