Pictured (left to right): Chaplain interns and residents of the Clinical Pastoral Care Program at Erlanger Bill Newton, Steven Allert, Jerry Marabel, Jason Jordan, Carl Caffrey, Michelle Jernigan, Jeff Weeden, Ricardo Carr, and DaeKeun Park
Erlanger Health System recognizes pastoral care interns, residents and chaplains during Pastoral Care Week, Oct. 16-22.
Funded by the Erlanger Baroness Hospital, the Baroness Foundation, Chattanooga Association for Clinical Pastoral Care, and Erlanger Auxiliary, chaplains from the Clinical Pastoral Care Department provide spiritual support to Erlanger patients, family members, and associates of all religious affiliations.
In January 1986, Erlanger, along with the Chattanooga Association for Clinical Pastoral Care, saw a need to educate clergy and lay care givers in healthcare support and began a clinical pastoral education program accredited by the Association for Clinical Pastoral Care Inc.
In August 2004, Erlanger established a pastoral care residency program as a way for ministers and theological students to gain one year of full time clinical pastoral education in a hospital setting. Through the Clinical Pastoral Care Residency Program, theological students and ministers serve as pastoral care givers and counselors at Erlanger, providing spiritual guidance to patients and loved ones. The residents attend educational seminars in order to complete their clinical pastoral education requirement for possible Board Certification by the Association for Professional Chaplains.
After completing the program, chaplains become specialists in offering care by integrating their theological training with knowledge in behavioral sciences, such as personality theory and individual and family counseling theory.
“The residents of the Clinical Pastoral Education Program at Erlanger work tirelessly to ensure that patients and families receive world class care for their spiritual needs,” said Chaplain Olen H. Grubbs, Pastoral Care and Education director. “Our goal is to effectively discern the needs of every patient and family at Erlanger, so we can facilitate the resources of spirituality for their coping and healing.”