Grey Bruce Spiritual Care Council
The Grey Bruce Spiritual Care Council (registered charity: 861439636RR0001) is a Canadian nonprofit organization established in 1977 to provide spiritual care services within healthcare settings across Grey and Bruce counties in Ontario. It operates as a multi-faith initiative, offering emotional and spiritual support to patients, families, and healthcare staff during times of crisis, illness, or end-of-life care[5].

Mission and Services

The council’s mission emphasizes oversight of spiritual care programs, mentorship for providers, and collaboration with healthcare partners[1]. Its services include:

• Compassionate support: Addressing uncertainty, grief, and emotional distress through active listening and interfaith dialogue[5].
• 24/7 availability: On-call chaplains and spiritual care providers across multiple hospitals and hospices, including Brightshores Health System, South Bruce Grey Health Centre, and Grey Bruce Hospice[1][3][5].
• Multi-disciplinary collaboration: Working alongside medical teams to integrate spiritual care into patient treatment plans[5].

Organizational Structure

The council operates through a network of certified practitioners, clergy, and volunteers. Providers included those certified by the Canadian Association for Spiritual Care (CASC) and others with theological training[5]. Key roles included a departmental manager, site-specific chaplains, and a palliative home care team coordinator[1].

Recent Developments

In June 2024, major structural changes were announced. Brightshores Health System, a primary partner, decided to transition spiritual care to an in-house allied health program, ending its agreement with the council. This shift moves chaplaincy funding from community donations to the hospital’s operational budget[4]. South Bruce Grey Health Centre also terminated its contract, reverting to a model where patients directly contact their chosen spiritual leaders[4]. Critics, including chaplain Will Basson, highlighted concerns that this approach conflates religious care with professional spiritual care[4].

Historical Impact

From 2020 to 2021, the council’s team made over 8,500 patient and family contacts[5]. Its work emphasized non-denominational support, distinguishing spiritual care—focused on existential and emotional needs—from sectarian religious practices[4][5].