Job Description

Have you witnessed the need?

Do you have a passion for supporting the needs of people who need mental health support, and desire to connect them to a welcoming faith community where they can belong? Have you witnessed the need for people to find a greater sense of community in order to experience a more complete mental health recovery?

Do you have a unique calling?

Intersect Chaplains are uniquely called to serve people at the often-neglected intersection of faith and mental health. They do this as contractors who represent Access Services, a human services non-profit serving across 14 counties in Southeastern PA. Intersect Chaplains are people who can offer compassionate care to individuals with a lived experience of mental illness as well as thoughtfully interact with mental health practitioners, clergy and members of the faith community. They are people called to work out of their own faith while also serving a diverse range of people. 

What are your unique tasks? 

Intersect Chaplains provide spiritual care to people with mental health struggles as well as connect individuals to a faith community of their choice.

In addition to offering care to individuals, Intersect Chaplains also provide consultation to faith communities and mental health providers. For churches and faith communities, Chaplains offer guidance on how to welcome people who need mental health support as valuable members as well as how to respond should a mental health crisis arise. For mental health providers, Chaplains offer insight on how to assess and support spiritual needs as well as make referrals to spiritual care providers.

The Intersect Chaplain is a liaison who will network and build connections between mental health service providers and faith communities. In so doing, you will value accuracy, integrity, organization, and understand your critical role in maintaining the highest standards of quality care that our Intersect Network provides for every individual we serve. You will have the opportunity to establish and foster partnerships with faith communities, human service providers, and government agencies on behalf of Access Services and Intersect to meet the spiritual needs of the people we serve. 

Work Schedule: Approx. 5-10 hours per week. Days and times are dependent on client needs. 

Work Location: Hybrid; Meeting with individuals across Bucks County, Montgomery County, and Philadelphia

Key Responsibilities of the Intersect Chaplain:

• Provide short-term spiritual and emotional care to clients facing complex mental health issues involving ethical, moral, and/or spiritual issues 

• Help clients participating in one or more of our programs to identify faith communities where they can build community and social support 

• Connect members of local faith communities to needed programs offered by Access Services and our community partners 

• Contribute to presentations, trainings, and staff development involving faith and mental health for Access Services/Intersect programs and community organizations 

• Participate in interdisciplinary team meetings and spiritual care committees for the purpose of providing faith-based recommendations and supports to program staff and their clients 

• Lead various projects, task groups, and assignments that promote organizational growth 

• Ensure various assignments are carried out in a pluralistic environment, which encompasses sensitivity to the religious needs of many separate religious denominations and faith groups 

• Strive to provide professional, consistent, effective, trauma-informed spiritual care as part of the Intersect team 

• Accurately maintain required documentation and tracking of referrals, clients served, and services provided 

• Assist coworkers as assigned and when unusual work circumstances or emergencies occur 

Requirements

(Each chaplain must meet some, if not all requirements): 

Education :

• Bachelor's degree in social work, psychology, theology or a related field is required 

• One unit of completed chaplaincy/clinical pastoral education (preferred)

Experience:

• 3-5 years of experience working in ministry (preferred) 

• 3-5 years of experience working in social work (preferred) 

• Demonstrated ability to work with people of all faiths or those with no traditional belief system (required) 

• Demonstrated ability to cultivate effective partnerships internally and externally (required) 

Knowledge, Ability, and Skills:

• Excellent grammar and written communication skills 

• Excellent interpersonal, public speaking, and presentation skills 

• Ability to effectively build and foster a wide variety of community relationships with clients, donors, partners, and volunteers 

• Knowledge of local faith communities and faith-based service organizations 

• Knowledge of local social service organizations and systems of care 

• Ability to work independently and take initiative to find meaningful solutions to complex problems 

• Experience documenting and relaying information to ensure all program and client information are current 

• Knowledge and ability to use computers and required technology platforms 

• Ability to drive to meet with individuals and members of service providers/faith communities (preferred) 

Benefits

Contractor rate: $30/hourly, 5-10 hours weekly

Work Location: Meeting with individuals across Bucks County, Montgomery County, and Philadelphia

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