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In times of trouble, families are often asked if they would like a visit from a chaplain. The family might ask, "What is a chaplain?" 

​HCMA chaplains are Christian chaplains professionally trained to provide pastoral/spiritual care to people of all faiths at healthcare institutions worldwide. You may be interested in knowing how to find a local or remote chaplain or how to be trained in chaplaincy.

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what's a chaplain?

A Professional Healthcare Chaplain is a theologically educated, pastorally experienced, and clinically trained minister who is certified by a professional chaplaincy organization and serves as an integral member of the healthcare team. The chaplain’s primary role is to provide spiritual/pastoral care to patients/residents, their family members, and the medical staff. In addition, professional chaplaincy care provides emotional, religious, and ethical care.

Healthcare Chaplain Duties
In House Pastor for Staff: In the often stressful and demanding healthcare environment, an HCMA Chaplain is an understanding friend and confidant. The Chaplain can provide a listening ear and a pastoral point of view for the staff as they face professional and personal problems. Staff members who have no minister of their own often seek the Chaplain’s counsel, especially during times of personal family need or professional pressures.

​Liaison for Local Clergy Usually the healthcare Chaplain sees a patient/resident before his or her minister is aware of the hospitalization. With the patient/resident’s permission, the Chaplain can call the family pastor, priest, rabbi, or other religious leader. The Chaplain provides pastoral care and support until the patient/resident’s own minister arrives.

Contact for the Community Serving often as the healthcare facility’s religious community public relations person, the Chaplain is able to coordinate services provided by the community clergy. The Chaplain is prepared to conduct seminars and workshops on topics such as patient/resident visitation, terminal illness, death and dying, and the grieving process. The Chaplain is available also to speak in churches when the regular minister is away.

​Support for Patients’/Residents’ Families The Chaplain is available to help with the distressed families of critically ill or dying patients/residents. If the patient/resident does not have his or her own minister, the Chaplain may serve as trusted friend and pastoral figure.

Chaplaincy Training

Chaplaincy training is a growing area with HCMA. Here are our core chaplain certifications. Contact the office if you have questions about other available trainings. 

Board Certified Chaplain (BCC)
A deep study to become a healthcare chaplain will include a Master's Degree in Theology, ordained, "a calling", 4 units of clinical pastoral care ministry in the healthcare setting and more. 

Certified Clinical Chaplain (CCC)
Professional certification as an HCMA Certified Clinical Chaplain (CCC) is a recognition of the attainment of specialized education and experience as a clinically competent Chaplain who is qualified to provide chaplaincy care in the healthcare setting. This is a person who does not meet the qualifications for BCC (either ordination and/or theological education), but has completed 4 Units of clinical pastoral education and more.
 

HCMA has been involved in chaplaincy care — training and certifying healthcare chaplains — since 1939. It is committed to excellence in both its clinical pastoral education program as well as its professional certification of healthcare chaplains.
HCMA is a member of the Network on Ministry in Specialized Settings (COMISS Network) and is recognized by them as a professional pastoral care and certification organization. In addition, The Joint Commission has always recognized HCMA Chaplains as one example of how their standard for pastoral care services can be met in healthcare facilities and programs. In the 1998 publication of the Source (a publication of the JCAHO), it cited an example for HR.2 as: “chaplain, qualified—An individual who is certified and in good standing with a pastoral care cognate group recognized by the Coalition on Ministry in Specialized Settings/Joint Commission on Accreditation of Pastoral Services (COMISS/JCAPS); or who is certified and in good standing with other chaplain certifying agencies such as the Hospital Chaplains’ Ministry of America (HCMA)1 ; or who has the documented equivalent in education, training and experience, with evidence of relevant continuing education.”
  
 
1 Emphasis added. HCMA was incorporated as the Healthcare Chaplains’ Ministry of America, Inc. in 1957 and does business as the Healthcare Chaplains Ministry Association since 2008.

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted
Matthew 5:4

Mission Statement 

The mission of HCMA is to select, train, certify, and encourage Christian Chaplains who are professionally competent to provide pastoral / spiritual care to people of all faiths at healthcare institutions worldwide.
CORE VALUES

• Christian - HCMA Chaplains are believers in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord and seek to follow Him in character and conduct, especially His love, which is demonstrated in compassion for the sick and suffering with their diverse needs.
• Excellence in Training- HCMA Chaplains have undergone extensive and intensive clinical pastoral education that is grounded in biblical and professional principles under the mentoring of skilled Teaching Chaplains.
• Professional Competence– HCMA Chaplains are skilled pastoral caregivers meeting the highest Professional Competency Standards and Code of Ethics within the field of clinical pastoral care.
• Respect for Diversity– HCMA Chaplains recognize the dignity and worth of every person. Pastoral/spiritual services are offered with sensitivity and respect to all persons regardless of age, diagnosis, disability, economic status, ethnicity, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, or social status.

Training Philosophy

The world of the healthcare system is unique, demanding and challenging. In order to gain respect and recognition as one enters this environment, the healthcare Chaplain needs to come prepared with highly developed knowledge, skills and character that will command the respect and recognition the position warrants. The HCMA Clinical Pastoral Education Program, therefore, is designed to prepare the Chaplain-Trainee to become a worthy ambassador for Jesus Christ in the healthcare ministry to which God has called him/her.
The following explains the values and principles that form the foundation for the HCMA perspective on chaplaincy care within the healthcare setting.

The training philosophy of HCMA tends to have more of a pastoral/spiritual emphasis than a psychological ministry emphasis.

• The chaplaincy training of an HCMA Chaplain tends to have a greater emphasis on spiritual issues rather than on humanistic issues. The pastoral care of an HCMA chaplain is more apt to be God-centered than man-centered.
• HCMA considers the central task of a healthcare 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 tends to be more vertical (eternal) focused than horizontal (temporal) focused in its ministry to patients and residents.

• HCMA chaplaincy training tends to be more concerned about teaching the Chaplain to recognize that his/her primary role is to help the patient/resident relate well to God rather than focusing first and foremost on the patient/resident relating well to others or the Chaplain.
• HCMA trains a Chaplain to primarily focus on the ultimate eternal issues concerning the patient/resident (i.e., providing pastoral/spiritual care) rather than making the Chaplain’s main focus on helping the patient/resident cope with the temporal concerns of the immediate situation (i.e., providing psychosocial care).
• HCMA does train Chaplains to be sensitive to and deal with relational and psychosocial concerns; however, it is not considered the Chaplain’s specialty or primary role.

​The training philosophy of HCMA tends to have a greater emphasis on personal ministry to individual needs rather than on doing case studies.

• In training a Chaplain, HCMA views each sufferer as a person of worth rather than simply a case study.
• HCMA trains a Chaplain to not only enter a person’s room and make observations, but also to come alongside the person’s life as a compassionate comforter in the tradition of our Lord Jesus Christ as the Good Shepherd. This is done, among other ways, by being transparent and open, by being available to listen objectively and empathetically, and by being fully present to comfort individually, and by praying and sharing Scripture with them for their specific needs (when appropriate to do so).

Value of a Chaplain

Medical Care Facilities might ask the value of an HCMA chaplain. 

The professional pastoral/spiritual care services of an HCMA Board Certified Chaplain (BCC) or Certified Clinical Chaplain (CCC) provide several distinct benefits to a healthcare facility.

Patient Well-Being Is Improved

• Professional Chaplains play an integral role in supporting and strengthening patients’ religious and spiritual beliefs and practices, which help them feel better and get better.

Patient/Family Satisfaction Is Enhanced

• Chaplains enhance the image of the healthcare organization as they provide these spiritual services.
• In an age of high medical technology, brief hospitalizations, and shortened contacts with physicians and other healthcare professionals, Chaplains offer one of the few opportunities for patients and families to discuss their personal and spiritual concerns.
• People who are satisfied with the spiritual care provided during their hospitalization are more likely to return to that institution again for future medical care and are more likely to recommend the facility to others. Spiritual Abuse Is Avoided
• Codes of professional ethics stipulate that Chaplains themselves must respect the diverse beliefs and practices of patients and families.

Staff Retention and Productivity Is Improved

• Chaplains provide sensitive, supportive spiritual care to patients and family during potentially stressful times for staff (e.g., terminal illness, codes, death, oncology, etc.), thereby allowing these medical specialists to attend to their primary duties.

Risk Management and Litigation Is Mitigated

• Chaplains play an important role in mitigating situations of patient/family dissatisfaction involving risk management and potential litigation.

Valuable Assistance in Death Care

• Our chaplains are highly trained to deal with grieving families
• The spiritual care provided to families near or at the time of death helps free the healthcare staff to do their job.

Accreditation Standards Are Met

• Chaplains help healthcare organizations fulfill a variety of accreditation standards of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations (JCAHO), including those associated with patient’s rights for spiritual care and support.
• When JCAHO comes to survey a healthcare facility, it reflects positively on the institution when they have a professionally competent Chaplain on staff.

Medical Ethics Support Is Improved

• Chaplains help patients and family members identify their values regarding end-of-life treatment choices and communicate this information to the healthcare staff.
• Families respond better and in a timelier manner to end-of-life situations when Chaplain support is provided.

​Community Relations Are Enhanced

• Some people choose a healthcare facility because of the spiritual care provided.

Chaplains establish and maintain important relationships with the community clergy, who often make referrals of their parish people to the hospital.

About Us

Testimonies

What Patients Say…

• “God sent you to me. I was wondering if He had forgotten me. Now I am sure He will never leave me or forsake me."
• “I was so afraid of going under the anesthetic for my operation. Since we put it into the Lord’s hands, I have peace that all will be fine.”
• “I live several hours drive from the hospital. It has been so lonely since my family can’t come to see me very often. Your visits have been a great encouragement.”
• “I knew you would come to see me, because I was praying that if there was a chaplain he would come to my room. The reason I am in the hospital is that my husband beat me up. I am so afraid. I need you to pray for me.”
• “I know that I would not have survived my accident unless God had spared my life. I want to get my life back close to God. Will you help me?”

What Families Say…

• “I would like to express my thanks for all your help and prayers during my husband’s illness and death. Your words of comfort always seemed to come at the right time and were a great comfort during the long waits in the emergency room and waiting for visiting hours.”
• “It is wonderful having a hospital with someone to pray with you.”
• “We thought our son just had pneumonia. The doctors told us he is terminal. We are so grateful to have someone be with us now.”
• “I couldn’t accept by husband’s condition until you prayed with me that God’s best be done for him. Since then I have had peace, even when he died.”
• “A year ago, you prayed for our son as he lay in a coma for two weeks. I brought him back to show you how God answered your prayers!”
• “Our daughter had a very difficult night. We almost lost her. I’m so glad you are here to pray for her.”
• “We’re from out of state. It means a lot to have you be with us and pray for our son.”

What Healthcare Staff Say…

• “Thank you for your prayers for my grandson. I couldn’t have finished the day without you.”
• “I often see you praying for patients in the operating room. I feel you help more than I do.
• “I’m so glad you begin our Department Manager’s meeting with prayer. Even if all the rest of the week is a total loss, that makes up for it!”
• Fifty Medical Workers who nominated a chaplain for a Spirit of Caring Award: “Words cannot express the goodness in this man’s heart. He is available 24 hours a day to meet the needs of patients, families, and staff.”
• An Administrator, presenting a Chaplain a plaque for 15 years of service: “Our Chaplain has greatly helped to improve the quality of care we provide. He gives of his time to listen, help, and counsel patients, family, and staff. We express our gratitude for his compassionate and unselfish service.”

Clinical Training INfo

​The purpose of the HCMA Clinical Pastoral Education Curriculum is to prepare qualified persons for this unique and demanding ministry who are called and gifted by God to become Board Certified Chaplains or Certified Clinical Chaplains, who then will serve as professionally competent and compassionate spiritual caregivers in a healthcare facility.

Goal
The 1,600 hours (4 units) of the HCMA CPE Curriculum is designed to develop a professionally qualified healthcare Chaplain who has demonstrated professional competency in conducting a biblically based pastoral/spiritual care ministry to patients and/or residents, their families, and medical staff.

Objectives
1. To orient the Trainee to the healthcare system as s/he functions as a professional pastoral/spiritual caregiver in a healthcare facility.
2. To help the Trainee become effective in assessing and meeting the spiritual and emotional needs of patients/residents, family, and staff.
3. To help the Trainee develop communication skills in the area of interpersonal relationships.
4. To support the Trainee in his/her spiritual disciplines and growth.
5. To prepare the Trainee to competently and compassionately respond to the varied crises faced by patients/residents, families and staff.
6. To help the Trainee become a team member working in cooperation with the healthcare staff, religious community, and the HCMA.
7. To assist the Trainee in understanding and responding to medical ethical issues.
8. To help the Trainee become a model of professional competence and high ethical standards as a pastoral/spiritual caregiver.
9. To keep the Trainee informed of his/her progress in the program by periodic evaluation and peer review sessions. 2 5/6/2021
10. To assist the Trainee in finding ministry partners to help support his/her ministry.

Content
The entire HCMA CPE Curriculum consists of six “notebooks” (each unit is available online through the HCMA website) to which the Chaplain-Trainee may add his/her written assignments and notes.

Unit One:
This online basic introduction to chaplaincy covers the biblical foundation for pastoral care, the spiritual formation of the Chaplain, hospital visitation dos and don’ts, active listening skills, the Chaplain’s role and identity, terminal issues, grief issues, and how to handle basic emergency situations. The successful completion of Unit One, plus compliance with additional qualifications, may qualify a person to receive a certificate as a Chaplain Assistant with HCMA.

Unit Two:
This unit looks at the professional and personal life of a healthcare Chaplain, spiritual assessment and charting, cross cultural ministry, ministry to staff, being a team player, ministry to surgical patients, general biblical principles on suffering and healing, and an overview of spiritual warfare.

Unit Three:
Subjects covered in the third unit are the history of chaplaincy and HCMA, healthcare policies and procedures, crisis counseling guidelines, medical ethics, family dynamics, responding to objections, funerals, and prayer in world religions.

Unit Four:
In this final unit, the focus will be on mental health ministry, social issues related to healthcare, ministry to the elderly, oncology ministry, professional boundaries, avoiding compassion fatigue, and establishing the Chaplain’s office.

There's more to the process of training you will be guided through. 

​He heals the brokenhearted, and binds up their wounds
Psalm 147:3