The Chaplaincy
Being There
There are moments that divide life into before and after.
A knock at the door in the middle of the night. A phone call that doesn't make sense. A sudden accident. Suicide, homicide, a child who doesn't come home. The unexpected death of someone you love.
In those first hours, there is often so much that must happen while it feels impossible to think at all.
First responders have important work to do. Firefighters are protecting lives and property. Emergency medical personnel are providing medical care. Law enforcement officers are gathering information, preserving evidence, asking difficult questions, and moving an investigation forward.
Our role is something different.
The dedicated professionals on scene recognize that community members may benefit from specific, focused support. To that end, they engage chaplains to help ensure that there is someone present to provide that support.
Specialized Programs
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Our six-month Chaplain Academy is designed to prepare volunteers for the responsibility of a lifetime.
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Our School Crisis Team is a small group of specially trained senior chaplains honored to serve as part of the Sonoma County Crisis Response System of Support.
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More info coming soon.
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Our Critical Incident Support Team provides compassionate, structured support for groups and organizations following traumatic events.
When requested by law enforcement, fire, or emergency medical services, our volunteer chaplains respond anywhere in Sonoma County, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, to care for the people at the center of the crisis.
Sometimes we explain what is happening when everything feels confusing. We help families understand what comes next after a death. We may help someone choose a mortuary, contact relatives, notify an employer or school, arrange care for pets, locate medications, or find a place for family members to gather. We make cups of tea. We find blankets. We sit on porch steps. We hold hands. We help people breathe through the next decision, and then the one after that.
Sometimes there are no words that can make anything better, so we just stay.
Our chaplains do not arrive to fix grief or provide easy answers. We arrive to make sure no one has to carry the first unbearable hours alone.
Our care is available to every member of our community, regardless of faith, culture, language, identity, immigration status or disability. Some chaplains may have their own spiritual traditions, some do not. Spiritual care is offered only when requested. Compassion is offered to everyone.
Each of our chaplains completes extensive training in crisis response, grief support, death notification, psychological first aid, cultural humility, communication, confidentiality, consent, ethics, and trauma-responsive care. They continue their education throughout their service, working closely with local public safety partners to provide thoughtful, coordinated support during complex incidents.
This work happens every hour of every day, often without anyone knowing it occurred- this is community care.
When We May Respond
Our chaplains may be requested by public safety agencies for incidents including, but not limited to:
Unexpected or unattended deaths
Death notifications
Homicides, suicides, and deaths for unknown reasons
Incidents involving children
Large-scale emergencies and disasters
Support for families, witnesses, neighbors, and community members affected by critical incidents
Support for first responders following difficult events