Chaplain

About the role

This position is located within the Department of Veterans Affairs at the San Diego VAMC. The position provides services within various settings – including Veterans Integrated Service Networks, Inpatient Clinics, Outpatient Clinics and domiciliaries. Most Chaplain services are usually provided in a medical facility structure. The Chaplain provides pastoral counseling and treatment to Veteran patients, patients' families and staff in various inpatient and outpatient settings.

Responsibilities

• Serves as a Chaplain professional providing complete religious ministry services to Veteran patients according to their specific needs and desires
• Serves as a primary resource, spiritual advisor and point of contact for the spiritual needs of patients, caregivers, and staff
• Conducts religious services and worship, pastoral ministry, and administration of Chaplain services
• Engages as a spiritual leader, a compassionate listener and counselor, especially during times of crisis
• Provides emotional support and counseling using empathy and strong interpersonal skills to effectively connect with people of all ages
• Leads and offers prayers and religious services for Veteran patients, patients' families, staff and community
• Conducts rituals in front of groups of people, which requires effective leadership and public speaking skills
• Addresses the religious, spiritual, moral, and ethical problems of patients and staff
• Provides counseling services to patients and staff
• Conducts regular rounds of hospital wards where patients are critically ill
• Collaborates with treatment team professionals to discuss the recommended course of action and other informed advice to attain the necessary therapeutic goals for the patient
• Performs other related duties as assigned

Requirements

• United States Citizenship (non‑citizens may be appointed only when qualified citizens cannot be recruited per VA policy)
• Master of Divinity degree or equivalent graduate‑level theological degree from a CHEA‑ or ATS‑accredited institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education
• Current ecclesiastical endorsement (within the past 12 months) from the official national endorsing authority of the applicant’s faith group or denomination
• Board‑Certified Chaplain status certified by BCCI® or a U.S. certifying body with reciprocity with BCCI® (requires 4 units of CPE)
• Foreign education must be evaluated by a NACES affiliate and deemed equivalent to a U.S. program
• Physical ability to meaningfully engage with Veteran patients and family members by walking/moving within the healthcare setting (assistive device permitted), speak, hear (hearing aid permitted), and work closely with others

Qualifications

• GS‑09 level: No experience beyond basic requirements; must demonstrate KSAs:
  1. Knowledge of spiritual assessments to identify patient strengths and needs and documenting services provided
  2. Ability to use spiritual assessment information to create care plans in all dimensions of pastoral care
  3. Ability to provide crisis intervention and stabilization
  4. Skill in health‑care team collaboration to create and update treatment plans addressing spiritual issues
  5. Ability to ensure free exercise of religion for patients and staff
  6. Knowledge of individual and group interventions to address spiritual and emotional needs of patients and families, providing referrals for continuity of spiritual care
  7. Skill in coordination of religious services respecting the faith tradition of individual patients
  8. Ability to communicate verbally and in writing with persons of varied backgrounds
• GS‑11 level: One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade; must demonstrate KSAs:
  1. Knowledge of advance care planning to educate, inform, and counsel patients and families
  2. Skill in guiding patients in verbalizing and expressing values through life review, oral history, and end‑of‑life preparation and documentation
  3. Ability to develop pastoral care programs that are measurable, outcome‑driven, and evidence‑based within department guidelines
  4. Skill in counseling on medical and ethical issues, terminal diagnoses or crises, moral injury, problems of conscience, family or marital difficulties, and justice or confinement matters
  5. Ability to support the development of staff resiliency and develop programs for staff development and wellness by providing spiritual and emotional support
  6. Ability to educate and equip health‑care staff and trainees in screening for spiritual and religious needs of patients and the importance of appropriate referrals to chaplains for complex spiritual distress
  7. Knowledge of community needs to coordinate with community organizations to provide comprehensive spiritual care, utilizing outside community resources to meet religious needs of patients that cannot be met by chaplain staff
• Preferred experience: Providing pastoral care to all Veterans (with or without Catholic faith tradition), including administration of sacraments, last rites, Eucharistic communion, liturgical services, sacramental practices, Mass, spiritual assessment, and support for patients, families, communities within a healthcare ministry setting

Skills

The role requires strong interpersonal and communication skills, leadership in public speaking and ritual conduct, crisis intervention, spiritual assessment, care‑plan development, team collaboration, counseling on medical/ethical issues, advance care planning, program development, staff resiliency support, and the ability to educate staff on spiritual screening and referrals.

Schedule

Work Schedule: 7:30 am – 4:00 pm, intermittent – work hours vary based on service needs; no guaranteed number of hours per week. Telework not available; alternate work schedule not available; this is not a virtual position.

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   About the role

   This position is located within the Department of Veterans Affairs at the San Diego VAMC. The position provides services within various settings – including Veterans Integrated Service Networks, Inpatient Clinics, Outpatient Clinics and domiciliaries. Most Chaplain services are usually provided in a medical facility structure. The Chaplain provides pastoral counseling and treatment to Veteran patients, patients' families and staff in various inpatient and outpatient settings.

   Responsibilities

   • Serves as a Chaplain professional providing complete religious ministry services to Veteran patients according to their specific needs and desires
   • Serves as a primary resource, spiritual advisor and point of contact for the spiritual needs of patients, caregivers, and staff
   • Conducts religious services