Spiritual Care & Chaplaincy Services

Riley at IU Health acknowledges the tri-fold nature of life through our Spiritual Care & Chaplaincy Services—a team that supports healing and wholeness in patients, families and staff. Our purpose is to bring peace, care and compassion to human challenges—from sorrow and conflict, to joy and celebration. Chaplains are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to anyone who needs support. 

Each unit at Riley Hospital for Children at Indiana University Health in Indianapolis has a designated chaplain who meets daily with the unit’s healthcare team to learn how we can respond to the needs of each patient and family. 

In the halls of Riley at IU Health in Indianapolis, you will see our chaplains making daily rounds to check on families, patients and staff—all of which are deeply connected to each other in health and healing. We hope to meet every family at least once to introduce our service and offer support during a hospital stay or treatment.

Our experienced chaplains are trained to work with people of all faiths or no faith. As we meet people in times of great emotional and spiritual need, we are always aware of our own limits as human beings. We want to assist others in making emotional and spiritual connections to their communities of faith, to their own personal spiritual resources, and with the Holy as they understand it in their lives. When conflicts arise, we also help families clarify their own values and create better understanding between people through conversation. 

The unique challenges of giving care can also take a toll on healthcare professionals and staff. Part of our job is to support a world-class healthcare team affected by difficult choices and distress in their daily work life. Chaplains are an integral part of the healing community at Riley at IU Health, serving and strengthening the men and women who provide care and support for your child or loved one.

How We Can Help

Chaplains are available at all times to anyone who comes through our doors. If your child or loved one is a patient at Riley at IU Health in Indianapolis, you can depend on us to be a healing presence during your child’s stay or treatment.

We can help families when:

• There is a disagreement between patients, families and/or hospital staff
• A patient or family member seems sad, discouraged or distressed
• Someone is afraid, anxious, angry or doubtful about a medical issue
• Someone needs help with Advance Medical Directives
• There is a difficult decision to make
• People don’t know how to contact other family members, pastors, funeral homes, coroners, police or prisons
• Someone needs a moment for self-care
• A broken relationship is part of a problem
• A patient is afraid of dying

We can help Riley at IU Health team members when:

• There is a personal crisis, especially at work
• A unit needs spiritual care and deep listening after a crisis 
• There is a code, death is close or a patient has died
• There are difficult decisions to be made about care

Patients can reach us 24 hours a day, seven days a week at our alpha-numeric pager, 317.312.8779. Any member of our healthcare team can also arrange a visit at your request.

Related Education

Spiritual Care & Chaplaincy Services has a clinical pastoral education program that is nationally accredited by the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education. (ACPE). We offer all levels of pastoral education (interns, residents and fellows), and help clergy, seminarians and qualified lay people develop the special skills necessary to meet people in times of great spiritual need. Our programs also can support other professionals in learning to align values, personal gifts, and professional practice.  To learn more about our program, contact us at 317.962.8611 or reach out to us by email.