Spiritual Care Association

What Spiritual Care Association does

Spiritual Care Association (SCA) is a New York-based 501(c)(6) nonprofit professional membership organization founded in 2016 by HealthCare Chaplaincy Network (HCCN). It serves chaplains, faith community nurses, social workers, clergy, first responders, military and corporate chaplains, and healthcare institutions by providing standardized certification pathways (CC, BCC, APBCC, plus hospice and palliative specialty), an online Learning Center with 28 evidence-based courses, a quarterly Caring for the Human Spirit magazine, an annual conference, a job board reaching over 45,000 spiritual care providers, and a virtual chaplaincy service platform (Chappy) that connects healthcare institutions with board-certified chaplains.

SCA's underlying technology is a conventional e-learning and member-management stack: an LMS for course delivery, a member portal for certification tracking and renewals, an e-commerce store for courses and publications, and the Chappy virtual chaplaincy platform for service delivery. Its defensible assets are content- and standards-based rather than software-based — the first research-based Quality Indicators and Scope of Practice for spiritual care, a standardized clinical knowledge test, an innovative simulated patient exam for certification, and a landmark regulatory achievement: SCA-led advocacy that resulted in CMS approval of Level II HCPCS codes for chaplaincy and spiritual care services.

SCA generates revenue through a diversified nonprofit mix: annual professional and organizational membership fees, per-course and certification fees (e.g., $345 for Mental Health Generalist, $495 for Palliative Care courses), conference registration, job board posting fees ($135–$185 for non-members, free for organizational members), and sales of publications, curricula, and merchandise. Distribution is direct via the website and member portal, with international reach into 15 countries through affiliated chaplaincy programs and teaching partners such as the Institute for Clinical Pastoral Training and the Westberg Institute for Faith Community Nursing.

Name

Spiritual Care Association

Legal name

Spiritual Care Association, Inc.

Website

https://spiritualcareassociation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Spiritual Care Association is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit membership organization that provides certification, evidence-based education, and professional resources for chaplains, nurses, social workers, clergy, and first responders delivering spiritual care in healthcare settings.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Chaplaincy Certification and Education

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Faith-Based Healthcare Ministries (Hospitals, Clinics, Medical Missions) (BPAGAJAH)

Keywords

• Professional chaplaincy certification
• Spiritual care education
• Faith community nursing
• Virtual chaplaincy services
• Membership association services

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Professional Membership Fees: Annual membership fees for chaplains, nurses, social workers, clergy, and other spiritual care professionals at individual and organizational levels
2. Education and Training Courses: Online courses and certification programs including Palliative Care courses ($495), Mental Health Generalist ($345), Volunteer Training ($345), and other educational offerings
3. Certification Fees: Fees for credentialing (CC), Board Certification (BCC), and Advanced Practice Board Certification (APBCC) including specialty certifications in hospice and palliative care
4. Job Board Posting: Job posting services: $135 for 30-day posting with one email ad, $185 for 60-day posting with two email ads; free for organizational members
5. Publications and Merchandise: Sales of publications including Caring for the Human Spirit magazine, Foundations of Faith Community Nursing curriculum, books, and branded merchandise
6. Conference Registration: Annual Caring for the Human Spirit Conference registration fees with workshops and presentations

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Spiritual Care Association (SCA) is a nonprofit, multidisciplinary professional membership association that delivers chaplaincy certification (CC, BCC, APBCC and specialty credentials), an online Learning Center with 28 evidence-based courses, and professional resources for chaplains, nurses, social workers, clergy, and spiritual care providers. It also operates the Chappy virtual chaplaincy service, the Caring for the Human Spirit magazine and conference, and a job board for the spiritual care workforce.

Product overview

Spiritual Care Association operates as a membership-based professional organization offering a comprehensive portfolio of spiritual care products and services. The core offerings include SCA Membership (Professional, Clergy, and Organizational tiers), SCA Certification (BCC, CC, APBCC, and specialty certifications), and the SCA Learning Center with 28 evidence-based courses. Supporting products include Chappy (virtual chaplaincy services), the Caring for the Human Spirit Magazine (quarterly publication), the annual Caring for the Human Spirit Conference, and the SCA Job Board. Educational products span certificate courses such as the Chaplaincy Care Volunteer Training Course ($345), Crisis/Trauma/First Response Certificate Courses, Palliative Care courses (Fundamentals and Advanced Practice at $495 each), Mental Health Generalist Course for Chaplains ($345), and the Foundations of Faith Community Nursing Curriculum ($55). The Westberg Institute sub-brand provides merchandise and educational resources for faith community nurses. The SCA Member Portal provides centralized access to these services for members.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Chappy: A program of the Spiritual Care Association providing virtual chaplaincy services, helping healthcare institutions deliver spiritual care seamlessly and efficiently through board-certified chaplains offering compassionate support to patients and caregivers.

Products and services

• SCA Membership Multidisciplinary professional membership program for chaplains, nurses, social workers, clergy, and other spiritual care providers, with Professional, Clergy, and Organizational membership tiers.
• SCA Certification Nationally recognized chaplaincy certification program offering Credentialing (CC), Board Certification (BCC), Advanced Practice Board Certification (APBCC), Hospice and Palliative Care Specialty Certification (APBCC-HPC), and Spiritual Care Generalist credentials, with standardized written testing and an innovative simulated patient exam.
• SCA Learning Center Online education platform offering 28 evidence-based courses covering chaplaincy, palliative care, mental health, first response chaplaincy, faith community nursing, board certification preparation, and other aspects of spiritual care.
• Chappy Virtual Chaplaincy Services Virtual chaplaincy service connecting healthcare institutions with board-certified chaplains to provide on-demand spiritual, emotional, existential, and moral distress support to patients and caregivers.
• Caring for the Human Spirit Magazine Quarterly publication dedicated to advancing the integration of spiritual care in healthcare, featuring articles and guidance for spiritual care providers and health professionals.
• Caring for the Human Spirit Conference Annual conference bringing together chaplains, nurses, and other professionals to explore the latest knowledge, research, and practice in spiritual care, with workshops, presentations, and networking, offered in-person and virtually.
• SCA Job Board Job posting and matching service for employers and candidates in the spiritual care field, reaching over 45,000 spiritual care providers via email advertising, with free posting for organizational members.
• SCA Member Portal Secure online portal for SCA members providing membership management, certification tracking, course access, resource downloads, and community features.
• Foundations of Faith Community Nursing Curriculum Comprehensive curriculum with fifteen modules preparing registered nurses for the specialized practice of faith community nursing, aligned to the scope and standards of practice of the American Nurses Association.

Quantifiable outcome

• Close to 5,000 individuals have taken SCA courses
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments9 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and supporting.

• HealthCare Chaplaincy Network (HCCN)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016HCCN founded SCA in 2016 as an international, multidisciplinary membership organization. HCCN is a 501(c)3 nonprofit affiliate organization with 60+ years of experience. SCA is described as an affiliate of HCCN, with shared educational programs and the Caring for the Human Spirit magazine originally published by HCCN.
• Institute for Clinical Pastoral TrainingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTeaching partner of SCA that educates over 600 students each year in Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) using SCA's evidence-based curriculum
• Westberg Institute for Faith Community NursingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA component of SCA's Nursing Division, the Westberg Institute is a leader in faith community nursing education, consultation, and research for over 30 years, serving health ministry programs worldwide
• U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) ChaplainsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVA chaplains led the initial effort that resulted in three codes for recording chaplain work in the VA system, which later became the basis for CMS-approved HCPCS codes for all chaplains
• AscensionsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerSubmitted comments in support of CMS approval of chaplaincy codes as part of the advocacy effort
• National Hospice and Palliative Organization (NHPCO)supportingGTM or Marketing PartnerSubmitted comments in support of CMS approval of chaplaincy codes
• National Association of Home Care and Hospice (NACH)supportingGTM or Marketing PartnerSubmitted comments in support of CMS approval of chaplaincy codes
• Association of Professional Chaplains (APC)supportingGTM or Marketing PartnerSubmitted comments in support of CMS approval of chaplaincy codes
• International Chaplaincy Programs (15 Countries)supportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAffiliated chaplaincy programs in 15 countries as part of SCA's international reach and expansion

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Association for Clinical Pastoral Education: The primary accreditor of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) programs in North America, with which SCA's teaching partner Institute for Clinical Pastoral Training must coordinate. Sets adjacent educational standards that influence SCA's curriculum design.
• National Association of Catholic Chaplains: Faith-affiliated certification body for Catholic healthcare chaplains, offering board certification and continuing education comparable to SCA's BCC pathway. Directly competes for the institutional chaplain market, particularly in Catholic hospital systems.
• Association of Professional Chaplains: The largest US chaplaincy certification body for healthcare chaplains, offering BCC and equivalent credentials with longer operating history. Both APC and SCA target the same healthcare chaplain segment with competing certification programs and both supported the CMS HCPCS code initiative.
• Neshama: Association of Jewish Chaplains: Certification and membership association for Jewish chaplains across healthcare and other settings. Operates a parallel model of faith-aligned professional certification directly competing for chaplains seeking recognized credentials.

Emerging players

• Spiritual Directors International: Membership and training organization for spiritual directors across faith traditions. Adjacent to SCA's space with overlapping audience but different focus on spiritual direction versus clinical chaplaincy certification.

Regional players

• Canadian Association for Spiritual Care: Canada's primary spiritual care certification body, comparable in mission and structure to SCA but operating in the Canadian market. Represents a model for how national chaplaincy certification organizations function in adjacent geographies.
• College of Healthcare Chaplains: UK-based professional body for healthcare chaplains offering registration, training standards, and advocacy. Comparable structural peer for the UK/NHS chaplaincy market where SCA's international reach may eventually extend.

Others

• HealthCare Chaplaincy Network: Parent 501(c)(3) nonprofit that founded SCA in 2016 with 60+ years of chaplaincy experience. Provides shared programs, the Caring for the Human Spirit magazine, and operational support that underpins SCA's offering.

Broad incumbents

• American Nurses Association: The premier US nursing professional association whose scope and standards of practice underpin faith community nursing curricula like SCA's Foundations program. Indirectly comparable as the governing body whose standards SCA's nursing division aligns to.
• Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association: Large established nursing association offering specialty certification in hospice and palliative care, the same domain as SCA's APBCC-HPC. Represents the broader incumbent ecosystem SCA's nursing division competes with for specialty credentialing.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SpiritCareTweet
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@spiritualcareassociation7076/featured
• Facebookfacebook.com/SpiritualCareAssociation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/spiritual-care-association

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Spiritual Care Association