Spiritual Care

The Spiritual Care Department at Miller Children’s Hospital and Long Beach Memorial Medical Center is dedicated to patient and family centered care. The spiritual care team understands that the emotional, spiritual and religious dimensions of patient care are significant for overall well being and to support the healing process for patients, families and staff.

Spiritual Care has identified comprehensive resources available for pastoral counseling, spiritual direction, and other specific spiritual care services for patients and their families. There are support groups held on the campus of the medical center and also referrals made to support groups within the community.

Multicultural Beliefs

The Spiritual Care Department is sensitive to diverse cultures and religions and can minister, with dignity and respect, to patients and families with diverse cultural and religious backgrounds. Literature is available in many different languages and a variety of religions. Patients and their families are welcome to use this material and literature whenever they find it convenient to do so. The highly-trained team is well-connected to the community and is happy to network with local clergy to meet any additional spiritual needs of patients and their families.

Team of Diverse Faith Backgrounds

Spiritual care is offered 24 hours-a-day. Support is provided by a team of professionally trained chaplains that represent many faith backgrounds Chaplains also have specialized training to assist in ethical decision-making. The spiritual care staff is available to support the beliefs of patients and families, not to impose their own. They also provide education within the hospital and out in the community.

When to Call A Chaplain

• Emotional support in coping with illness and grief for patients, families and staff
• Spiritual needs and guidance
• Ethical issues
• Culturally specific rituals
• Bereavement support including assistance with funeral arrangements, support groups, etc.
• Assistance with Advanced Directives, decisions regarding code, status, discontinuation of life support and organ/tissue donation
• Networking with local clergy – (i.e., Jehovah Witness, Buddhist, Jewish)
• Sacraments (baptism, blessing, sacrament of the sick, weddings)

Chapel Services

Catholic Mass
Sunday, Noon and 8 p.m.; Friday, Noon

Protestant Services
Sunday, 3 p.m.

Chapel services can be viewed in patient rooms on channel 18.

Learn more about Clinical Pastoral Education.

Contact Spiritual Care

Open Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Office: (562) 933-1340

A Chaplain is available 24/7. If it’s after office hours, call (562) 933-2000 and ask to have the Chaplain on-call paged.

For a Spiritual Care referral contact
Rev. Sheryl Faulk
Office: (562) 933-1452