Maria Imbrogna

• West Roxbury VAH MHV Volunteer: May 2016 - March 2020 acting as the MyHealtheVet User Support Volunteer up to pandemic shutdown.
• Sole VISN1 BVAHS MHV Volunteer upon re-entry January 2023, the WRVAMC (523a4) Voluntary Services Coordinator formally transferred the volunteer to the Boston Veterans Administration Healthcare Services'(BVAHS) Connected Care Director and team as their MHV Virtual Volunteer remaining at the (name change) West Roxbury VA Medical Center. The MHV Volunteer remains in the same cubicle, ground floor, building 3 and within the Medical Specialties cubicle providing face-to-face supportive services
• Unpaid Connected Care MHV Volunteer continuing to provide necessary supportive services to Veteran Patients and families to gain MHV access and know-how of their MyHealtheVet portal during technological changes
• Connections and collaborations synergies for the MHV medical portal system for Veteran outpatient and surgical patients and the volunteer provided optimistic and compassionate care Delivery of care was seen in the form of respect, listening, and the addressing of needs by patients facing difficulties of increased requirements, new logins, upgrades, new web addresses, mobile applications, and the movement for the VA.gov hub for all Veteran Benefit Websites
• Focused efforts were maintained for patient-centric volunteering for Veteran needs while being supervised by four supervisors, BVAHS CC Director, VHRC MHV Coordinators, and the WRVAMC Medical Specialties team manager
• The MHV Virtual Volunteer maintained connections with BVAHS through the VAH MS Teams for MyHealtheVet medical portal, VHRC updates and changes between shifts; and by using all means for communications to ensure all parties remain in synch with MHV Volunteer and Veteran needs at the WRVAMC.
• Professional volunteering that demanded learning, confidentiality and patient-centric support to create a safe environment for patients fostering trust and rapport easily
• Recognizing personhood with respect through listening deeply and being a warm, friendly volunteer
• MHV Volunteer VAH Records: Veterans Healthcare Administration LEAF Surveys were regularly created for patient experiences with accessing and use of the MHV systems
• Recognizing patient agency: Coaching patients for self-management and use of their healthcare portal. Affirmed reactions and hope for an upgraded healthcare system
• Volunteer fully vetted and certified: PIV Clearance with background checks, and Annual Federal Healthcare Certificates: HIPAA, Personal Healthcare Information, and technology Rules of Behavior
• Represented organization positively and professionally while providing Veteran patients with much-needed services that included visitors from other BVAHS areas due to the knowledge and ability to provide sufficient care, in person at a hospital
• Clinical hours recorded 1 day a week, 081924 - 120424 = 84.75, 2 days a week, 011325 - 050925 = 183.50, and 2 days a week, 051225 - 081525 = 175.50. Total for time span recorded for specific timeframes, signed off: 443.75 Completed hours
• Self-motivated, with a strong sense of personal responsibility.

• Former Liberty University Theological School MA Graduate in Pastoral Counseling and Community Chaplaincy, 1221
• LU School of Chaplaincy, Pastoral Education Department (CPED) program; synergistically accomplished by the Online ACPE accredited education and supervision provided and Resident CPED Clinical Hours earned with care seeker conversations at local Healthcare organizations and Church ministries
• ACPE CPE Units under Liberty University CPED:

- CPED IB (0824 - 1224): MA LSH and BVAHS - WRVAMC

- CPED IIA&IIB (0125 - 0825): Park Street Church Ministries,

and BVAHS - WRVAMC CC MHV Virtual Volunteer.

• Focusing on spiritual care skills that would be patient-centric, value personhood, listening, religious or spiritual in nature for collaborative goals for the greater health and well-being of care seekers
• Highlights: Favored by Veterans due to kind, friendly, patient capable help received and benefit to programs under the leadership of four supervisors who then provided reviews, referenced and recommendation letters

• Clinical hours during Liberty University CPE Unit IB under the leadership of the sole charge Chaplain, 267 Clinical Hours completed
• Chaplain Intern ministering in assigned units, forming connections with staff and trusted relational patient bonds.
• Weekly 3 day shifts of 5 hours x 15 weeks. During this period, 238 Patients were ministered to with an average of 5.8 visits completed per the Chaplain student intern shift
• Maintaining religious and cultural humility while maintaining compassion and care in a nonjudgmental atmosphere
• State Hospital patients under the umbrella of long-term care for medical, mental health, life maintaining therapies for kidneys, ventilation, sustained in the MICU, and health ready for continued care for Substance Use Disorders (SUD)
• Daily shift plans reviewed and Medical Record Spiritual Care visits reported, as requested by the (full-time) Chaplain accessing the State Hospital Medical Records database. Orders were given before the start of each shift and then at close, a brief meeting was given to report all meaningful conversations with patient made in keeping to the required details. These visits help to complement visits made by the lead Chaplain and visiting Catholic clergy
• Assessed spiritual needs and concerns of patients through direct communication, chaplain lead, and information given by other personnel.
• Chaplain connections made through weekly Milieu Therapy meetings, new assigned patients, and hospital referrals made by nurses and Providers, along with patients directing the chaplain during rounds
• Assisted individuals in crisis by providing compassionate emotional and spiritual support. Always flexible and adapting to the patient spiritual framework for interventions of valuing personhood, walking alongside patients, deep listening, reflecting emotions and thoughts understood, and helping address conveyed desires for God, hope, faith, and strength
• Many patients were not visited frequently, possessed comorbidities, and were considered long-term patients. The Chaplain provided a trusted spiritual care relationship for patients listening to life story, trauma experiences, difficulties, emotions, and when ready, to explore new perspectives, reframing of memories, and finding hope for their lives with the Divine
• Creating time and space for safe conversations, relational connections fostering trust and honesty, and the pleasure of being heard, exploring coping mechanisms, health and life changes, and providing the ministry of presence and religious resources
• Collaborated with interdisciplinary teams to develop holistic patient care plans
• Assisted and lead group devotionals, unit services, and spiritual topics for coping and resilience-building
• Adjusted to State Hospital vehicle for reporting of shift activities and issues. Documented patient interactions and notes with Chaplain lead who updated the patients' medical records in keeping with hospital guidelines
• Fostered faith dialogue within the hospital community and took moments to provide a listening care to medical and hospital staff
• Maximizing existing structures, protocols, and opportunities for soul care ministry that would complement outcomes for greater health and well-being
• Led small devotional groups and assisted team services fostering connections with other patients through shared themes, religious experiences, and recognizing personal preferences
• Initially assessing spirituality with patients through a simple conversation, questions, needs for resources, to understand the patients' faith journey, God, and preferences
• Enhancing the patients' spiritual well-being adjusting to each patient's faith tradition. Taking time to shape spiritual care plans that were patient focused based on their faith shared, needs, and desires for strength and coping through their God and resources at the hospital possible that could bolster their faith in finding strength and peace in living

• ACPE Accredited Program Provider
• CPE IA Education, Supervision, Clinical Experiential Training and the Medical Model of Learning, 400 CPE hours completed
• Boston Medical Hospital program helped to provide the experiential training and foundation for becoming a Clinical Healthcare Chaplain. Learning was active through rounding with patients, medical model of learning, feedback from received from hospital professionals engaged to increase understanding of the greater work of the hospital and by engaging patients with chaplain services in the SICU and its Step-down Hospital units
• Adjusted to the BMC Policies and guidelines for chaplains in the assigned units, making relationships with staff, patients and their family members, whose feedback and conversations increased the understanding of patients in a healthcare crisis
• Growth of personal chaplain humility and authority while rounding in units visiting patients with hospital stays was invaluable
• Learning the value of self-care disciplines energized the chaplain in the care of patients, focusing on their needs and efforts to provide interventions that would help outcomes for greater health and well-being
• Provided spiritual support to patients and families during critical healthcare situations.
• Collaboratively working with other interfaith chaplains with patients of same or other faith traditions and preferences. During times of crises and loss, the benefits of collaborations, taking in leadership from other colleagues added to the possible effectiveness of what the spiritual care team could possibly do alone
• Providing compassionate emotional and spiritual support.
• Conducting simple spiritual assessments and creating spiritual care plans to better meet the needs of patients during their hospital stay
• Providing resources: Chaplain's ministry of presence, songs, religious materials, as needed
• Documented patient visits and helpful details to the greater care team
• Genuine and caring, easily connecting with different patients and creating a safe space for listening and care
• Delivered comforting presence during end-of-life offering presence, prayers and space for their personal religious practice
• Creating SC Medical Records for all patient conversations for the benefit of patients and their Patient Care Teams
• BMC CPE Unit: 23 weeks, 20 Clinical weeks, 4 - 15 hour On-call Shifts, 2 shifts 12-14 hours per week, 283 hours in clinical training, 472 CPE hours totaled with Education and Supervision

• Liberty University, MA Pastoral Counseling and Community Chaplaincy intern experiential learning through care seeker engagements and conversations, 225 MA Hours Completed
• Cultural and Religious Humility used effectively with Food insecure families in Lowell and Dorchester, MA. Pluralistic environment with both immigrants and local residents seeking food supplies.
• Providing religious and spiritual care to people seeking care while participating in food bags distributing with others and remaining flexible to the needs of the stretched organization with 125 to 175 food-insecure families visiting daily
• Cultural, Religious, and Economic ministry of presence addressing physical, emotional and spiritual needs.
• Spiritual Care conversations, listening, reflecting, and appreciating non-English speaking families
• Assisted individuals in crisis by providing a calm, compassionate and inspirational voice
• Creating Catholic Charities beneficiary records for families receiving nourishment
• Supported by the Catholic Church parishes for additional resources for additional resources for mental, emotional and religious care
• Created an atmosphere of privacy and safety quickly for each private conversation desired

• Assisted Veteran Patients with establishing a MyHealtheVet (MHV) Medical Portal Account, providing overview and coaching for use of the modules for medical appointments, messaging, pharmacy, and related Veteran benefits provided within the MHV system
• Providing a caring, compassionate, and coaching atmosphere, while helping Veterans to manage their personal healthcare portal
• Became familiar with VA Surgical Hospital and shared area with the Medical/Surgical Specialties team and hospital staff
• Facilitated Veteran support while listening to military and life stories, needing to be heard
• During this period, there was no requirement for patient surveys based on MHV Volunteer services rendered. This was composed of one day a week of 5 hours, estimate of 2-4 Veteran Patients were served. There was low period during holidays.
  • At this time, the MHV Volunteer was under the West Roxbury VA Hospital and their Voluntary Services Coordinator

• Dynamic relationship and revenue raising position.
• Stewarding Donor relationships, programs, and projects.
• Revenue raised annually: $8.2M, Retaining 87%+ of donors
• Responsible: Projects, Programs, and Relationships
• Multi-channel communicator and project manager
• Cultural learning trips: Cuba '02 & South Africa '07
• Collegiate, Diplomatic, & Compassionate
• Expertise in technology supporting relationships
• Motivational leader and inspiring public speaker

• Residential/Synergistic CPE (CPED) Liberty University School of Chaplaincy Student, online classes, supervision and graduate level assignments completed for three semesters abiding
• Clinical Pastoral Education Department Units Completed

LUO CPE IB - Fall 2024 (08 - 1224)

LUO CPE IIA - Spring 2025 (01 - 0525)

LUO CPE IIB - Summer 2025 (05 - 0825)

• Chaplain Experiential Training engaging Patients and Care-seekers under the Medical Model of Learning, experiences, reflections, and adjustments made for greater effectiveness
• Clinical Hours completed with Trauma, State, and Veteran Hospitals, and Church Ministries
• Care-seeker people: Patients, Homeless, Disabled, Elders, and Veterans, Volunteers, and Hospital staff members
• Learning focused by the Chaplain Intern who was considered a unpaid volunteer by Site Coordinators at each organization that agreed to the university for the experiences that the student would be afforded to, through unplanned engagements with care-seekers

Student Chaplain Intern under the Spiritual Care Department and their Clinical Pastoral Education Extended Unit 1023 - 0324

• Hospital provided CPE Education Unit led by an approved CPE Educator, classes, written assignments, healthcare presentation attendance, reflections, use of the Medical Model of Learning, and Clinical rounds in assigned units
• Chaplain services provided by rounding the Surgical ICU and Step-down patient units
• Atmosphere was collaborative and collegiate ministry atmosphere for the patients' well-being and health outcomes
• Conformity to Hospital protocols and guidelines, and adjusting to medical staff was essential and feedback received
• The Chaplain intern created Spiritual Care records in the Epic MR system for patients visited each shift and special needs were mitigated by staff chaplains who would provide subsequent care
• Topics covered through weekly didactics bolstered the ability of the chaplain to provide care: Grief, Diversity, Religious and Cultural Humility, Key Spiritual Care Interventions, Islam, Healthcare Crisis, Substance User Disorders, Comorbidities
• During crises moments, additional chaplains would help to facilitate care when health was diminishing

AACC's LU Professional Development:

• Mental Health Coaching 05/22
• Biblical Counseling Certificate 07/22
• Gerontology Certificate 12/22
• Life Coaching Certificate 06/23
• Trauma-informed Care Certificate 07/24

• Unpaid Volunteer Student Chaplain Intern at the Boston Catholic Charities, Food Pantry Ministry (during the pandemic period), Lowell and Dorchester, MA, (08 - 12/21)
• Foundational Doctrines for Pastoral Counselors
• Multicultural Issues in Pastoral Counseling
• Grief & Loss
• Crisis and Suicide Prevention
• Marriage & Family Counseling
• Real-time Chaplain Internship Experience
• JW Rawlings Enrichment: Chaplaincy Courses
• History of Chaplaincy & Clinical Pastoral Education
• Professional & Spiritual Formation of the Chaplain
• Bioethics and Chaplaincy Ethics

• Member of Sigma Epsilon Rho Honor Society
• Organizational Leadership for compassion, and ongoing collaborations to reach higher goals

• Completed Master of Counseling Education Graduate Classes and a two year internship as a Volunteer Student High School Counseling Intern
• All course work completed and two years with and suburban and urban high school completed
• Focus: High School (Psychotherapist) Guidance Counselor
• Students: Brockport and Monroe High Schools, Rochester, NY
• Side hustle: (FCC Licensed) Broadcaster, WWWG-AM Christian Radio Station, Rochester, NY

• Cum Laude
• WBSU-FM Disc-Jockey, WHAM-AM News Intern
• Video Editor, ABC's Children Play
• Church Volunteer: Youth leader/Bible Study Classes