Moral Injury Certificate Program at Chaplaincy Innovation Lab

SAN FRANCISCO, CA: The Chaplaincy Innovation Lab announces a new partnership due to the closure of the Shay Moral Injury Center at Volunteers of America. The Lab will be the new home of the Moral Injury Certificate Program, the country’s leading training protocol for spiritual caregivers in moral injury. The Moral Injury Certificate Program will be available through the Chaplaincy Innovation Lab starting September 2025 with the original faculty, curriculum, and access to resources.

“Volunteers of America enabled the creation of many important programs for Moral Injury Recovery during the last eight years, including the Moral Injury Certificate Program. Throughout that time, the Chaplaincy Innovation Lab was a vital partner in spreading awareness of the program,” said Rev. Dr. Rita Nakashima Brock, Director of the Shay Center for Moral Injury and one of the program’s creators. “We’re delighted to work even more closely with the Lab now and offer this certificate together.”

Students in the certificate program will continue to learn through a curriculum developed by leading scholars and practitioners in moral injury–the creation team included  Alice Cabotaje, Danielle Hairston, Frederic G. Reamer, Michael Van Wert, Stephanie M. Crumpton, Trace Haythorn, and Zachary Moon. Through this new partnership, students will also become part of the Chaplaincy Innovation Lab community. The Moral Injury Certificate Program will continue to be directed by Rita Brock and Kristine Chong, with course instruction by a collaborative team of educators.

Michael Skaggs, Director of Chaplaincy Innovation Lab Programs, said, “We’re honored to host the Moral Injury Certificate Program. The Chaplaincy Innovation Lab has been directing chaplains, students, and others interested in moral injury to the Shay Center for years. I’m excited that we’ll be offering this training under the same roof, and I encourage everyone in the Lab community to explore the program.”

More information on the Moral Injury Certificate Program is available here. The next deadline for enrollment is September 1, 2025.

Chaplaincy Innovation Lab is housed at Sacred Design Lab, a project of Tides Center.