NEW YORK, Nov. 13, 2018 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- HealthCare Chaplaincy Network and Spiritual Care Association President and CEO, the Rev. Eric J. Hall announced a collaboration between HCCN/SCA and the New York State Chaplain Task Force at the 2018 Wholeness of Life Gala.
The move is a merger of sorts. The Task Force's 2,500 members will be merging under SCA. HCCN/SCA is developing a training program specifically for them and will be working on a credentialing/certification process.
"The past three years HCCN and SCA has been aggressively working to raise the bar on spiritual care providers," said Hall. "This affiliation is one more step in assisting an ignored segment of chaplaincy to improve recognition and respect by raising the bar of their preparation and certification."
The first responder chaplain has specific training needs that have widely been ignored. These chaplains, as healthcare chaplains, would benefit from specialized preparation and certification. Ultimately those individuals who are victims of trauma and crisis would be the recipients of quality first responder chaplaincy care.
"There are plenty of experienced first responders chaplains in the field. There is an opportunity to pull together best practices as well as to review the literature in this field. The certificates and certifications awarded by SCA will go to individuals who have demonstrated knowledge of the field and clinical competency," said Hall.
The Rev. Marcos A. Miranda, MDiv, BCC, is the Founder and President of New York State Chaplain Task Force (NYSCTF), an affiliate of United States Chaplain Task Force, and the Senior Pastor at Action In Christ International in Brooklyn, NY.
"We look forward to our affiliation with Healthcare Chaplaincy Network & Spiritual Care Association, as together we usher in a new era in chaplaincy--the Spiritual Care First Responder. Today, more than ever, people across our Nation are hurting; our First Responders are overwhelmed; and members of the clergy and institutional chaplains must tend to their own communities in times of crisis and disaster. This leaves a major gap in the provision of professional chaplaincy services in times of crisis and disaster. Our affiliation will fill this gap with a focused approach on the chaplain as a spiritual care first responder, complete with standardized training and testing, as well as nationally recognized credentialing. This is both the first of its kind and the future of spiritual care," said Miranda.
The NYSCTF is a 501c3 Not-For-Profit organization that trains, maintains and dispatches highly skilled volunteer Inter-Faith Community Crisis Chaplains to provide spiritual and emotional support and assistance to individuals and their families, local & state agencies, as well as public and private institutions, in times of crisis. Learn more at https://www.chaplains.care/.
About HealthCare Chaplaincy Network
The HealthCare Chaplaincy Network is a nonprofit healthcare organization that helps people and families faced with the distress of illness and suffering to find spiritual comfort and meaning. HCCN provides clinical pastoral education, continuing professional education, and research on the effectiveness of chaplaincy care. For more information, visit http://www.healthcarechaplaincy.org or call 212-644-1111.
SOURCE Healthcare Chaplaincy Network
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