Disaster Chaplain Certification & Religious Literacy Training

This three-day training prepares faith leaders or institutional chaplains to volunteer as disaster chaplains in mass-care settings or to serve as disaster chaplains within their house of worship, religious community or professional institution. The modules demonstrate how diverse religious and cultural practice increases partner capabilities and builds whole community resilience. The course offers tools (tip sheets & a field guide set) and foundational skills to competently engage religious leaders and congregations in the field. Each registrant must be endorsed for this training and/or currently serve as a professional chaplain and/or credentialed religious leader.

TRAINING COVERS:

• Religious Literacy & Competency in Crisis Settings
• How to work as members of an interdisciplinary team within the Incident Command System
• What to expect at disaster sites
• How to provide Spiritual First Aid and Psychological First Aid
• How to make appropriate assessments and referrals to Mental Health and other services
• How to develop and maintain holistic self-care practices

TRAINING IS:

• Based on the National Disaster Interfaith Network (NDIN) Disaster Spiritual Care Curricula
• Compliant with NIMS (National Incident Management System) and includes FEMA Incident Command System ICS 100c and FEMA IS 505 Religious and Cultural Literacy & Competency in Disaster trainings and certifications.
• Conforms to the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (NYVOAD) Disaster Spiritual Care Points of Consensus and Disaster Spiritual Care Guideline.

3 Days:

• Religious Literacy & Competency Training -- March 23, 2026; 9-5pm
• Disaster Chaplaincy Training -- March 24, 2026; 9-5pm
• Disaster Chaplaincy Training -- March 25, 2026; 9-5pm
• Location: NYDIS, 4 West 43rd St, NY, NY, 10036
• Light breakfast provided. Bring your own lunch or buy lunch nearby.

This course is free for NYC Clergy. All others $250. No refunds.

Photo Release: When you attend a NYDIS event, you enter an area where photography, audio, and video recording may occur. Events are typically open to the press, unless clients are in attendance. By entering, you consent to such recording media and its release, publication, exhibition, or reproduction to be used for news, webcasts, social media or other promotional outlets.