Consult our Chaplaincy Services for spiritual healing.

In times of illness, crisis, or grief, many people turn to their religious beliefs for help and strength. Hancock Health recognizes the importance of spiritual well-being to overall healing, and our Chaplaincy Services staff provides support to patients, family, staff, and physicians.

Our chaplains recognize and respect the religious beliefs of all in our community, and they’ll work with clergy and congregations to facilitate services for their members. Email Russ Jarvis or contact us to learn more.

Chaplaincy Staff

Hancock Health has enjoyed a full-time Chaplaincy Services Department since 1995. Staff chaplains and volunteers provide routine contact with all patients, and provide follow-up services for those with identified needs. Emergency response during nights and weekends is also available.

Additionally, individual chaplains have assigned responsibility for:

  • Women and children (Andis Unit and James Anderson Women’s Center)
  • Oncology (Sue Wortman Cancer Center)

For more information, please call (317) 468-4500 or email Lead Chaplain Russ Jarvis.

Hope Chapel

The Hope Chapel is located on the first floor near the Cardiovascular Services waiting area. This interfaith chapel provides a quiet place for reflection and prayer 24 hours a day. Special services are held in the chapel during religiously significant holidays.

Care Notes

Care Notes are professionally produced pamphlets with information on topics that include grieving well, talking to children about illness, aging, depression, and other spiritual and emotional concerns. These pamphlets are available in the hospital Chapel and the second floor Cancer Center waiting area.

The C.A.R.E. Channel

Channel 10 improves the patient experience by providing environmental programming as an alternative to commercial television. Beautiful, natural imagery combines with soothing instrumental music to offer respite for confined patients and anxious family members. The channel is talk-free, commercial-free, and suitable for patients of any age, gender, or cultural background.

Critical Incident Stress Team (CISM)

In conjunction with other agencies around the county, Hancock Regional Hospital offers “emotional first aid” to those who experience trauma as a consequence of conducting their work responsibilities. For example, healthcare workers, fire and rescue personnel, law enforcement, industrial workers, and school personnel qualify. To learn more, call (317) 468-4500.

Staff

Currently, our staff consists of Russel Jarvis, Senior Chaplain, Brenda Green, Chaplaincy Services Secretary, eight Assistant Chaplains, and one volunteer.

Grief Support

Hancock Health chaplains are available for one-on-one grief counseling. They also conduct funeral services for families who do not have personal clergy. For the current schedule of grief support groups held at the hospital, please call (317) 468-4500.

Community Options

Some local funeral homes provide follow-up care for their clients and the general public, including:

  • Erlewine Mortuary, (317) 467-4918
  • Stillinger Family Funeral Home, (317) 462-5536
  • Seals Funeral Home, (317) 485-5144
  • Condo and Son Funeral Home, (765) 781-2435

Some local churches also offer in-house grief support groups:

  • Park Chapel Christian Church, (317) 462-4513
  • Cross of Grace Lutheran Church, (317) 861-0977
  • Shirley Christian Church, (765) 738-6365
  • St. James Lutheran Church, (317) 462-7340
  • Michael’s Catholic Church, (317) 462-4240

Professional Resources

Chaplaincy is a time-honored profession. And the role of chaplaincy continues to expand—it now includes business, industry, educational systems, assisted living communities, sports, and more.

If you’d like to learn more, here are some resources to help:

Frequently Asked Questions

Chaplains provide supportive care to patients, family, and staff who:

  • Are emotionally distressed
  • Are struggling with religious/spiritual/ethical issues
  • Request a specific religious rite or ritual

Chaplains provide a caring, listening ear. They can also make referrals to appropriate religious groups on behalf of patients and families.

Every chaplain is affiliated with/ordained by a specific faith group. However, the work of Hancock Health’s chaplains is interfaith. Their goal is to help patients and families draw upon their own faith resources.

An interfaith chaplaincy values, honors, and respects religious diversity in the community and hospital. Hancock Health chaplains seek to promote understanding among people of all faiths or no faith. If you have further questions, we invite you to call us at (317) 468-4500.

Yes! There are three ways to connect to a chaplain:

  • Ask a hospital staff member to page the chaplain.
  • Visit the chaplaincy office on the hospital’s second floor.
  • Call the chaplaincy office directly at (317) 468-4500.

No, but a priest from a local parish can respond readily as needed, and the chaplain will be happy to connect you. (For inquiries about what formerly was termed “Last Rites,” it should be noted that according to Roman Catholic doctrine the Sacrament of the Sick should be offered before death. Families are encouraged to make requests in as timely a manner as possible.)

All staff chaplains are endorsed by their ecclesiastical communities and are encouraged to take at least one unit of professional Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE). The Lead Chaplain is board certified by the Association of Professional Chaplains (APC).

All volunteers come by referral from current chaplains and volunteers, or by recommendation from local clergy.