Issue #219 – March 14, 2016

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(Items marked with a * are new or updated items)

1. Executive Director’s Reflection
We realize so much of our spiritual care ministry is based on the gift of and call to model respect. Respect of the human person, the person’s spiritual and emotional needs, and the person’s religion and cultural values and beliefs. Human dignity is at the heart of our ministry. The etymology of the word respect came back to me as I reflected on yesterday’s first reading (Isaiah 43:16-21), especially the verse, “Remember not the events of the past, the things of long ago consider not; see, I am doing something new! Now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?” It seems to call us to a “Hey! Look again!” http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/031316-fifth-sunday-lent.cfm

I was drawn to the Latin roots of respect (re meaning ‘back’ and specere meaning ‘look at.’). Then I think about the beauty of being respectful. How it calls us to a “second look.” I realize that at times this is a literal call to me when I catch myself being too quick or matter-of-fact with people or situations. I need to say, “Hey, David, hold it, look again at this situation – honor the people and moment!” Most often we experience this respect not as a literal call, but as a spiritual practice of living with the mindfulness that respect (re-specere) calls us to – the continual looking back at the dignity and worth of each person and moment and reverencing that person/moment.

Yesterday’s first reading from Isaiah 43:16-21, however, can take us to another way of considering respect as that reading evokes several images of comfort for those of Jewish and Christian faith. It reminds us of God’s saving deeds, it calls us to let go of the past and to look forward with hopefulness and assuredness. What God has already done bodes well for God’s commitment again to be a saving presence. In that context the statement, “Now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?” calls me to even greater watchfulness knowing God’s saving action. How are we present when what we see as desert and wastelands promises more?

It seems that respect is more than a way of treating people; it is a call and an act of faith as we reverence the dignity of the person/moment and we keep looking back with eyes of faith for the newness that the interplay of the human enterprise and the Ultimate Mystery unfolds before our eyes. “Now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?”

Respectfully,
David Lichter, D.Min.
Executive Director

2. NACC welcomes our new February 2016 members!
We extend a warm welcome to those members who joined us last month!

Full Members
Rev. Joachim C. Adione (Grand Junction, CO)
Rev. Mathias Arularasu (Corpus Christi, TX)
Sr. Xiomara Mendez-Hernandez (Henderson, NV)
Ms. Carla J. Schommer (Sheboygan, WI)
Mr. Nicholas S. Stewart (Charlottesville, VA)

Student Members
Teresa E. Deltete (Baltimore, MD)
Sr. Colette Didier, (Cincinnati, OH)
Sr. Patricia M. Hinton (Houston, MS)
Rev. Gideon O. Olubgami (Huntington, WV)

3. March-April Vision Issue available on NACC website!
In case you have not looked yet, you can access the March-April issue of Vision on the NACC website at www.nacc.org/vision. The theme of this issue is moral distress. You will find several articles on the topic. We are grateful to the authors, as well as to David Lewellen, our Vision editor. David always welcomes your feedback and suggestions for future Vision themes. He can be reached at dlewellen@nacc.org

4. Member news!
We learned that our NACC member, Michael Doyle, MA, MDiv, BCC, has recently been named the Regional Director for Mission for the Lakeshore region of Presence Health in Chicago. Congratulations, Michael. To read more, click here.

5. Upcoming networking calls
There are two remaining network calls for this month. Email notices have been sent to members that are on the specific networking call lists. If you would like to participate or have not received an email for these or other networking calls, please contact Tim Charek (tcharek@nacc.org).

Wednesday, March 23, at 9:00 a.m. Central Time – Integrative Health (NEW)
Thursday, March 24, at 11:00 a.m. Central Time – Palliative Care/Hospice

6. Please consider speaking to your parish about chaplaincy! NACC Ambassador report!
Our NACC member, Catherine Valeriote, BCC, has been part of our NACC Ambassador initiative that encourages our members to share with diverse audiences what it means to be a chaplain. Catherine recently presented to a group at her parish. Click here to learn what she did, and how it went. Also included is a copy of the flyer she used to announce the presentation. If you would like to contact Catherine to learn more, you can reach her at (cvaleriote@earthlink.net). Thank you so much, Catherine, for sharing the story of our ministry! Please learn more about being an Ambassador by contacting Tim Charek (tcharek@nacc.org).

7. The NACC is deeply grateful to the many systems who already are 2016 Institutional Partners!
The NACC is deeply grateful to the many 2016 Institutional Partners, Endorsers, Supporters, Advocates, and Affiliates who so far have committed in 2016 to partner with the NACC in advancing and supporting the spiritual care profession. If you do not see your system on the growing list, please consider asking to become a partner. You can go to www.nacc.org/about-nacc/institutional-partners/ or contact David Lichter (dlichter@nacc.org).

8. Have you accessed the NACC 50th Jubilee Chaplain Encounters book yet?
Chaplain Encounters: Stories of Grace and Spiritual Healing from the National Association of Catholic Chaplains is the compilation of the ministry reflections written by our members and included in each NACC Now throughout 2015, NACC’s 50th Jubilee year. It is in PDF format, easily downloadable. Take and share it with family, friends, and those you know who wonder about the mystery of this ministry. We want to express a special thanks to all of our members who contributed their stories to this collection, and to David Lewellen for his oversight of the project. www.nacc.org/resources/chaplain-encounters

2016 NATIONAL CONFERENCE APRIL 22-25, 2016

9. This coming Friday, March 18, is the final day for registrations to be completed online or to be received at the NACC office. After this date, you will need to register in person at the Conference
You have less than two weeks to register for the conference online or by mailing your registration to the NACC office. There are three options for registering and paying for the Conference.

Register online using the registration portal and pay with Visa or MasterCard.
Register online using the registration portal and indicate you wish to be billed and will mail your payment.
Register by completing a paper registration form and mail the form with your payment (check/money order) to the NACC office.

If you have already completed your registration but have yet to make your payment, please ensure you do so by March 18.

10. The NACC is deeply grateful to all who have become our 2016 Conference Sponsors so far!
The NACC is deeply grateful to all who already have become our 2016 Conference Sponsors, whose financial support helps us keep our fees reasonable, and makes affordable our top quality speakers, and excellent events! Thank you all. Please go to www.nacc.org/conference/gratitude to recognize our 2016 Conference Sponsors.

11. As you register or if you have already registered, you can still donate to the NACC Scholarship Fund.
Please consider a donation to the NACC Scholarship Fund. All donations received will help an NACC member to attend the NACC National Conference. Every dollar counts; no amount is too big or small. You can make a donation using the online registration portal. Thank you for your support.

CHAPLAINCY NEWS, EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL SUPPORTS

12. Final Request: what spiritual care marketing materials are you using in outpatient settings?
This is a final request asking for samples of what members are using to market spiritual care services in outpatient settings. We have had requests for this. If you have developed a flyer or poster, or other materials that you use in your outpatient waiting or exam rooms, would you be willing to share them? We will be sure to network you with others who also share so that we can learn from each other. Please send to David Lichter (dlichter@nacc.org).

13. Are you aware of the free Harvard resources videos on spirituality and medicine?
There is a series of videos on spirituality and medicine, accessible at no cost at: http://projects.iq.harvard.edu/rshm/events-videos. These are high quality resources for you. Dr. Daniel Sulmasy is among the presenters.

14. Carey Landry and his wife, Carol, release a new CD entitled “Gentle Sounds Meditations”
Our NACC member, Carey Landry, BCC, and his wife Carol Kinghorn-Landry, have released a new CD entitled, Gentle Sounds Meditations, which is a collection of short meditations with music in the background. They have taken the Gentle Sounds instrumental versions of several of their songs and provide spoken meditations based on the themes of those songs. The meditations range from themes of the love of God and intimacy with God in prayer to a “Meditation on Grief and Loss,” “A Caregiver’s Promise Meditation,” and “When God is Silent” Meditation. Go to http://www.ocp.org/artists/698 for more information.

15. HealthCare Chaplaincy Network (HCCN) releases evidence-based quality indicators for spiritual care
Many of you received the February 23, 2016, news release from HealthCare Chaplaincy Network (HCCN) announcing evidenced-based quality indicators for spiritual care developed by a panel of international experts. While this was done without the engagement of the professional chaplaincy cognate groups, this is a vital area of importance to the chaplaincy profession. Involving clinical experts other than chaplains in the development of these indicators was also important. The HCCN views these as a starting point, using only indicators that currently have solid research behind them, and welcomes feedback of our profession as these quality indicators are studied and tested in our respective organizations and places of employment. What are the strengths, challenges, opportunities and blind spots you see in this document? Our cognate groups will also be studying these indicators and plan to provide feedback on them. We share the advocacy aim to put “spiritual care and professional chaplaincy on par with other healthcare disciplines that are directed by specific quality indicators.” For the press release go to http://www.prweb.com/releases/2016/02/prweb13220857.htmhttp://www.prweb.com/releases/2016/02/prweb13220857.htm. For the document, “What Is Quality Spiritual Care in Health Care and How Do You Measure It?” as well as a list of panel members, go to http://www.healthcarechaplaincy.org/research.

16. Register for the remaining NACC 2016 Webinars.
You can register for a discounted price for all the remaining NACC 2016 Webinars.
To register online, please click on this LINK. To download a paper registration form, please click HERE.

Here are the remaining webinars.

Continuous Quality Improvement for Spiritual Care Services
Presented by Diane Kreslins, BCC, MPC, Spiritual Director
Thursday, May 19, 2016 – 12:00 noon to 1:30 p.m. Central Time

Program Summary
Diane Kreslins has had spiritual care leadership roles in several settings and has developed ways to improve how and what is offered. Recently retired from leadership roles, Diane will offer ways to assess the quality of one’s spiritual care service in healthcare in light of current national standards, and to identify quality improvement based on the results of one’s assessment to ensure quality spiritual care services.

Program Objectives
1. Review of the current national standards for quality spiritual care services in healthcare as established by chaplaincy certifying associations
2. Identify a Quality Assessment Questionnaire to assess current standards of practice of spiritual care services in your organization
3. Knowledge on how to compare your current standard of practice to the national standard of practice
4. Identify quality improvement based on results of assessment to ensure quality spiritual care services

The Mercy Outpatient Setting: What We are Learning and Developing
Presented by Jennifer Cobb and Mercy Spiritual Care Leaders
Thursday, June 23, 2016 – 12:00 noon to 1:30 p.m. Central Time

Program Summary
Chaplaincy Beyond the Hospital: What We’ve Learned and Our Next Steps. Mercy, along with its 46 acute care and specialty (heart, children’s, orthopedic and rehab) hospitals, has more than 700 physician practices and outpatient facilities in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma. For several years, Mercy’s mission and spiritual care leaders have been pioneering the development and implementation of spiritual care services beyond the acute care setting. In addition to a wide variety of patient settings, Mercy chaplains also innovate through using technology to provide spiritual care. Since 2014, telephone and email encounters have become a stable part of how chaplains offer spiritual care for those outside the hospital setting. In 2015, Mercy teleSpiritual Care offered the first use of virtual chaplaincy as part of an integrated team approach to in-home patient care. Jennifer Cobb, Director of Mercy Mission & Spiritual Care, and leaders of spiritual care services will offer what they have learned through this journey and what they are initiating now.

Chaplaincy Support for Employee Resilience: A Work of Improvisation
Presented by Charles Ceronsky, BCC, Director Spiritual Care Services, and Judy Connolly, BCC, D.Min, Chaplain
Thursday, July 14, 2016 – 12:00 noon to 1:30 p.m. Central Time

Program Summary
Across the country, healthcare reform is demonstrating the need for more robust staff engagement even as the stress associated with rapid change mounts. The science of resilience is advancing in ways that suggest that the skillset of professional chaplains is particularly important and timely in that regard. As part of our system-wide strategic planning three years ago, Spiritual Health Services at University of Minnesota Health decided to move beyond mere availability to staff and declare nurturing staff resilience a strategic initiative. This webinar offers a case study of efforts and outcomes that are now fueling new thinking and creative openings for the role of chaplaincy in the support of staff and providers.

Program Objectives
1. Summarize the research that underlines the value of building resiliency in healthcare organizations.
2. Discuss the role of a strategic planning process to generate insight and resolve to prioritize staff resiliency work.
3. Describe the relationship of this initiative with institutional priorities for clinical excellence, patient satisfaction, and employee engagement.
4. Review specific strategies and interventions to consider for your setting.

Certification by the NACC
Presented by the NACC
Thursday, July 28, 2016 – 12:00 noon to 1:30 p.m. Central Time

Program Summary
This webinar will provide participants with an overview of the NACC certification process, with special attention to the revised NACC standards and procedures. We will present key information about certification and provide a forum for answering questions about certification with the NACC. This free webinar will be presented by members of the NACC Certification Commission. This webinar will be repeated in November.

Renewal of Certification by the NACC
Presented by NACC Certification Commissioners: Augustine (Austine) Duru, MA, MDiv, BCC, Kathleen M. Ponce, MAPS, BCC, and Jane W. Smith, DMin, BCC, AADP
Thursday, August 18, 2016 – 12:00 noon to 1:30 p.m. Central Time

Program Summary
This webinar will provide participants with an overview of the renewal of certification process and documentation and provide a forum for answering questions about NACC renewal of certification. This free webinar will be presented by members of the NACC Certification Commission.

Metrics for Spiritual Care Interventions: a CHI Kentucky One Initiative
Presented by Rabbi Dr. Nadia Siritsky, MSSW, BCC
Thursday, September 22, 2016 – 12:00 noon to 1:30 p.m. Central Time

Program Summary
CHI Kentucky One’s Jewish Hospital in Louisville, KY, gets over 100 Emergency Department (ED) visits a day that puts pressure on maintaining high quality service and on staff health. The Jewish Hospital Clinical and Operational Excellence (COE) team worked collaboratively with the Pastoral Care and Clinical and Process Excellence (CPE) to launch an innovative Chaplain Intervention Program (ChIP) that integrated skilled chaplains into the ED environment with a two-fold approach to provide patient care and deliver staff support. Mission leader, Rabbi Nadia Siritsky, BCC, a social researcher by background, will share the process of developing the metrics used to measure effectiveness, what they are learning, and how they are moving forward to integrate metrics in spiritual care.

What Every Chaplain Should Know About the Business of Health Care
Presented by Tim Crowley, MHA, MAPM, LFACHE
Thursday, October 13, 2016 – 12:00 noon to 1:30 p.m. Central Time

Program Summary
The revised Standards of Practice for Chaplains includes Standard 15, Business Acumen: The chaplain values and utilizes business principles, practices and regulatory requirements appropriate to the chaplain’s role in the organization. NACC (and the Common standards) include standards 305.1 Promote the integration of Pastoral/Spiritual Care into the life and service of the institution in which it resides and 305.3 Articulate an understanding of institutional culture and systems, and systemic relationships. What does this look like from the perspective of Tim Crowley, a hospital executive for over 35 years, who is completing his CPE to become a board certified chaplain for hospice? Tim will offer his healthcare business perspective, providing answers to such questions as: Where does revenue come from? What is my role in managing expenses? Do I really need to manage a budget? Why is spiritual care under the microscope? How does a pastoral care director explain the value proposition of the pastoral care department to administration?

About the Presenter
Tim Crowley is a retired Hospital Executive with 37 years of experience leading hospitals ranging in size from small rural to large urban. He is a Life Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives. He is a married father of two and a grandfather of five. Tim and his wife, Katie, live in Loveland, OH. He is working toward an encore career as a hospice chaplain, and is currently in his third unit of CPE at Twin Towers, a continuing care retirement community in Cincinnati. He spent much of his career serving as a mentor to students in health administration, and serves as volunteer faculty with the MHA Program at the University of Cincinnati. He also serves on community boards for organizations which focus on the care of seniors, and leads a grief support group at his parish. He holds a BS in Psychology from the University of Illinois, a Master in Hospital and Healthcare Administration from Saint Louis University and a Master of Arts in Pastoral Ministry from The Athenaeum of Ohio. A Chicago native, he is an avid golfer and relishes a broad circle of friends.

Ethical Issues Facing Our Healthcare Settings, and Implications for Spiritual Care
Presented by Rev. Thomas A. Nairn, OFM, PhD
Thursday, November 10, 2016 – 12:00 noon to 1:30 p.m. Central Time

Program Summary
This webinar will provide an overview of the ethical issues that face the work environments within which we function as chaplains. Fr. Thomas Nairn will examine these issues through the lens of the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care, and offer suggestions on their importance for our spiritual care ministry.

Certification by the NACC
Presented by the NACC
Thursday, November 17, 2016 – 12:00 noon to 1:30 p.m. Central Time

Program Summary
This webinar is a repeat of the July presentation, and will provide participants with an overview of the NACC certification process, with special attention to the revised NACC standards and procedures. We will present key information about certification and provide a forum for answering questions about certification with the NACC. This free webinar will be presented by members of the NACC Certification Commission.

Chaplaincy and the Ritual Ministry: Its Role and Value
Presented by Jim Letourneau, BCC and Linda Bronersky, BCC-S
Thursday, December 8, 2016 – 12:00 noon to 1:30 p.m. Central Time

Program Summary
In the Sept.-Oct. 2014 issue of Health Progress, Brian Smith noted that “The third core competency of spiritual care is the skillful facilitation of meaningful ritual. Rituals serve a deeply human need to create meaning, honor important events and create sacred space for patients, families and communities. Spiritual care providers offer ritual care for a variety of needs and occasions.” Linda Bronersky and Jim Letourneau will explore the role and value of the ministry of ritual, providing a variety of examples of what they have provided and experienced.

17. This Friday, March 18, is the deadline to register for the Trinity Spiritual Care Champions 2016-2017 webinar series
The annual registration for the Trinity Champions Programs for spiritual care, ethics, and social sensibilities webinar series is now open until Friday, March 18, 2016. To register, you need to go to the Trinity website, www.trinity-health.org, and from the Programs and Services tab, click “Mission” for the social sensibilities and spiritual care champions schedules and registration. Click “Ethics” for the Ethics Champions schedule and registration. For more information, you can also click here for Trinity’s FAQ for these series.

18. Have you recently checked out the Association of Professional Chaplains webinars?
The APC continues to offer a very helpful series of webinars on a variety of topics on professional chaplaincy. If you have not recently checked them out, please go to: www.professionalchaplains.org/calendar_list.asp

19. Healing Tree: a request for prayers *
Please let us know if you would like our membership to pray for your health and healing. Also please let us know when you want us to remove your name from our Healing Tree.

We continue to pray for: the family of Dale Dewitt, Fr. Douglas F. Faraci, Maritza Ramos-Pratt, Jane Chiamaka Onuoha (very young baby of our NACC member Michael Onuoha), Kathleen (Kate) Sullivan, Sandy Tiefenbrun (spouse of Anita Barni), Marie Coglianese, Nancy and Sheila Amrich (nieces-in-law of NACC member Sr. Paracleta Amrich), Isabelita Boquiren, Diana Annunziato (Mother-in-law of NACC staffer Jeanine Annunziato), Sister Patricia Watkins, GNSH, Rev. Gerald U. Onuoha, David Markiewicz (grandson of recently deceased NACC member Roberta Markiewicz), Sister Stephanie Morales, FMI, Marybeth Harmon, Renato Fallico, Susan Balling, Maria Meneses, Chaplain Julia Mary Sweeney (mourning the death of her sister, Margaret Maureen Lewis, BA Honors), Sr. Sheila Prendeville, CPPS, Sister M. Dianna Hell, Sister Maria Theresa Hronec, Betty and Louis Skonieczny, Jim Castello, Jeff Michel (brother-in-law of David Lichter), Thomas from Chicago (12 years old), Thomas Smiley (brother of member Diane Smiley), Marga Halala, Donn Renfro (son-in-law of Karen Pugliese), Amy in Atlanta (friend of NACC member Theresa Sullivan), Thomas (grandson of NACC member Ginny Grimes Allen), Beth from Boston (friend of NACC member Dana Sandlin), Sr. Janet Bielmann, Elizabeth A. Walsh, Francesco Marshall, Glenn and Pat Teske, Susan Murphy, Fr. Jim Radde, SJ, Sr. Mary Clare Boland, SP, Sr. Phyllis Ann DiRenzo, Kathy Brier (daughter of NACC member Theresa Brier), Gloria Troxler, Fr. Kevin Ikpah, and Kelly Elizabeth Sexton (daughter of NACC member Melyssa Sexton).

20. Recent job postings *
The following positions have been posted recently on our Positions Available page.
For more information go to www.nacc.org/resources/positions.

CHAPLAIN
Monroe, Wisconsin – Monroe Clinic

CATHOLIC PRIEST – CHAPLAIN
Napa Valley, California – Queen of the Valley/St. Joseph Health

CATHOLIC PRIEST
Topeka, Kansas – St. Francis Healthcare

BOARD CERTIFIED CHAPLAIN
Nashville, Tennessee – Saint Thomas Health

ST. MARY CPE PROGRAM
Langhorne, Pennsylvania – St. Mary Medical Center and Holy Redeemer (Meadowbrook)

CHAPLAIN
Madison, Wisconsin – SSM Health Care

FULL-TIME CHAPLAIN OPPORTUNITY
Redding, California – Mercy Medical Center

DIRECTOR of MISSION INTEGRATION and SPIRITUAL CARE
Seaside, Oregon – Providence Seaside Hospital

CATHOLIC PRIEST-CHAPLAIN
Tampa, Florida – BayCare Health System

CPE RESIDENCY
La Crosse, Wisconsin – Gundersen Health System

CATHOLIC PRIEST
Greenville, South Carolina – Bon Secours St. Francis Health System

DIRECTOR of SPIRITUAL CARE
Kalamazoo, Michigan – Borgess Health

FULL-TIME CHAPLAIN OPPORTUNITY
Mount Shasta, California – Mercy Medical Center

DIVISION MANAGER OF PASTORAL CARE
Omaha, Nebraska – CHI Health

VICE PRESIDENT of MISSION INTEGRATION
Towson, Maryland – University of Maryland St. Joseph’s Medical Center

MANAGER of PASTORAL CARE
Evansville, Indiana – St. Mary’s Health System

DIRECTOR OF SPIRITUAL CARE
Carroll, Iowa – St. Anthony Regional Hospital & Nursing Home

DIRECTOR of SPIRITUAL CARE and CHAPLAINCY SERVICES
Lewiston, Maine – St. Mary’s Health System

NACC Now #219

Issue #219 – March 14, 2016

NACC

2016 NATIONAL CONFERENCE APRIL 22-25, 2016

CHAPLAINCY NEWS, EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL SUPPORTS

2016 NATIONAL CONFERENCE APRIL 22-25, 2016

CHAPLAINCY NEWS, EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL SUPPORTS

Job Listings

Free Publications

Donate Now

Issue #219 – March 14, 2016

NACC

2016 NATIONAL CONFERENCE APRIL 22-25, 2016

CHAPLAINCY NEWS, EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL SUPPORTS

2016 NATIONAL CONFERENCE APRIL 22-25, 2016

CHAPLAINCY NEWS, EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL SUPPORTS

Job Listings

Free Publications

Donate Now

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