Spiritual Care and Chaplaincy Services
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At Indiana University Health, we never forget that our patients are much more than simply a disease to be treated or an injury to be healed. We know each patient is a multifaceted person, with physical, emotional and spiritual needs. That's why the people in the spiritual care and chaplaincy services department work closely with medical staff to assure the well-being of the whole person.
Concern for our patients and their loved ones is a long-standing tradition at IU Health. Our spiritual care department is one of the oldest in the country; its establishment dates back to 1937. Today, our purpose is to provide diverse ministries to enhance spiritual well-being, to educate for ministry and to be a prophetic voice for personal, communal and institutional wholeness.
Mission
IU Health's chaplains are important members of the health care team who provide spiritual care to patients and their families, as well as to hospital staff. We offer care at the moment it is needed, with sensitivity to the many faith traditions of those we serve.
Our efforts to treat the whole person mean that the care we provide takes many forms, including the following:
- Spiritual care
- Notification of the faith community when congregants are hospitalized
- Grief support
- Listening
- Prayer
- Counseling
- Presence
- Worship
- Sacraments
- Spiritual guidance
- Pastoral education
- Guided imagery and visualization
- Meditation and relaxation techniques
Values
The Spiritual Care and Chaplaincy Services Department believes in the following values:
- Spiritual care is an essential dimension of health care.
- Through presence, word, sacrament and symbol, chaplains respectfully seek to meet people in their situations. They assess, nurture and support individual and communal spirituality, strengths and meaning.
- Through education and research in the health care setting, chaplains seek to understand and communicate the importance of spirituality and spiritual care. They seek to participate in the formation of persons as spiritual caregivers so that deeper health and wholeness might be experienced individually and communally. They promote interdisciplinary dialogue and cooperation, as well as holistic health.
Contacting a Chaplain
- University Hospital/Riley Hospital for Children: 317.944.7415
- Methodist Hospital: 317.962.8611
Online Resources
Learn more about becoming a Board Certified Chaplain and explore opportunities available through these professional organizations.