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Abstract
The present study quantitatively examines the delivery of chaplaincy services to Veterans at increased risk of suicide as well as how chaplains collaborate with other healthcare providers. An on-line survey was distributed to the nationwide network of U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs chaplains, yielding a response rate of 11.91% (N = 118). Most chaplains reported some form of training in suicide prevention, approximately half were involved in safety planning, and the majority reported not engaging in firearm safety counseling. Chaplaincy services were usually delivered through in-person, group, and phone consultations. Respondents were generally satisfied with their collaboration with other healthcare providers, most often collaborating with psychologists, social workers, and counselors. As a descriptive study, the findings serve to inform the delivery of chaplaincy services to at-risk Veterans. Recommendations include expanding service delivery options, developing competency in safety planning and counseling, as well as increasing institutional awareness of chaplaincy services.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The authors gratefully acknowledge the contributions of Sybil W. Morley, MPH, and Janet M. McCarten, PhD, to the development of this article. The views expressed are those of the authors and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Department of Veterans Affairs or the U.S. Government.
Notes
Detailed descriptions about safety planning can be found in Sher and LaBode (Citation2011) and Stanley and Brown (Citation2012).