HOSPITAL Partnerships

Whether it is large hospitals that have 10-12 staff Chaplains to cover 650-1,000 beds or hospitals that don't have a Spiritual Care or Chaplaincy Department, every hospital can use more help providing spiritual care to patients, their families, and healthcare workers. Our goal is to help hospitals provide the best possible spiritual care to patients, families , and healthcare workers.

1. We will never proselytize.
2. We will never force religion or our personal beliefs on anyone.
3. We will never promote a church or ministry.
4. We will meet every patient where they are and accept them for who they are.
5. We will abide by all hospitals protocols and procedures.
6. We will treat every patient, family member, and staff person with the utmost respect.

Living Hope Chaplaincy (LHC) is very cognizant that visiting hospital patients and their families is a sacred trust. LHC partners with top, well-established churches in each city, who pre-screen and recommend prospective LHC volunteers. Those prospective volunteers are then put through a rigorous screening process with LHC that begins with a written application and extensive interview with LHC President, Steve Austin, and LHC Executive Coordinator, Nancy Jimenez to determine their spiritual maturity and overall fitness for this ministry. Only the best applicants are selected. In addition to our screening process, each LHC volunteer is assigned to a hospital, where they have to go through that hospital’s volunteer screening process, including background check, health screening, immunizations, and orientation. So, each LHC volunteer is screened by their church, LHC, and the hospital.

The training for Living Hope Chaplaincy volunteers was developed in consultation with several BCC Chaplains from several of the top hospitals in the world and is consistent with content taught in Chaplaincy CPE training programs. The training includes extensive classroom teaching and role-playing exercises followed by volunteers shadowing a hospital ministry veteran or staff chaplain (when available). Even after starting, volunteers continue to receive ongoing training and supervision.