NYC Health + Hospitals launched the Trauma-Informed Maternal Health Chaplaincy Volunteer Program, a two-year initiative that gives seminarians, community clergy and faith leaders hands-on experience providing spiritual care to pregnant and postpartum patients.
The program is being piloted at NYC Health + Hospitals/Woodhull in Bedford-Stuyvesant, where volunteers will work alongside maternal health teams to support patients and families experiencing pregnancy-related challenges. Officials plan to expand the program to additional NYC Health + Hospitals facilities following the pilot.
Volunteer chaplains will provide emotional and spiritual support to patients experiencing pregnancy loss, intimate partner violence, previous traumatic birth experiences and other hardships, including food insecurity, housing instability and mental health concerns.
“The Trauma-Informed Hospital Chaplain Volunteer Program at Woodhull Hospital recognizes that healing is not only physical,” said Rev. Dr. Ann Marie Bentsi-Addison, senior director of faith-based initiatives at NYC Health + Hospitals. “Many patients, families and even health care staff carry the weight of trauma, grief, fear and uncertainty. By preparing chaplains to provide care that is compassionate, culturally responsive, and grounded in the principles of trauma-informed care, we are creating a ministry of presence that helps people feel safe, seen, heard and supported during some of life's most vulnerable moments."
Chaplaincy services are available to patients of all faith traditions and those with no religious affiliation, with an emphasis on compassionate, patient-centered care. Volunteers also will support health care staff by participating in debriefings after difficult cases and helping promote resilience and well-being among care teams.
The initiative strengthens maternal health services in Brooklyn by addressing the emotional and spiritual challenges that can accompany pregnancy and childbirth.
Research shows trauma can have lasting effects on mental and physical health, contributing to anxiety, depression, substance use, reduced engagement with health care, heightened stress responses and poorer maternal and infant health outcomes.
Integrating trained volunteer chaplains into maternal care teams is intended to provide more comprehensive support for patients, families and hospital staff during some of their most vulnerable moments.
The new initiative builds on NYC Health + Hospitals' Introduction to Hospital Chaplaincy Volunteer Program, a 14-week internship launched in 2022 that has trained 64 chaplains. Across the health system, 48 chaplains currently provide spiritual care at hospitals and skilled nursing facilities.
Seminarians, community clergy and faith leaders interested in developing hospital chaplaincy skills while supporting maternal health are encouraged to apply. Following the pilot at Woodhull Hospital, NYC Health + Hospitals expects to expand the program to additional facilities across its system.
