Provides spiritual and moral guidance for residents or offenders and conducts religious services at a State institution or correctional facility.

Prepares and conducts general, nondenominational Protestant or Catholic religious services; administers sacraments and other religious rites; conducts special services on religious holidays and on special occasions such as Thanksgiving, Memorial Day, etc.; serving residents of the Catholic faith, celebrates mass and administers sacraments or other Catholic rites;

Interviews and counsels institutionalized patients, offenders, and/or residents on moral and spiritual matters;

Visits all areas of the institution on a regular basis;

Corresponds with relatives, court officials, and friends of students, patients, offenders, and/or residents on religious matters; works closely with professional staff for further rehabilitation;

Explains and interprets institution's religious and rehabilitation program to community groups;

When requested, arranges religious contacts for those to be released;

Administers last rites to the critically ill and conducts funeral services for deceased patients, offenders, or residents at the request of their families;

Obtains and distributes religious literatures, Bibles, Testaments;

Conducts religious study groups;

Arranges for choir or organist to provide sacred music at services;

Serves as liaison between the institution’s religious program and community religious activities;

Arranges for approved volunteer ministers to conduct special services for members of recognized denominations;

Provides written reports of activities to denominational leaders and the department;

Performs other work as required.

Knowledge of: factors involved in development of behavior problems; purposes of mental and correctional institutions; methods and objectives of rehabilitation programs.

Ability to: prepare and conduct religious services and courses in religion; establish rapport and counsel patients, offenders, and residents and their families on moral or ethical problems; understand behavior of individuals under severe emotional strains; cooperate with other staff members and clergy.

There may be instances where individual positions must have additional licenses or certification. It is the employer’s responsibility to ensure the appropriate licenses/certifications are obtained for each position.

An earned three year Master’s degree (equivalent of a Master of Divinity) in the discipline of Theology, Sacred Studies or Pastoral Ministry from a federal government recognized accredited seminary graduate school.

AND

Three years of post graduate experience in a ministry related field of work.

AND

Must be currently ordained OR be a religious leader, appropriately educated and approved by a recognized religious body and be endorsed as a religious leader suitable for chaplaincy.

NOTE: Completion of three quarters of a full time resident clinical pastoral education program or completion of three quarters of a full time recognized, supervised training program in pastoral care is desirable.

Note: All applicants must provide, with their employment application, a copy of their ordination or ministry approval status AND their endorsement as a religious leader suitable for chaplaincy.

New class: 3-14-80 (This class merged the classes of Chaplain (Catholic) coded 3875 and Chaplain (Protestant) coded 3877)
Revised minimum qualifications: 8-15-86
Revised definition and minimum qualifications: 12-15-95
New class code: (formerly 38780) effective July 1, 2007