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| Vol. 25, No. 6 |
| April 1, 2003 |
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Chaplaincy Extends “Lifeline” to Patients The majority of the 6,100-plus patients treated at the Harris County Psychiatric Center – a component of The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston – lack basic items needed during a hospital stay. More than half of the center’s patients are indigent or eligible for social services. Patients’ families, too, often cannot afford the cost of parking or public transportation to visit their loved ones or confer with physicians. How are needs met in light of these circumstances? By volunteers with Lifeline Chaplaincy, who extend a much-needed “lifeline” to patients and their families. Due to the special commitment Lifeline Chaplaincy has made to persons with serious mental illness, the psychiatric center has selected Lifeline Chaplaincy as its 2003 Volunteer of the Year. “Lifeline puts us at the top of their list,” says Carol Rone, HCPC’s volunteer coordinator. “They donate toiletries for all patients, as well as lap blankets and pillows made by Lifeline Chaplaincy’s ‘Soft Touch’ volunteers, led by Jewel Wright. The group makes hand-sewn patient ‘scrubs’ for our many patients who are admitted without proper clothing.” In addition, Lifeline provides goody bags for hospitalized adolescents and children during the holidays, and they subsidize bus transportation and parking fees for the neediest patients and families. “The center’s patients are a very special population, and we are happy at Lifeline Chaplaincy to step up and let them know they are not forgotten and someone cares,” says Lifeline Chaplaincy Ministry Coordinator Barry N. Curtis. Lifeline Chaplaincy began in 1983 as the Churches of Christ Medical Center Chaplaincy at The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, providing chaplain services and pastoral care. Today, it serves all 13 Texas Medical Center hospitals. The group’s pastoral care volunteers have visited more than 7,800 hospitalized patients. In 1997, Lifeline began its “Compassionate Touch” program to meet the emergency financial needs of patients and families. In addition to defraying parking costs, Compassionate Touch works with hospitals’ social service departments to fund accommodations, food and transportation. “We believe this program is unique in Texas,” says Curtis, “because we serve everyone in need, regardless of their illness, creed, ethnicity or place of residence.” During 2002, Compassionate Touch helped 1,267 patients and their families from 38 states and 15 countries, providing temporary housing, food, transportation, parking and other non-medical financial needs totaling more than $182,000. Since 1997, the program has served over 5,100 patients and families, providing more than three-quarters of a million dollars. “We are proud to recognize this wonderful community resource,” says HCPC Chief Administrator Lois J. Moore, “and, in turn, we feel very blessed to receive the benefit of their work. They meet an urgent need by going above and beyond for our patients.”
©2006 Texas Medical Center
E-Mail: tmcinfo@texmedctr.tmc.edu
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