Chaplain/Bereavement Coordinator

“As I talk with or visit with a Family Member who is in mourning for a beloved member who has died, I am honored and privileged to join with them in acknowledging the life and love of this beloved family member – walking with them as they share through their pain.”

• Colleen, Bereavement Coordinator

At Compassus, we are dedicated to compassionate care, clinical excellence and providing comfort and support to patients and their families facing the end of life. We help support families, even after the patient dies. For many of our team members, this is more than a career—It’s a calling. Do you want to make a difference in the lives of others? Join our team today as a Hospice Chaplain/Bereavement Coordinator to positively impact the experiences of our patients and families. Position Summary The Chaplain is a hospice-trained individual who provides spiritual support to patients and families. A chaplain may be a priest, minister, rabbi or other individual with experience in spiritual support and their role is not intended to replace the patient's own clergy, but to bring spiritual guidance and support. The Bereavement Coordinator is a hospice-trained Inter-Disciplinary Team (IDT) member who supports bereaved family members with grief counseling. As the Bereavement Coordinator, you will strategize with the IDT to develop, implement, and document a plan of care for patients and families to identify individualized needs and desires.
Principal Accountabilities- Chaplain

• Provide spiritual support in matters relating to patient and family care
• Act as a liaison with the clerical community to interpret the needs of the hospice patient and family
• Support the family in working through the stages of death, grief, and bereavement
• Communicate identified needs and potential solutions in the interdisciplinary team meetings, contributing to the development of the Plan of Care
• Participate in the in-service programs to keep informed about current information pertinent to our volunteers who provide an extra layer of care support

Principal Accountabilities- Bereavement Coordinator

• Arrange grief counseling visits to meet the needs of the pre-bereavement and post-death Bereavement Plan of Care
• Assist in orientation of volunteers and staff to ensure they receive appropriate training, consistent with acceptable standards of hospice practice
• Oversee bereavement follow-up by staff and volunteers
• Organize and conduct a minimum of two grief recovery support group sessions per year
• Train staff, volunteers and the public through in-services and public speaking
• Organize annual memorial services for Compassus patients who were under our care as well as any Long Term Care Facility hospice patients

Qualifications

• Effective communication and interpersonal skills
• Ability to counsel patients and families and assist local clergy in rendering pastoral care
• Strong skills in counseling the terminally ill and his/her family
• Understanding and acceptance of the hospice philosophy
• A positive, compassionate and empathetic approach with patients and families
• High integrity, including the maintenance of confidential information
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office programs

Education and/or Experience Chaplain/Spiritual Counselor Required: High school diploma or equivalent, 1 year of experience in the provision of spiritual/ pastoral support to individuals or families. Preferred: Degree in divinity, social sciences, or other related field; completion of at least one (1) unit of CPE; 1 or more years’ experience in the provision of pastoral support to individuals/ families related to loss, grief, bereavement, or trauma. State-Specifics: Florida: R equi red to meet at least one of the following criteria:

• Has a degree in ministry from a college, university, or divinity school; or
• Has documentation of completing 1 unit of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) with a focus on health care ministry; or
• Has documentation certifying completed formal training in his/her religious or belief system and is qualified to perform pastoral services.

Georgia: Documentation of ordination or commission by a recognized faith group; completed at least one unit of clinical pastoral education from a nationally recognized provider. Georgia: Documentation of ordination or commission by a recognized faith group; completed at least one unit of clinical pastoral education from a nationally recognized provider. Louisiana: Bachelor of Divinity, Master of Divinity or equivalent theological degree or training OR equivalent training from an accredited university OR equivalent experience with training/supervision in spiritual counseling from an individual who possesses required education. Missouri: Documentation of ordination or commission by a recognized faith group and has completed one (1) unit of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE). Mississippi: Bachelor of Divinity, Master of Divinity or equivalent theological degree or training. Bereavement Coordinator Minimum high school diploma required. Bachelors’ or higher degree in counseling, social work, psychology, theology, divinity, or equivalent field strongly preferred. Minimum of 2 years of experience in the provision of grief, loss and/or bereavement support for individuals and families required. Equivalent combination of specialized training, education and experience will be considered. State-Specifics: California: Evidence of experience and/or education in dealing with issues of grief and loss. Connecticut: Evidence of experience or education in counseling individuals dealing with issues of grief and loss. Georgia: Licensed professional counselor (LPC) or Licensed social worker (LMSW, LCSW), or education/ experience specific to the counseling of individuals dealing with grief and loss. Mississippi: Minimum requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in psychology, or
• Bachelor’s degree from a school of social work accredited by the Council on Social Work Education, or
• Bachelor’s degree in counseling; or
• Evidence of equivalent of any of the above in education, plus training in the spiritual care of the dying and end of life issues

New Hampshire: Minimum requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in an applicable field such as theology of education, psychology, or counseling, AND
• Completed 8 additional hours in death, dying, grief, or bereavement.

Certifications, Licenses and Registrations Clinical Pastoral Education preferred or required per state regulation. A valid driver’s license and auto liability insurance. Compassus, including all Compassus affiliates, complies with applicable Federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex. Compassus, including all Compassus affiliates, does not exclude people or treat them differently because of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex. Estimated salary range $18.00 - $28.73 / hour. Actual salary will vary by geographic location and experience.