Veteran Chaplains

The Department of Veterans Affairs oversees the VA Chaplaincy program at all USVA Hospitals and clinics in the United States. Often, veterans will seek treatment options for a range of disorders from these hospitals and clinics before more seeking more specialized care. Veterans diagnosed with terminal cancers, like mesothelioma, or debilitating and degenerative disease will often utilize the support systems offered by these facilities- including the veteran chaplain on site.

Chaplains provide a number of services in traditional hospitals and clinics, but their expertise and innate relationship with veterans and military service makes them particularly familiar with the issues faced by veterans and those with military backgrounds.

The primary roles performed by a Veteran’s Administration chaplain are:

• Ensuring that both inpatient and outpatient veterans receive the clinical pastoral care to the extent that they desire.
• Protecting VA patients from having any religion imposed upon them
• Ensuring that a patient’s right to freedom of religion is protected, making sure that it is the veterans choice to meet with a chaplain or any religious individual.

While VA chaplains are available 24 hours/day and 7 days a week, they can also make accommodations to have a member of your local clergy or religious community visit you in an inpatient or outpatient capacity while receiving VA care.

Typically, upon admittance to any VA facility you will be asked if you wish to meet with a chaplain or any religious person. It is then your choice whether or not you wish to meet with a chaplain. Often, chaplains will serve within a larger group of interdisciplinary specialists from whom the patient receives clinical, mental, and spiritual care. In any event, a patient’s participation in spiritual wellbeing or religious practices within VA facilities is purely voluntary.

For patients suffering from terminal mesothelioma cancer, meeting with a VA or traditional hospital or cancer clinic chaplain can be extremely valuable. These professionals are acutely aware of the struggles endured by a patient and their family. They can help the patient and family come to terms with their spiritual identity and individual circumstances.

To meet with a VA chaplain or religious professional in your area, we urge you contact local VA administration facility for a full listing. The Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance seeks to connect patients, as well as their family and loved ones, with all the resources they may find valuable in their difficult battle with cancer. We strongly urge those interested to find out more today.

Source

US Department of Veterans Affairs National Chaplain Center
http://www1.va.gov/chaplain/