Allison Kenty
207-283-7233
allison.kenty@mainehealth.org
BIDDEFORD, Maine – Southern Maine Health Care (SMHC) is pleased to welcome Chaplain Shelly Snow, Director of Spiritual and Pastoral Care Services. As Director of the SMHC spiritual and pastoral care program, Shelly will implement a comprehensive strategy to offer expanded spiritual and pastoral care services to our patients, visitors and community. A component of this strategy is to increase integration of SMHC spiritual and pastoral care services with community clergy and parishes. Shelly will be fostering relationships with faith leaders in our service areas so we can better provide for the wide range of spiritual care needs of our patients, visitors and staff.
Spiritual and pastoral care is the care of the human spirit, which is critical to health. Chaplains are specially-trained in human understanding, pastoral counseling, and religious and cultural traditions. Services are available to all SMHC patients and their loved ones. We will provide a listening presence, guidance in mindfulness and prayer, support through decision-making, and help finding purpose.
The spiritual and pastoral care team is comprised of Reverend Shelly Snow, MDiv, MEd, APBCC, Director of Spiritual and Pastoral Care Services, Reverend Nonie Freeman, MSW, Palliative Care, and Marie LaBreque from the Diocese of Portland, with support from the SMHC volunteer services program.
“The Spiritual and Pastoral Care Services team is a valued element of the interdisciplinary care team,” said Nathan Howell, SMHC President. “We are thrilled to be expanding this program to provide even more integral support to our patients, their loved ones and our care team members in times of need.”
The Join Commission requires hospitals to assess patient spiritual needs - and meeting those needs has been shown to improve health care outcomes. Emotional support and gentle spiritual guidance is available to all SMHC patients, their loved ones, and our care team members seven days a week.
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About Southern Maine Health Care
Southern Maine Health Care (SMHC) is a national award-winning healthcare organization with a non-profit mission “to improve the health and health care of the communities we serve.” SMHC includes a full service, acute care medical center in Biddeford, with York County’s only inpatient mental health unit. Emergency care, surgical services and diagnostic and therapy services are available at SMHC’s Medical Centers in Biddeford and Sanford. SMHC offers primary care and multi-specialty physician services, diagnostic and therapy services and Walk-In Care centers in York County communities including Biddeford, Kennebunk, Saco, Sanford and Waterboro. SMHC is Joint Commission accredited and has been recognized for quality excellence by numerous outside organizations. SMHC is part of the MaineHealth system, a growing family of health care services in northern New England. To learn more, visit smhc.org.