To what kinds of incidents do these programs respond?

Law enforcement agencies contact a community chaplaincy to respond to a wide variety of situations, including homicides or suspicious deaths, suicides, child deaths, major traffic incidents, missing persons, death notifications, and many others. Chaplains strive to arrive on scene within 20 to 30 minutes of being contacted.

What do chaplains actually do?

Just as the paramedic's role is distinct from nurses' and doctors' roles, the chaplain's role is quite distinct from those of clinical counselors and congregational clergy. As first responders who receive extensive on-going training in crisis care, community chaplains are typically only involved with survivors in the first hours immediately following the trauma. Once on scene, chaplains help to:

- calm survivors and serve as liaison with officers,

- provide a compassionate presence to encourage survivors to express their anguish,

- help convene their family, friends, and clergy,

- help them understand what is happening and what to expect,

- teach them how to care for themselves and one another in the days and months to come,

- refer them to agencies that provide long-term support, and

- provide other practical assistance as appropriate.

As in hospital, prison, military and other chaplaincy programs, community chaplains provide nonsectarian, nondiscriminatory support to all citizens of whatever philosophical orientation, and are not present at a scene to proselytize their own faith. Unless chaplains are specifically asked, survivors typically do not know what faith a chaplain belongs. Nevertheless, the spiritual dimension implicit in the chaplain's role is often profoundly critical to preserving whatever "seeds of hope" are left when people's lives have been ravaged by the sudden death of a loved one.

Do community chaplains have to be "ordained"?

Community chaplains must be formally recommended by their own faith congregation, whether Jewish, Christian, Muslim, etc. However, they need not be professional clergy. In reality, many self-credentialed organizations will "ordain" virtually anyone with minimal, if any, formal qualifications. In addition, the skills and training required of crisis responders differ substantially from the skills and training required of congregational clergy, and, for that matter, from most clinical counselors. Thus, chaplain candidates undergo a thorough screening process, including a criminal background check, receive extensive continuing education in crisis first response, and are subject to on-going performance review.

Are community chaplains paid?

No. In fact, except in cases of financial hardship, chaplaincies typically ask their volunteeers to cover their own training, communication, transportation, and uniform-related costs. Assuming the volunteer already has a cell phone, these costs typically run about $150 the first year, and substantially less there after. Volunteers can typically include such costs as itemized deductions from taxable income.

What's the time commitment to be a community chaplain?

Chaplains sign for calls based on their own schedules. As the demand for community chaplaincy services grow, it is expected chaplains will need to be on call at least 24 hours a month.

What kinds of people are called to be chaplains?

Community chaplains come from a very broad racial, sectarian, geographic, and socioeconomic cross-section of the community. In addition to the qualifications described, those with a genuine calling to community chaplaincy demonstrate a number of other personal, intellectual and practical characteristics. Their deep faith, hope and love enable them to have compassion for every human being, even those most unlike themselves. They exhibit profound peace and humility arising from a mature spirituality. They have the discipline to follow detailed protocols, submit to authority, be cheerfully flexible under frequently and rapidly changing circumstances, and follow through on their commitments. They display common sense and good judgment. They can provide their own uniform, cell phone, and transportation. They can learn to effectively use current telecommunications technology, including cell phones and the Internet. They can remain outdoors for long periods of time during the hottest days of summer and the coldest nights of winter. Individuals who wish to get involved with a Chaplaincy but do not meet all the requirements to be a first responder can participate in other ways, and are encouraged to contact us.

How do I get involved?

In order to become a community chaplain, applicants must first complete a multi-page application and undergo a thorough background check by law enforcement. As an important part of the application, the Chaplaincy must receive a reference letter from the applicants's clergy or similar authority within the applicant's faith congregation. If their application is accepted, the applicant then enters the chaplaincy academy, which involves approximately 40 hours of classroom training. After the academy, graduates begin meeting with other seasoned chaplains and are then available for call outs. To get involved as a chaplain in the field, as a financial supporter, or in another capacity, go to Contact Us and send us your name, address, phone number, and a brief description of your interest.

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