Chaplains and Spiritual Care at Baptist

Serving Your Spiritual Health

Because we believe in the total care of patients, the chaplains throughout Baptist Memorial Health Care system provide pastoral care and counseling for the religious, spiritual and emotional needs of patients and their families in the face of a new diagnosis; when dealing with the unknown; and in anticipation of death, grief and loss. 

At times, the hospital staff chaplains serve as facilitators of communication between the patient, family, hospital staff and physicians. Chaplains are available around the clock to provide compassionate care, comfort and support through listening, prayer and scripture reading and to explore bioethical issues.

Chaplains engage in routine patient visitation daily, promptly follow up on referrals from the nursing staff and respond to all "Code Blue" events and deaths. Chaplains are an integral part of palliative care at Baptist Memorial Health Care.

Chaplain-Provided Pastoral Care Services

• Listening
• Compassionate care and comfort
• Prayer, Lord's Supper and baptism
• Consultation and assistance with tough decisions when patient/families are uncertain
• Crisis ministry (all "Code Blue" events)
• Grief facilitation, funeral and memorial services
• Contact local clergy (pastor, priest, rabbi, imam) and family
• Facilitate ethical consultation
• Patient advocate

Advance Directives (Living Wills)

As a courtesy, Baptist offers information and consultation regarding advance directives (such as living wills, durable powers of attorney for health care and health care directives). Chaplains or admissions specialists may explain the use of these documents and how they differ. Advance directive forms for residents of Tennessee, Mississippi and Arkansas are available online. Upon request by an individual, Baptist will keep a copy of advance directives in the patient record of anyone who has a medical record at this hospital. (Note: Hospital staff and volunteers are prohibited from witnessing or notarizing any documents related to a patient’s health care wishes.) Learn more about living will or power of attorney documents.

Clinical Pastoral Education

The Pastoral Care Department at Mississippi Baptist Medical Center is dedicated to the spiritual development and training of ministers and laypersons.

Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) is a program designed to provide supervised ministry training to those interested in fine tuning their ministry skills while developing their pastoral formation. This program is sponsored by The College of Pastoral Supervision and Psychotherapy Inc. (CPSP). Students completing this training may seek membership in one of the local CPSP chapters where they may obtain board certification as a chaplain or pastoral counselor. Presently there are two 18-week programs offered annually at Mississippi Baptist Medical Center. One program begins in January ending in May and the other begins in August concluding in mid-December.

For more information:
Phone: 601-968-5146
Email: [email protected]

Pastoral Care Department, CPE
1225 North State Street
Jackson, MS 39202

Visit the CPSP website for more information on CPE.