Professional Contacts
This page contains links to websites that may be of interest to professional chaplains. If you would like to be listed as a Featured Link on this page, please send an e-mail to info@apchaplains.org.
Sites are listed on this page for the convenience of visitors. This does not imply endorsement by, or affiliation with, the Association of Professional Chaplains.
Chaplaincy Care Resources & Publications
Chaplaincy Professional Organizations
Featured Links
- Chaplaincy Now! is an informational website explaining what it means to be a professional chaplain.
www.chaplaincynow.com
- Healing HealthCare Systems is committed to creating healing environments in hospitals, long-term care facilities, and hospices. Our audio visual programs, The C.A.R.E. Channel® and C.A.R.E® with Guided Imagery, were developed as therapeutic tools and are designed to reduce the negative impact of hospital noise, minimize stress, enhance pain management protocols, and support palliative care.
www.healinghealth.com
- Interfaith Resources makes it easy for chaplains to show the people they serve that they are spiritually inclusive. Our Interfaith Prayer Book and Interfaith Book of Comfort and Healing; our interfaith stoles, lapel pins, chapel flags and more, all help you demonstrate that you are committed to serving people of every faith tradition.
www.interfaithresources.com
Organizational Partners
Along with the Association of Professional Chaplains, the following organizations adhere to the national Common Professional Standards and Common Code of Ethics for professional chaplaincy.
- Association for Clinical Pastoral Education (ACPE) is a multicultural, multifaith organization devoted to improving the quality of ministry and pastoral care offered by spiritual caregivers of all faiths.
www.acpe.edu
- American Correctional Chaplains Association (ACCA), an affiliate of the American Correctional Association, is a professional organization for pastoral care personnel in the corrections field. ACCA provides a network for sharing information and resources among members and administrators, formulates standards for chaplaincy and religious programming in correctional facilities, certifies correctional chaplains, advances the role of correctional chaplains, and communicates the religious and spiritual aspects of corrections to the larger community.
www.correctionalchaplains.org
- Canadian Association for Spiritual Care/ Association canadienne de soins spirituels (CASC/ACSS) is a national multifaith organization committed to the professional education, certification and support of people involved in pastoral care and pastoral counseling.
www.spiritualcare.ca
- National Association of Catholic Chaplains (NACC) is an association of pastoral ministers who participate in the church’s mission of healing. Its mission is to promote professional development and support services for its members.
www.nacc.org
- Neshama: Association of Jewish Chaplains (NAJC) is a professional organization for Rabbis, Cantors and other Jewish professionals that seeks to enhance the kedusha of Jewish Chaplains that they may provide quality Jewish, religious and spiritual care.
www.jewishchaplain.net
- National Association of Veterans Affairs Chaplains (NAVAC) is a professional organization of chaplains in the Department of Veterans Affairs and its affiliates. NAVAC provides opportunities for continuing education in pastoral care; serves as a certifying body; and serves as an advocate in seeking to encourage professional collegiality, personal growth, and the professional development of VA chaplains.
www.navac.net
Allied Organizations
- American Red Cross. A volunteer humanitarian organization that provides relief to victims of disasters and helps people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies.
www.redcross.org
- Chaplaincy Innovation Lab: The Chaplaincy Innovation Lab (CIL), based at Brandeis University, launched in October 2018 to bring chaplains, theological educators, clinical educators and social scientists into conversation about the work of chaplaincy and spiritual care.
www.chaplaincyinnovation.org
- COMISS Network: COMISS aims to be a pre-eminent network of organizations committed to the preparation and practice of multi-faith spiritual care through chaplaincy and pastoral counseling in specialized settings and promotes and supports collaboration among its members.
www.comissnetwork.org
- Duke Center for Spirituality, Theology, and Health. The Center for Spirituality, Theology and Health is based in the Center for Aging at Duke and provides opportunities for scholarly trans-disciplinary conversation and the development of collaborative research initiatives.
www.dukespiritualityandhealth.org
- George Washington Institute on Spirituality and Health (GWISH ) is a leading organization on educational and clinical issues related to spirituality and health.
www.gwish.org
- National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) represents hospice and palliative care programs and professionals in the U.S. It promotes access to hospice and palliative care, and to maintaining quality care for people facing the end of life and their families.
www.nhpco.org
- Shiley Haynes Institute for Palliative Care
www.csupalliativecare.org/courses/spiritual-care/essentials-chaplaincy/
- Transforming Chaplaincy: The mission of Transforming Chaplaincy is to promote evidence-based spiritual care and integrate research into professional practice and education by fostering a culture of inquiry.
www.transformchaplaincy.org
Chaplaincy Professional Organizations
- College of Pastoral Supervision and Psychotherapy
www.cpsp.life
- European Council On Pastoral Care and Counseling
www.ecpcc.info
- European Network of Health Care Chaplaincy
www.enhcc.eu
- International Council on Pastoral Care and Counseling
www.icpcc.net
- National Institute of Business & Industrial Chaplains
www.nibic.org
- SIPCC: Society for Intercultural Pastoral Care and Counseling
www.ekir.de/sipcc
- Spiritual Care Australia
www.spiritualcareaustralia.org.au
Chaplaincy Care Resources & Publications
- ACPE Research Network seeks to foster connections among members interested in research, to encourage original research, and to raise awareness about published research related to spirituality, pastoral care, and clinical pastoral education.
www.acperesearch.net
- Breaking the Spiritual Care Code Standard: Toward a standard of practice by Dennis E. Kenny is a book focusing on how chaplains can create a standard of care no matter the specific case.
Breaking the Spiritual Care Code Standard
- Caring Connections, a program of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO), is a national consumer and community engagement initiative to improve care at the end of life.
www.caringinfo.org
- Caring Connections is an inter-Lutheran online journal for practitioners and teachers of pastoral care and counseling. This journal is of particular interest to chaplains, pastoral counselors, seminary and academic faculty, clinical educators, synod and district leaders, and concerned pastors.
www.lutheranservices.org/caring_connections
- Dying Consciously: The Greatest Journey website is dedicated to helping people die consciously. It offers a message of hope that is possible to bring dignity and peace back to the dying process. The site includes reading materials and offers a free DVD published by the Institute for Energy Medicine. The institute is a 501(c) 3 nonprofit organization whose purpose is to research, document and disseminate non-conventional healing practices in order to provide alternatives for individuals seeking additional options for optimal health and well-being.
www.dyingconsciously.org
- Health Care Ethics Committee (HEC) Forum is an international, peer-reviewed publication featuring original contributions of interest to practicing physicians, nurses, social workers, risk managers, attorneys, ethicists, chaplains and other HEC committee members. For more than three decades HEC Forum has provided a unique mix of research pertinent to ongoing debates in clinical ethics and institutional ethics, as well as bioethics, health care policy and law. The journal’s contributors and focus are international, addressing the moral concerns of those who work in health care and on health care ethics committees around the world. HEC Forum welcomes submissions from any relevant source that appreciates the diversity of the audience that the journal serves.
www.editorialmanager.com/hecf/default.aspx
- Health and Social Care Chaplaincy is a peer-reviewed, international journal that assists health and social care chaplains to explore the art and science of spiritual care within a variety of contexts. The official journal of the College of Health Care Chaplains and the Scottish Association of Chaplains in Healthcare, Health and Social Care Chaplaincy is a multidisciplinary forum for the discussion of a range of issues related to the delivery of spiritual care across various settings: acute, paediatric, mental health, palliative care and community. It encourages a creative collaboration and interface between health and social care practitioners in the UK and internationally, and consolidates different traditions of discourse and communication research in its commitment to an understanding of psychosocial, cultural and ethical aspects of healthcare in contemporary societies. It is responsive to both ecumenical and interfaith agendas, as well as those from a humanist perspective.
www.journals.equinoxpub.com/index.php/HSCC
- Heart of the Nation – My Sunday Mass. Chaplains serving in health care settings, the military or prisons enhance pastoral care by introducing Catholics in need to “My Sunday Mass” on TV and online. The web site includes a channel guide showing where to find the mass on broadcast, cable and satellite channels nationwide. Heart of the Nation posts video of the mass and text of homilies. “My Sunday Mass” offers spiritual comfort and hope to those unable to participate in parish liturgy. To help Catholics fully engage in the Mass, Heart of the Nation invites subscriptions to a free, large-print Prayer & Worship Guide (6-7 issues annually).
www.heartofthenation.org
- Interfaith Calendar lists primary sacred times for world religions, including Judaism, Islam, Buddhist, Hindu, Christian, Baha’i, Zoroastrian, Sikh, Shinto, Jain, Confucian, Daoist, Native American religions and more.
www.interfaithcalendar.org
- Journal of Health Care Chaplaincy, published by Routledge, includes peer-reviewed, scholarly articles on topics pertinent to pastoral care, clinical pastoral education, chaplaincy and spirituality in relation to physical and mental health. Articles are based on original research, quality improvement studies, descriptions of programs and interventions, program/intervention evaluations, and literature reviews. APC members receive free access to this journal as a benefit of membership.
www.tandf.co.uk/journals/WHCC
- Pastoral/Spiritual Care Week, sponsored by the COMISS Network, gives opportunities for organizations and institutions of all kinds and types to recognize the spiritual caregivers in their midst and the ministry which the caregivers provide.
www.spiritualcareweek.org
- Poetry for the Elderly is a resource for creating a poetry program for groups of elders. It includes poems centered on various themes and a model for presenting poetry to elders.
www.poetryfortheelderly.org
- Professional Chaplains LinkedIn Group. This group is intended as a collegial networking and information-sharing resource for professional chaplains and spiritual care providers.
Professional Chaplains on LinkedIn
- Transforming Chaplaincy: Promoting Research Literacy for Improved Patient Outcomes aims to better equip hospital chaplains to use research to guide, evaluate and advocate for the spiritual care they provide. Funded by grants from The John Templeton Foundation, the project seeks to close the gap between hospital chaplains’ current limited research literacy and the importance of evidence-based care for all members of the health care team. It is co-led by George Fitchett DMin PhD, professor and director of research in the Department of Religion, Health and Human Values at Rush University Medical Center and Wendy Cadge PhD, professor of sociology and chair of the Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies Program at Brandeis University.
www.researchliteratechaplaincy.org
Religious Endorsing Bodies
There are currently over 600 endorsing bodies recognized by APC/BCCI.
To verify that your endorsing body is on the recognized APC/BCCI list, please contact the main office at info@apchaplains.org.
Other Related Links
- Assembly of Episcopal Healthcare Chaplains (AEHC) is a professional association for chaplains and supporters within the Episcopal Church.
www.episcopalchaplain.org
- Association for Death Education and Counseling (ADEC) is an interdisciplinary organization in the field of dying, death and bereavement. Its nearly 2,000 members include a wide array of mental and medical health personnel, educators, clergy, funeral directors and volunteers. ADEC offers conferences, courses, workshops, certification and publications.
www.adec.org
- Catholic Health Association of the United States (CHA) is dedicated to serving the nation’s Catholic health care organizations and supporting the strategic directions of mission, ethics and advocacy. A large group of nonprofit health care sponsors, systems and facilities, CHA welcomes and respects people of all beliefs and traditions, attending to their body, mind and spirit.
www.chausa.org
- COMISS Commission on Accreditation of Pastoral Services (CCAPS), sponsored by the COMISS Network offers consultation and accreditation for chaplaincy departments in specialized ministry settings.
www.comissnetwork.org
- The COMISS Network: The Network on Ministry in Specialized Settings is an organization whose vision is to be a unified voice for the preparation and practice of spiritual care through chaplaincy and pastoral counseling.
www.comissnetwork.org
- Health Ministries Association is a non-profit membership organization; a support network for people of faith who promote whole-person health through faith groups in the communities they serve.
www.hmassoc.org
- HopeandHealing.org is the online ministry of the Church Health Center in Memphis, TN, covering the topics of health ministry, wellness and living with disease. It also includes a Chaplains portal, providing spiritual care resources for professionals and laypersons. Chaplains are invited to submit stories and advice to John Shorb, editor, at shorbj@churchhealthcenter.org. The center also produces curricula and trainings on how to care for all bodies and spirits in your community or church.
www.hopeandhealing.org
- Hospice Foundation of America (HFA) offers programs of professional development, public education and information, research, publications and health policy issues. Programs for health care professionals assist those who cope either personally or professionally with terminal illness, death, and the process of grief, and are offered on a national or regional basis. Programs for the public assist individual consumers of health care who are coping with issues of caregiving, terminal illness, and grief.
www.hospicefoundation.org
- Joint Commission seeks to continuously improve the safety and quality of care provided to the public through the provision of health care accreditation and related services that support performance improvement in health care organizations.
www.jointcommission.org
- Lung Cancer Group was founded to assist anyone battling lung cancer or other asbestos-related diseases. Offering free educational resources, Lung Cancer Group is committed to supporting patients, their families, and those who care for them.
www.lungcancergroup.com
- Midwest Ethics Committee Network (MECN) provides bioethics resources to institutions and individuals in the region, country and world. It provides it members access to bioethics educational programs, research, consultation and resource materials.
www.mcw.edu
- National Coalition for Health Professional Education in Genetics (NCHPEG) provides its member organizations information and resources on genetics, educational symposiums and lectures, and online training events.
www.nchpeg.org
- National Coalition for Hospice and Palliative Care (NCHPC) has the following goals: To present a united voice to the public on behalf of providers who care for patients and families living with chronic, debilitating, and life-limiting illnesses, to enhance communication and cooperation among member organizations, to coordinate activities to improve care, to advocate on behalf of patients and families, and to champion public policy and regulatory initiatives. Members include the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, The Association for Professional Chaplains, The Center to Advance Palliative Care, the Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association, The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, The National Palliative Care Research Center and the Social Work Hospice and Palliative Care Network.
www.nationalcoalitionhpc.org
- National Family Caregivers Association (NFCA) is a charitable organization dedicated to making life better for all of America’s family caregivers. The NFCA represents the more than 25 million family caregivers in the U.S.
www.thefamilycaregiver.org
- National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster. NVOAD coordinates planning efforts by many voluntary organizations responding to disaster. Member organizations provide more effective and less duplication in service by getting together before disasters strike.
www.nvoad.org
- Supportive Care Coalition is a coalition of Catholic health ministries, informed by our faith and values, advancing excellence in palliative care. We believe palliative care is a hallmark of Catholic healthcare through which God’s healing love is revealed. Our goal is to ensure that every Catholic health ministry has palliative care as a part of its core services so that we are known as much for palliative care as for our concern for the poor and vulnerable. Our Vision is that all persons living with or affected by serious illness will receive high quality, compassionate care that integrates their physical, spiritual, cultural, and relational dimensions.
www.supportivecarecoalition.org