Emory Spiritual Health

What Emory Spiritual Health does

Emory Spiritual Health is an operating department within Emory University's Woodruff Health Sciences Center that delivers chaplaincy and spiritual care services across the Emory Healthcare hospital system in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The department deploys 55 full-time and 52 part-time clinical staff — including board-certified chaplains, ACPE-certified educators, and CBCT-certified instructors — across 10+ Emory Healthcare campuses on a 24/7 basis, serving patients, families, and healthcare staff through crisis response, end-of-life care, grief support, religious care, and staff wellness interventions. The department performs more than 180,000 consultations per year.

Its core technology is Compassion-Centered Spiritual Health (CCSH™), a proprietary healthcare distress intervention that augments conventional spiritual health practice with Cognitively-Based Compassion Training (CBCT®), a program originally developed at Emory's Center for Contemplative Science and Compassion-Based Ethics. CCSH integrates Tibetan contemplative tradition concepts into bedside spiritual care delivered by trained chaplains. The intervention model is trademarked and has been validated through peer-reviewed research, including a randomized controlled trial published in PLOS One and a study in JAMA Psychiatry by Palitsky et al. Supporting product lines include an ACPE-accredited Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) program (internships, fellowships, residencies), a multi-year CBCT research program, and the Emory Center for Psychedelics and Spirituality, which investigates psilocybin-assisted therapy. Thought leadership channels include the annual Science on Spiritual Health (SOS) Symposium (running since 2023, with 2026 scheduled for March 25, 2026), the Our Stories Podcast, the From The Gut Zoomcast, and the OUTCOMES with Kim research show.

The business model is institutional rather than commercial. As a department of a nonprofit academic medical center, Emory Spiritual Health is funded through Emory Healthcare's operational budget and donations, and its services are provided free of charge to patients, families, and staff. There is no external pricing model, no commercial customer base, and no standalone revenue line. The department operates a tripartite mission of service, education, and research, and has received recognitions including the 2020 Spirit of Winship Award, the 2024 Science on Spiritual Health Torch and Trumpet Award, and the 2019 Web of Science "World's Most Influential Researcher" designation.

Name

Emory Spiritual Health

Legal name

Emory University

Website

https://spiritualhealth.emory.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1836

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Emory Spiritual Health is a department within Emory Healthcare providing 24/7 chaplaincy services across 10+ Atlanta-area campuses using its proprietary CCSH™ intervention, alongside CPE education and compassion research programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Healthcare Chaplaincy Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (81311), Religious Organizations (813110)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Faith-Based & Nonprofit Hospital Systems (HLAFAAAE), Faith-Based Social Services & Community Outreach (Food Pantries, Shelters, Counseling) (BPAGAJAG), Divinity Schools (University-Affiliated) (EDAHAKAC)

Keywords

• Healthcare chaplaincy services
• Spiritual health services
• Clinical pastoral education
• Compassion training programs
• Pastoral care hospital

Headquarters

HQ city

Atlanta

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Healthcare System Funding: As a department of Emory Healthcare's Woodruff Health Sciences Center, services are funded through the healthcare system's operational budget to provide spiritual care across Emory Healthcare facilities.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Emory Spiritual Health is a department within Emory University's Woodruff Health Sciences Center that delivers 24/7 chaplaincy and spiritual health services to patients, families, and staff across ten Emory Healthcare campuses. The department operates the proprietary Compassion-Centered Spiritual Health (CCSH) intervention and Cognitively-Based Compassion Training (CBCT) program, runs ACPE-accredited Clinical Pastoral Education training, and conducts spiritual health research.

Product overview

Emory Spiritual Health is a department within Emory Healthcare's Woodruff Health Sciences Center offering a comprehensive spiritual healthcare ecosystem consisting of clinical services, education programs, and research initiatives. The core offerings include Compassion-Centered Spiritual Health (CCSH™), a healthcare distress intervention augmenting spiritual health practices with Cognitively-Based Compassion Training (CBCT®). The education division provides ACPE-accredited Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) programs including internships, fellowships, and residencies. The research arm conducts studies on compassion training and spiritual health outcomes. Media offerings include the Our Stories Podcast, From The Gut Zoomcast series, and OUTCOMES with Kim research show. The department also houses the Emory Center for Psychedelics and Spirituality and hosts the annual Science on Spiritual Health (SOS) Symposium.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CCSH (Compassion-Centered Spiritual Health): A program to bolster the wellbeing, resilience, and compassion of healthcare patients and staff, developed at Emory's Center for Contemplative Science and Compassion-Based Ethics.

Products and services

• Spiritual Health Clinical Services 24/7 spiritual health chaplaincy services delivered by 55 full-time and 52 part-time staff across ten Emory Healthcare campuses, providing emotional and spiritual support to patients, families, and healthcare workers during medical crises, end-of-life care, and significant medical changes.
• Compassion-Centered Spiritual Health (CCSH) A trademarked healthcare distress intervention that cuts across cultures, designed to bolster the wellbeing, resilience, and compassion of healthcare patients and staff. CCSH augments spiritual health education and best practices with CBCT.
• Cognitively-Based Compassion Training (CBCT) A compassion training program developed at the Center for Contemplative Science and Compassion-Based Ethics at Emory University, integrated into CCSH interventions for spiritual health professionals and chaplains.
• Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) Programs ACPE-accredited professional education programs including Internships, Fellowships, and Residencies for training spiritual health clinicians and chaplains, supporting clinical pastoral education, board certification preparation, and research literacy.
• Spiritual Health Research Program Multi-year, multi-study research effort investigating the potential benefits of Cognitively-Based Compassion Training (CBCT) for chaplains and the effect of CBCT-adapted bedside interventions on patient outcomes, with studies published in PLOS One and JAMA Psychiatry.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 180,000 consultations per year to patients and healthcare workers
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ACPE (Association for Clinical Pastoral Education)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerACPE is the premier Department of Education recognized organization providing CPE programs for spiritual care professionals. Emory Spiritual Health is an ACPE-accredited education program.
• Association of Professional Chaplains (APC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAPC promotes quality chaplaincy care through advocacy, education, professional standards and service to its members. Emory chaplains are APC board-certified.
• Board of Chaplaincy Certification Inc (BCCI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational not-for-profit 501(c)(6) affiliate of APC that certifies professional chaplains. Emory chaplains pursue BCCI board certification.
• Candler School of TheologycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of Emory University, a premier research institution. Emory Spiritual Health works with Candler for theological education and CPE training.
• Chaplaincy Innovation LabminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrings chaplaincy leaders, theological educators, clinical educators, and social scientists into research-based conversation about chaplaincy and spiritual care.
• George Washington Institute for Spirituality and Health (GWish)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConducts research, educates practitioners, and impacts health care policy worldwide, collaborating to create more compassionate healthcare systems.
• Transforming ChaplaincycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThink tank promoting research literacy in chaplaincy to improve patient outcomes. Emory research team includes Transforming Chaplaincy Fellows.
• Center for Contemplative Science and Compassion-Based Ethics at EmorycoreTechnology or IntegrationDeveloped CBCT program that is integrated into CCSH interventions. Dr. Lobsang Tenzin Negi serves as Executive Director.
• Rollins School of Public Health - Interfaith Health ProgramminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFostering partnerships between public health and faith communities since 1992, now housed at Emory Rollins School of Public Health.
• Religion and Public Health Collaborative (RPHC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEmory interdisciplinary collaboration between Rollins School of Public Health, Nursing School, Candler School of Theology, and Department of Religion.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Cedars-Sinai Spiritual Care Department: Cedars-Sinai's Spiritual Care Department provides interfaith chaplaincy and CPE training across its hospital network; comparable as a large, well-resourced hospital chaplaincy service inside a major US medical center.
• UCLA Health Spiritual Care: UCLA Health operates a chaplaincy department embedded in its hospital system with CPE training programs and research initiatives—directly comparable in structure and scope to Emory Spiritual Health's in-hospital spiritual care model.
• Stanford Health Care Spiritual Care Service: Stanford Health Care's Spiritual Care Service provides chaplaincy and CPE training within a major academic medical center; comparable in scope to Emory's clinical and education programs at a top research hospital.
• Johns Hopkins Spiritual Care and Chaplaincy: Johns Hopkins provides spiritual care services across its hospital network with board-certified chaplains and CPE programs; comparable as a peer academic medical center chaplaincy service within a major US research university.
• Massachusetts General Hospital Spiritual Care: MGH's Spiritual Care Department delivers 24/7 chaplaincy across MGH's hospital network, runs ACPE-accredited CPE programs, and conducts research on spiritual care outcomes—closely mirroring Emory's tripartite service/education/research mission within an academic medical center.
• Duke University Hospital Spiritual Care and Chaplain Services: Duke's Spiritual Care and Chaplain Services deliver interfaith chaplaincy across Duke University Hospital with CPE training programs; comparable as a faith-integrated chaplaincy program within a leading research university hospital.
• Vanderbilt University Medical Center Pastoral Care: Vanderbilt's Department of Pastoral Care offers 24/7 chaplaincy and accredited CPE residencies within a top-tier academic medical center, closely paralleling Emory's clinical/educational structure in the Southeast US.
• NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital Pastoral Care and Education: NewYork-Presbyterian's Department of Pastoral Care and Education runs one of the largest ACPE-accredited CPE programs in the US with 24/7 hospital chaplaincy; comparable as a large-scale academic medical center spiritual care department.

Broad incumbents

• HealthCare Chaplaincy Network: HealthCare Chaplaincy Network is a national nonprofit providing chaplaincy services, CPE-equivalent training, and research on spiritual care across multiple hospital systems—comparable to Emory as a national-scale chaplaincy provider and thought leader.

Emerging players

• George Washington Institute for Spirituality and Health (GWish): GWish conducts research, educates practitioners, and impacts healthcare policy on spirituality and health; an existing Emory Spiritual Health partner and a comparable research-and-policy peer in spiritual health integration.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/playlist?list=PLDSBylqXf9oEjPrnIopWiQrHK0vT_qB4C
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/emory-spiritual-health

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Emory Spiritual Health