Pastoral Counselor; Chaplain, Hospice, Spiritual - HomeCare

Pastoral Counselor (Chaplain, Hospice, Spiritual) – Home Care

Location Detail: 81 Meriden Ave Bradley Memorial (10003)

Work where every moment matters. Every day, almost 40,000 Hartford Health Care colleagues come to work with one thing in common:
Pride in what we do, knowing every moment matters here. We invite you to become part of Connecticut’s most comprehensive healthcare network as a Pastoral Counselor.

Hartford Health Care at Home, the largest provider of homecare services in Connecticut, has been fulfilling its mission for more than 115 years. Our Person‑Centered Care Model allows our employees to learn and grow within our organization, all while providing integrated support to the patient. As part of Hartford Health Care, we leverage cutting‑edge technology to provide quality care in our clients’ homes.

Most importantly, our employees are appreciated for the real differences they make in both the lives of their clients and their families.

Develops, implements and coordinates the Pastoral and Bereavement Program. Responsible for planning, organizing and directing Hospice Pastoral Program, Spiritual Volunteer program and related activities. Provides professional spiritual services in accordance with the needs of hospice patients, families, staff and volunteers.

• Assesses, implements and supervises spiritual care in keeping with patient/family’s belief system.
• Develops individual spiritual care plans, collaborating with local clergy.
• Provides support and resources to patients/families’ spiritual counselors in the community.
• Provides religious/spiritual consultation to clients and staff and spiritual care at the time of death or funeral.
• Collaborates with Hospice Interdisciplinary Team to assess and meet spiritual needs.
• Documents care in the clinical record consistent with the physician’s plan of treatment.
• Designs bereavement programs and services.
• Consults with Hospice Interdisciplinary Team regarding bereavement needs of grieving families.
• Develops bereavement care plans for clients receiving bereavement volunteer services.
• Coordinates bereavement follow‑up by volunteers and team members.
• Trains and oversees volunteers in grief and bereavement.
• Maintains a system for recording bereavement activities in client records.
• Provides direct bereavement counseling to families.
• Coordinates bereavement volunteer activities with hospice volunteer activities.
• Develops educational programs for the team and family members on loss, grief and related topics.
• Counsels hospice staff who are grieving loss of a patient.
• Oversees volunteer facilitators of bereavement groups.
• Plans, implements, and coordinates bereavement support groups for various client populations.
• Develops, coordinates and evaluates annual plan for Spiritual and Bereavement volunteer resources.
• Recruits, interviews, orients, trains, assigns and evaluates Spiritual and Bereavement volunteers.
• Supervises and provides guidance to volunteers in performing their duties.
• Establishes procedures related to Spiritual and Bereavement volunteer activities.
• Develops and implements programs/in‑services for volunteer participation.
• Reviews, audits, compiles and maintains volunteer records, including training and service data for compliance with regulations.
• Schedules meetings with Spiritual and Bereavement volunteers to provide support, ensure effectiveness, identify needs, and act as liaison to the interdisciplinary team.

• Networks with community bereavement services and coordinates bereavement group events.
• Develops bereavement library resources.
• Adheres to the agency’s quality assurance standards.
• Compiles required service and statistical records.
• Attends MSW‑facilitated hospice support group.
• Facilitates communications with agency staff, volunteers, and families.
• Educates the community about Hospice and Spiritual/Bereavement Volunteer Programs; represents the program at internal and external meetings.
• Collaborates with public affairs department on community relations programs.

• Education: Bachelor’s degree with training in pastoral care.
• Experience: One year experience in pastoral care, including counseling the dying and grieving.

We take great care of careers. With locations around the state, Hartford Health Care offers exciting opportunities for career development and growth. We provide a competitive benefits program designed to ensure work/life balance. Every moment matters.