Practitioners should contact their appropriate state medical agency when they are offering services without charge. Some states provide low cost insurance in such circumstances. In emergent circumstances most states provide for Good Samaritan laws which reduce the liability burden carried by medical personnel. Finally, churches should make their own insurance coverage organization aware of the nature and extent of the care being offered, to whom it is offered and the cost structure for the service.
“Health ministry” is understood as compassionate care activities related to health needs conducted as a part of a church’s overall mission, including education, provision, voluntarism, events and advocacy.
Size alone is not sufficient to predict health care as a field of ministry activity. Congregational self perception of having skills and or services sufficient to address needs within the complex world of health care is a better indicator. Even small congregations with members willing and able to assist others in completing complex insurance forms or schedule transportation to a series of medical treatments can provide health ministries.
An awareness of congregations to the needs of those–within both congregation and community– of chronic physical and mental health needs among that population becomes an opportunity for service as congregational members seek to find ways to address unmet needs. Sponsoring or serving as volunteers at homeless shelters often awakens congregational awareness. It is not uncommon for congregations to discover holes in the fabric of the health care system and seek to address such needs directly through preventative education, medical services or advocacy.
Leadership is a critical element in congregational provision of education, direct service and policy advocacy in health ministries. Pastoral leadership is important in enabling congregational participation in policy advocacy. Parish nurses, and far less commonly, health ministers, provide crucial
leadership in health education and direct service provision. Leadership also comes from key lay persons within the congregation with specialized health care knowledge.
Denominational staff or coordinators specifically focused on health ministries serve an important role supporting congregations in health ministries. While there is by no means such a role identified in each denomination, in those instances in which there are such persons, local congregations look to them for assistance and leadership. That leadership comes in both print and electronic materials, conferences and especially in identification of experience-based or “best practice” models.
Congregations have an entrepreneurial spirit developing the financial support they need to underwrite health ministries. In addition to the congregational budget, “special offerings,” donor giving, community funding are sources of support. Congregations report “state sources” of funding tied to a wide array of specific programs such as state office for older adults, Title XX (related to child care health programs), recovery monies (from Gulf Coast state referring to Katrina recovery efforts), and alcohol and drug programs. Support for congregational programs comes also through in-kind contributions. This may take the form of printed materials or professional services. Such in-kind contributions congregations report receiving from local and state health offices, American Red Cross, local hospitals, medical and dental schools and donated transportation from a local bus company.
A parish nurse is based in a faith community to provide direct services and education in health ministries. A parish nurse can provide help in accessing and navigating the health system, programs to promote healthy exercise and nutrition, education on health issues, support groups, health screenings, assistance to new parents, and support for hospitalized or homebound family members To learn more visit www.parishnurses.org.
Congregations can prepare for emergencies and disasters through education, identifying at-risk members, training response teams, networking with community resources, and developing a data bank of member emergency contact information. To learn more click on the pandemic preparedness box on the www.health-ministries.org home page.
The National Council of the Churches of Christ, USA, is the nation’s preeminent ecumenical agency comprised of 35 member churches with a constituent membership exceeding 44 million believers. The member churches of the NCC are organized locally in more than 105,000 local congregations. To learn more visit www.ncccusa.org
This task force is established to provide a venue through which the National Council of Churches member communions work together in a variety of ways to support congregations and others in their health care ministries. This includes equipping the member communions to participate fully in the current debates on health care policy at state and federal level; equipping congregations to be responsive to health emergencies such as natural disasters, flu epidemics and terrorist attacks; providing health education to their membership and others; and, providing the NCC with a multifaceted approach to questions of mental, physical and spiritual health.
