To empower spiritual care volunteers to serve in the healthcare community through recruitment, certified training, and partnership with healthcare agencies.
The ISCC is an emergent alliance among Houston’s faith communities and nonprofits to serve individuals whose spiritual resources are inadequate. This may include homebound individuals and those in healthcare facilities that do not have formalized spiritual care resources.
Ideally, all modern care settings (hospitals, hospice, nursing homes) should include some form of spiritual care. In healthcare facilities without chaplains, spiritual care is often lacking for those who are suffering. Social isolation and loneliness are a reality for many. Those suffering are often hungry for spiritual conversation that centers on purpose, meaning, and one’s relationship with their faith values.
“As I visited these healthcare facilities, I began to realize how many spiritual deserts exist.”
As our society becomes more diverse and interconnected, spirituality is expressed in different ways across different cultures and traditions. This diversity offers an opportunity to offer care from a wide range of faith traditions. It is proven that spirituality and faith are significant components in healing and end of life reflections.
ISCC addresses the existing gap in healthcare agencies (e.g. nursing homes, hospice facilities, homebound healthcare) that wish to provide increased spiritual care resources. This initiative began by forming an advisory team of faith leaders and social workers. Surveys that were conducted to assessed the need of spiritual care training for faith communities in the Houston area confirmed that the number of spiritual care volunteers seeking certification by ISCC’s outreach program are greatly needed.
“This program responds to a larger community need for spiritual care for the sick and the dying in settings where it is not currently offered”.
- Fr. Donald S. Nesti, CSSp, S.T.D.
A coalition of nonprofits and interfaith religious communities, led by ISCC:
facilitates the connection between healthcare settings and certified volunteers to support individuals who need spiritual care
creates specialized training applicable to all faith traditions
provides ongoing training, continuing education, and support for spiritual care volunteers
oversees volunteer activity to ensure quality of care