The MSW-MDiv, or Master of Social Work-Master of Divinity degree, is an academic program for individuals who are interested in becoming both licensed social workers and ordained clergy. This dual degree is designed to prepare future pastoral professionals for service and leadership position in the social agencies of churches and communities. The following potential jobs are for individuals with an MSW-MDiv degree.
Hospice Chaplain
Hospice chaplains typically work in assisted living organizations and hospice focused nursing facilities. They assess the spiritual needs of patients and families and match them with available resources and services. They provide direct spiritual care to patients and families during all stages of grief and passing. Hospice chaplains serve as community liaisons and spiritual counselors. They maintain accurate records of spiritual care and community service participation.
This serves as a type of quality assurance function and helps them with program development and procedural revisions. They attend patient care conferences and host interdisciplinary group meetings. They provide consultations, training and funeral or memorial services as requested. They promote and coordinate patient enrichment programs, which includes family publications, sibling support groups and special family events.
Chaplain Liaison
Chaplain liaisons ministers who work in hospitals minster to the spiritual needs of patients and their families by facilitating support groups, responding to needs and making regular patient rounds. Chaplain liaisons provide care and comfort for families of terminally and chronically ill patients. Some serve as pastoral care department administrators, while others primarily attend to patients on all shifts.
Night, evening and weekend shifts are usually required to accommodate patient and family needs. They provide a variety of pastoral care to patients, families and staff based on individual needs and preferences. This means that they conduct religious services for inpatients and assist families and staff with the grieving process and end of life circumstances. Chaplain liaisons integrate spiritual counseling with other collaborating psycho-social team members.
Spiritual Care Coordinator
Spiritual care coordinators execute spiritual and service assessment of patients, families and caregivers in health care programs. They facilitate the development of individualized care plans by participating in intake assessments that identify spiritual needs. Spiritual care coordinators provide support to pastors, spiritual counselors and community chaplains. They attend and document patient care meetings in order to coordinate interdisciplinary patient care.
When needed, spiritual care coordinators recruit community counselors and spiritual care volunteers to meet incoming patient needs. Thus, they must continually develop community contacts and secure congregational support for hospice care. They provide administrative support for spiritual services, actively participate in quality assessment and participate with performance improvement teams. They must be comfortable working in interfaith environments and have the ability to accept different values, cultures and lifestyles.
Individuals with a Master of Social Work-Master of Divinity degree may also find work counseling through a mental health organization or an affiliated religious organization. Organizations find that adding and offering a spiritual dimension to counseling programs help them to support and meet the needs of clients. Individuals who enjoy teaching may find work at the college level instructing students of faith-based programs. Accredited social work and MSW-MDiv degrees are listed here.