Certification in Public Safety Chaplaincy

What is public safety chaplaincy?

Public Safety Chaplaincy is the work of providing pastoral care and support to employees of first responder agencies and their families, as well as to victims of related public safety incidents. Many public safety chaplians work as volunteers, though some departments have paid chaplian positions. The public safety chaplain should be a person who experiences a call to this partcular ministry of service and sacrifice, offering themselves as a source of support to women and men whose daly work is often stressful and rigorous emotionally, spiritually, and phyically.

The certification in Public Safety Chapliancy is designed to provide a thorough course of traning for those desiring to serve as a public safety chaplian. The curriculum covers the breadth and depth of the topics and issues encountered in the field by the public safety chaplain. It is well-suited for those already serving as chaplians and those who have experienced a call to this ministry but are not yet connected with an agency.

What is involved in this program?

The curriculum includes six modules. Each module involves coursework to be completed at home, including reading and writing. Students are also expected to attend three monthly class meetings.

• Foundations1: The Office of Public Safety Chaplain
• Foundations 2: Pastoral Theology & Issues in Public Safety Caplaincy
• Issues & Answers in Public Safety Chaplaincy (suffering, death, evil, grief, crisis, suicide, etc.)
• Crisis Intervention, Stress Management, Recovery & Resilience
• Clinical and Professional Perspectives
• Capstone Course

What is the delivery of the work?

Coursework will be offered in a hybrid distance leaning and classroom setting over a period of 18 consecutive months. Students are expected to complete assigned reading and writing on their own in preparation for monthly class sessions held on campus at the seminary in Columbia, SC. All students in the cohort are required to attend the monthly class sessions that begin on Friday afternoon and conclude on Saturday afternoon. Students who successfully complete the training program will receive a certificate of completion. Coursework will reflect the academic rigor and theological depth consistent with an Association of Theological Schools (ATS) accredited seminary of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). However, courses are not graduate level and are not transferable credits for seminary. Courses are unrelated to licensure or ordination as a public safety chaplain.

Application Requirements

• A completed and signed application form
• $50 non-refundable deposit (if admitted, this will apply to tuition)
• Three letters of recommendation
• Official transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate work
• Brief autobiographical essay
• Psychological assessment
• Consent to criminal and financial background check

Following the submission of all application materials, applicants will be contacted to schedule an interview with the admission panel.

Contact information

For more information about this program, contact :

Darcie Jones 803-461-3217 darcie.jones@lr.edu

Chaplian Eric Skidmore 803-206-8961 eskidmore@sled.sc.gov

Classes are offered at campus of Lenoir-Rhyne University, Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary in Columbia, SC.

Public Safety Chaplaincy Training Team

Comments from people enrolled in program

Download PDF brochure for detailed information about the program.

Download PDF booklet about the program

Class schedule for classes January 2018 - November 2019

Class fee information in PDF for classes starting January 2018

Letter to administrators about Public Safety Chapliancy program