ZipRecruiter

Log In

1

Psychiatric Chaplain Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Veterans Health Administration

Chaplain

Bronx, NY · On-site +1

$105K - $137K/yr

Uses a sound working knowledge of Chaplain related expertise and the behavioral sciences to increase the understanding of human behavior, including familiarity with psychiatric and clinical ...

Christian Health Care Center

Chaplain

Wyckoff, NJ

$70K/yr

The Chaplain serves as part of the pastoral care team to provide religious and spiritual ministries ... Specialized training in psychiatric or long-term care settings preferred. * A minimum of one (1) ...

Christian Health Care Center

Chaplain

Wyckoff, NJ

$70K/yr

The Chaplain serves as part of the pastoral care team to provide religious and spiritual ministries ... Specialized training in psychiatric or long-term care settings preferred. * A minimum of one (1) ...

Christian Health Care Center

Chaplain

Wyckoff, NJ · On-site

$70K/yr

The Chaplain serves as part of the pastoral care team to provide religious and spiritual ministries ... Specialized training in psychiatric or long-term care settings preferred. * A minimum of one (1) ...

Department of State Hospitals

JEWISH CHAPLAIN

Patton, CA · On-site

$5K - $7K/mo

Jewish Chaplain Exam Bulletin . All interested candidates that meet the recruitment criteria should ... Working Conditions Patton is a forensic psychiatric hospital and was established in 1890 and opened ...

Department of State Hospitals

PROTESTANT CHAPLAIN

Patton, CA · On-site

$33.13 - $43.51/hr

Protestant Chaplain Exam Bulletin . All applicants may be pre-screened for breadth and depth of ... Working Conditions Patton is a forensic psychiatric hospital and was established in 1890 and opened ...

State of Illinois

DOC Hill CC Chaplain I

Galesburg, IL · On-site

$6K - $8K/mo

Chaplain I Job Requisition ID: 56183 Opening Date: 05/19/2026 Closing Date: 06/02/2026 11:59 p.m ... psychiatric health and/or social services. * Prefers at least two (2) years of experience in an ...

City of Hope

Chaplain

Duarte, CA

The chaplain is a professionally-trained individual who provides inter-faith spiritual care ... work, psychiatry, psychology, supportive medicine (including palliative care) and medical ...

UC Health

Chaplain, Part Time, Weekends

Cincinnati, OH · On-site

The Spiritual Care Staff Chaplain provides spiritual and emotional support to patients throughout the facility (Emergency Room, inpatient units, both medical and psychiatric, ICUs, and outpatient ...

City of Hope

Chaplain

Duarte, CA

The chaplain is a professionally-trained individual who provides inter-faith spiritual care ... work, psychiatry, psychology, supportive medicine (including palliative care) and medical ...

next page

Showing results 1-20

All JobsPsychiatric Chaplain Jobs

Psychiatric Chaplain information

See salary details

$29K

$63.6K

$98K

How much do psychiatric chaplain jobs pay per year?

As of Jun 9, 2026, the average yearly pay for psychiatric chaplain in the United States is $63,587.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $48,500.00 and $80,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

How to become a mental health chaplain?

To become a psychiatric chaplain, individuals typically need a bachelor's degree in a related field and often pursue a master's degree in divinity, theology, or pastoral counseling. Certification or training in mental health or clinical chaplaincy, along with experience in healthcare settings, is also valuable for this role.

How does a Psychiatric Chaplain typically collaborate with clinical staff in a mental health facility?

A Psychiatric Chaplain works closely with psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, and nursing staff to support the holistic well-being of patients. Regular interdisciplinary team meetings are common, where the chaplain provides spiritual assessments and insights that may inform treatment plans. Communication and confidentiality are key, as chaplains help bridge spiritual and emotional care by advocating for patients' beliefs and needs. This collaborative approach ensures that spiritual concerns are integrated into the overall mental health care process.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Psychiatric Chaplain, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Psychiatric Chaplain, you need a background in theology or religious studies, clinical pastoral education (CPE), and often denominational endorsement or ordination. Familiarity with electronic medical records and experience using spiritual assessment tools are typically required. Strong interpersonal skills, cultural sensitivity, and emotional resilience help build trust with patients and support interdisciplinary collaboration. These qualifications are critical for providing compassionate spiritual care and emotional support to individuals facing mental health challenges.

What are Psychiatric Chaplains?

Psychiatric Chaplains are spiritual care professionals who work within mental health settings, such as psychiatric hospitals or behavioral health units. They provide emotional and spiritual support to patients, families, and staff dealing with mental health challenges. Their role includes offering counseling, facilitating religious or spiritual practices, and collaborating with healthcare teams to help address the holistic needs of individuals in treatment. Psychiatric Chaplains often have specialized training in both mental health and pastoral care, ensuring they can respond sensitively and appropriately to people in crisis.
Infographic showing various Psychiatric Chaplain job openings in the United States as of May 2026, with employment types broken down into 3% As Needed, 88% Full Time, 4% Part Time, and 5% Contract. Highlights an 99% Physical, and 1% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $63,587 per year, or $30.6 per hour.
Chaplain

Chaplain

Veterans Health Administration

Bronx, NY • On-site, Remote

$105K - $137K/yr

Full-time

Posted 6 days ago

Veterans Health Administration rating

8.1

Company rating: 8.1 out of 10

Based on 960 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

70th of 870 rated healthcare providers

Job description

Summary
This position is located within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Veterans Affairs Medical Centers (VAMC), Chaplain Service(CS), located in Bronx, NY. The incumbent serves as a Chaplain professional performing clinical assignments for the VHA. The incumbent provides comprehensive religious, spiritual, and pastoral care to all persons that are commensurate with the needs, desires, and voluntary consent of the Veteran, caregiver, or staff.
Learn more about this agency
Duties
Help
Duties include, but are not limited to:
  • Serves as a Chaplain professional providing comprehensive, religious ministry services to Veteran patients according to their specific needs and desires. Carries out a ministry which is highly integrated into VHA's Chaplain program. Provides thorough guidance and advice to Chaplain Service management staff, other Chaplains, and other stakeholders.
  • May serve at a facility in a clinical setting, or a small healthcare system, satellite outpatient clinic, other federal agency, or Community Based Out-patient Clinic (CBOC) where there is limited access to onsite supervision.
  • Provides extended and intensive pastoral counseling as an integral part of the treatment program with patients facing complex, ethical, moral, and spiritual issues.
  • Ensures program effectiveness and modification of service pattern, which includes research and leadership of clinical teams.
  • Practices typically in a specialized clinic/program area, that may include intensive and extended pastoral counseling as an integral part of the treatment program, with patients facing complex moral, ethical, or spiritual problems.
  • Serves as a Chaplain representative and a fully recognized member of an interdisciplinary treatment team (IDT). Advises and collaborates with other members of the IDT to provide comprehensive healthcare services to Veterans.
  • Works with a full understanding of Chaplains' relationships to the objectives of VHA to successfully integrate the work of the medical facility's staff. Collaborates with and advises the other members of the IDT in the provision of comprehensive healthcare services to Veterans.
  • Maintains effective rapport with physicians, medical officers, psychologists, nurses, therapists, social workers, or others involved with the IDT. Ensures equity of access, service, and benefits to Veterans and provides the highest quality of care. Provides leadership, direction, orientation, coaching, in-service training, staff development, and continuing education programs.
  • Serves as a primary Chaplain resource, spiritual advisor, and liaison for the spiritual needs of patients, caregivers, and staff. Conducts comprehensive religious services and worship, pastoral ministry, and administration of Chaplain services.
  • Leads various complex and sensitive projects, task groups, and assignments to obtain pertinent high-level information needed for Chaplain Service management officials.
  • Engages as a spiritual leader, a compassionate listener, and counselor, especially during times of crisis. Provides emotional support and counseling using empathy and strong interpersonal skills to effectively connect with people of all ages.
  • Ensures various complex assignments are carried out in a pluralistic environment, which encompasses sensitivity to the religious needs of many separate religious denominations and faith groups.
  • Provides thorough spiritual leadership, offers prayers, and provides overall religious services for Veteran patients, patient families, staff, and community. Conducts rituals before groups of people, which requires effective leadership and public speaking skills.
  • Use sound guidance and advice to lead prayer and religious services.
  • Addresses the religious, spiritual, moral, and ethical problems of patients and staff.
  • Provides effective counseling services to patients and staff. Conducts regular rounds of hospital wards where patients are critically ill.
  • Ministers to newly admitted, pre- and post-operative patients, the critically ill, and the families of concerned Veteran patients. Provides advance care planning education, information, and counsel for patients and their families.
  • Coordinates religious services in a manner which respects the faith traditions and religious expression of patients. Maintains and uses an advanced knowledge and understanding of other religions or denominations.
  • Uses a sound working knowledge of Chaplain related expertise and the behavioral sciences to increase the understanding of human behavior, including familiarity with psychiatric and clinical terminology.
  • Uses effective skills supporting the development of staff resiliency and developing programs for staff development and wellness by providing sound spiritual and emotional support.
  • Possesses skills to educate and equip healthcare staff and trainees. Screens for spiritual and religious needs and provides referrals to chaplains for complex spiritual distress.
  • Performs a variety of complex intervention methods, including individual and group interventions to address the emotional and spiritual needs of patients and families.

Work Schedule: M-F, 8AM-4:30PM
Telework: Not available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 55621A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized
Requirements
Help
Conditions of employment
  • You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
  • Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
  • Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
  • Subject to background/security investigation.
  • Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
  • Must pass pre-employment physical examination or health assessment.
  • Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
  • Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:
  • your performance and conduct;
  • the needs and interests of the agency;
  • whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
  • whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.
Qualifications
Basic Requirements:
  • United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
  • Education. Applicants must possess a Master of Divinity degree or equivalent educational qualifications as evidenced by a graduate-level theological degree from a college, university or theological school accredited by a member of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) or Association of Theological Schools (ATS) and recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. NOTE: For applicants who do not possess a Master of Divinity degree or equivalent educational degree, an approved educational equivalency review from a nationally recognized board certification body for chaplains is acceptable.
  • Ecclesiastical Endorsement. In accordance with 38 C.F.R. § 17.655,ecclesiastical endorsement is a condition of employment as a VA chaplain. An individual must possess and maintain a full and active ecclesiastical endorsement to be employed as a VA chaplain. Applicants must have an ecclesiastical endorsement, dated within the past 12 months. Ecclesiastical endorsements must be from the official national endorsing authority of the applicant's/employee's faith group or denomination. Ecclesiastical endorsement is a written official statement, by the official national endorsing body of the faith group or denomination, certifying that the applicant is in good standing with the applicant's faith group or denomination; and stating that the individual is, in the opinion of the endorsing body, qualified to perform the full range of ministry required in the VA pluralistic setting. Loss of endorsement will result in removal from the GS-0060 Chaplain series and may result in termination of employment.
  • Board Certification

  1. Certification. Applicants must be a Board-Certified Chaplain certified by BCCI or a U.S. certifying body that has a reciprocity agreement with BCCI. Board Certification that requires 4 units of CPE is qualifying. Note: Provisional or Associate or other status as a candidate for board certification does not meet the board certification requirement for the FPL GS-11 or above.

  • Loss of Credential. Management officials, in collaboration with HR Office staff must immediately relieve employees who fail to maintain any of the required certifications (board certification, ecclesiastical endorsement, or when applicable a specialty certification) of the duties and responsibilities associated with this occupation which may also result in separation from employment.
  • Grandfathering Provision. May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria).
  • Foreign Education. To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must be submitted to a current affiliate agency of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) at https://www.naces.org/members and be deemed at least equivalent to that gained in a conventional U.S. program.
  • Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements.
  • English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).

Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, candidates must meet the following grade determining criteria for placement at grade levels specified.
Chaplain, GS-12.
  • Experience. One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade.
  • Specialty Certification. Specialty certification is demonstrated advanced practice and/or specialization in chaplaincy beyond the board certification and is required for the GS-12 grade level. Specialty certification from a professional chaplain certifying body that is directly related to the assignment is qualifying for a senior chaplain assignment.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
  • Ability to apply relevant theories and methodologies to their ministry specialty.
  • Ability to integrate specialized psychological and sociological theory with an advanced approach to spiritual care.
  • Skill to seek out primary research and research literature that informs the ministry specialty and one's spiritual care practice.
  • Skill in developing and implementing methods for measuring effectiveness of chaplain practice and services in the specialty area, utilizing outcome evaluations to improve treatment services and to design system changes.
  • Ability to mediate conflict, hold various emotions and diffuse moral distress among staff and complex crisis situations.
  • Ability to provide specialized consultation, teaching and mentoring to colleagues and students on advanced spiritual care interventions in the service delivery area.
  • Ability to apply advanced clinical knowledge to write policies, procedures and/or practice guidelines pertaining to the service delivery area.

Assignment. For all assignments above the FPL, the higher-level duties must be of significant scope, administrative independence, complexity, and range of variety as described in this standard at the specified grade level and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. This assignment is a senior chaplain. Senior chaplain assignments may include serving at a facility in clinical settings where there is limited access to onsite supervision such as small health care systems, Community Based Outpatient Clinics, other Federal agencies or satellite outpatient clinics. Senior chaplains typically practice in a specialized program area, that may include intensive and extended pastoral counseling as an integral part of the treatment program, with patients facing complex moral, ethical, or spiritual problems. The senior chaplain may be assigned administrative responsibility to independently develop and implement programs and curriculum. They are accountable for clinical program effectiveness and modification of service patterns, which may include research and leadership of clinical teams. The senior chaplain works with full understanding of its relationship to the objectives of the institution, and to successfully integrate it with the work of the institutional staff, collaborates with and advises the other senior members of the treatment team in the provision of comprehensive health care services to Veterans, ensures equity of access, service, and benefits to this population, ensures the care provided is of the highest quality. The senior chapl...

What Veterans Health Administration employees say

Pay

Benefits

Hours and flexibility

Workplace

Get the full story on Breakroom

Veterans Health Administration logo

About Veterans Health Administration

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is the largest integrated health care system in the United States, serving millions of Veterans each year. Located in Phoenix, AZ, and many other parts of the US, the VHA operates under the Department of Veteran Affairs, as suggested by their official website va.gov. The VHA is dedicated to providing the highest level of comprehensive care to its veterans. The organization offers a broad spectrum of medical, surgical, and rehabilitative care, including mental health services, research, and pharmacy benefits.

Industry

Health care and social assistance

Company size

10,000+ Employees

Headquarters location

Phoenix, AZ, US

View All Veterans Health Administration Jobs

Apply