In conjunction with the National Disaster Interfaiths Network (NDIN), Hartford Seminary hosted a one-day Disaster Emotional and Spiritual Care Worker training course on Tuesday, Jan. 14.

“This one-day training provides an overview of best practices for volunteers who would be supervised by a disaster chaplain in a response to a mass-casualty situation or in a mass-care setting,” NDIN President and Hartford Seminary Adjunct Professor, Peter Gudaitis, said of the course. “It’s also an excellent way for clergy and chaplains to sharpen skills, and for first responders, managers, and mental health professional to expand their knowledge of disaster spiritual care best practices.”

The training covered such topics as emotional and spiritual care across the disaster “life cycle,” disaster site operations, mental health assessment and referral, effective self-care practices for care providers, and the federal Incident Command System (ICS).

In addition to participants in the one-day class, members of the Seminary’s Chaplaincy Models and Methods five-day intensive course also participated.

“Disaster emotional and spiritual care competence is an important element of Hartford Seminary’s new Multifaith Chaplaincy Program,” notes Dr. Lucinda Mosher, Faculty Associate in Interfaith Studies and the program’s director.

The NDIN curriculum is compliant with NIMS (National Incident Management System) and incorporates FEMA Incident Command System (FEMA IS 100) training. It also complies with the National VOAD (Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster) Points of Consensus for Disaster Spiritual Care.