History of Spiritual Care at Harborview

The Spiritual Care Program at Harborview Medical Center and UWMC is the result of an historic partnership between the First Presbyterian Church of Seattle, the Seattle Presbytery, and Harborview Medical Center. As an institution supported by public monies and owned by King County, Harborview was unable to fund a pastoral care presence because of limits set in the Washington State Constitution. In l978, Harborview became a specialized ministry of the Seattle Presbytery with funding supplied by the two Presbyterian partners.

A Pastoral Care Advisory Board was configured to oversee the program. Each partner appointed three members to the board with ex-officio status being conferred on the Executive Director, Presbytery of Seattle, Senior Pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, and the Associate Administrator, Patient Care Services, Harborview Medical Center.

Reverend Cirilo DelCarmen was called to this ministry at its inception in l978. During his 18-year tenure as Director, pastoral care support for patients, families and staff was expanded through his development of a strong volunteer chaplaincy program. With the passage of HJR 4200 in l993, Harborview was permitted to use public funds to support spiritual care, and began contributing funds to Pastoral Care Services as a part of its operational budget.

In February l996, the Pastoral Care Board organized a retreat to evaluate the direction of the program and the future of the partnership. A vision statement for the Pastoral Care Program was developed and the Board committed itself to expanding its scope of services by developing a Clinical Pastoral Education program at Harborview.

Reverend DelCarmen announced his intention to retire in May l997. The Board undertook a national search for a Director, seeking a person certified as a CPE supervisor. In August l997, Rev. Nancy Chambers, M.Div., C.T. and ACPE Supervisor was hired as the Director of Pastoral Care with the charge to continue a strong volunteer chaplaincy program and develop a CPE program at Harborview.

In December of 1997, Harborview Medical Center notified the ACPE office in Decatur, GA that it wished to begin the Accreditation process for a program of CPE. A Professional Consultation Committee was formed at the direction of the Associate Administrator for Patient Care Services, and work on a feasibility study began. To support Reverend Chambers’ focus on this program development effort, a half-time staff chaplain was hired in January, l998.

In April l998 the Board voted to change the title of the program to Pastoral Care and Education Program at Harborview Medical Center to acknowledge its commitment to the vision of CPE.

In May l998, the first CPE Unit was offered at HMC under a memorandum of affiliation with the CPE program of Virginia Mason Medical Center. Five students completed this program, and the Medical Center welcomed the additional pastoral care support provided by the students.

In October of 1999 the CPE program at Harborview was provisionally accredited by the ACPE

On December 4, 2000, Rev. George H. Grant, a previous consultant to the department, was hired as Administrative Director of Pastoral Care and Education.

In February of 2001, the Advisory Board endorsed a name change to the department. With an eye toward inclusivity, the Department of Pastoral Care and Education became known as the Department of Spiritual Care.

On May 1, 2001, the department announced the institution of a CPE Residency program. This startup was made possible through a grant by the Mercer Island Presbyterian Church.

On November 15, 2002, Harborview’s CPE Center received full ten-year accreditation from ACPE.

In September of 2004 the clinical services and education expanded to UWMC with a full-time Chaplain Fellow, a full-time Supervisor-in-Training, a full-time Chaplain Resident, and six Chaplain Interns. Nancy Chambers was appointed to head Clinical Education on both campuses. 

In August of 2005, The Spiritual Care Advisory Board disbanded, having accomplished their mission of making the Department of Spiritual Care a viable part of Harborview Medical Center and UWMC.

2006 saw the addition of a fourth Chaplain Resident position. It was instituted that two residents be assigned to each campus. In July of 2006, Fr. Mark Stehly retired from an outstanding 15 years of service as the Roman Catholic Priest Chaplain at HMC.

In the spring of 2007, George Grant announced his departure to pursue new professional opportunities.

In October 2007, Julie Hanada joined the department as Director.

Beginning in September 2009, budget and legislative restrictions led to decision to decrease the program’s involvement at UWMC to providing weekday on-call chaplain services rather than 24/7.  This resulted in a reduction in staff to one ACPE supervisor.  Julie Hanada remained on as the CPE supervisor and department director.



Return to Spiritual Care Information

Return to Spiritual Care Home