BROOKINGS – The Rev. Gregg TeBeest, chaplain at Brookings Health System, recently became one of the nation’s first Advanced Practice Board Certified Chaplains (APBCC), a new credential from the Spiritual Care Association. 

An APBCC is a chaplain who has demonstrated advanced skills in the provision of and leadership in spiritual and chaplaincy care by successfully completing a standardized test of core knowledge derived from evidence-based quality indicators for spiritual care as well as a simulated patient exam that evaluates competency in direct patient care. 

APBCCs have been trained and tested in standardized curriculum based on the latest evidence in areas including department management; HIPAA regulations; the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of spiritual distress; cultural competency; advance care directives; patient clinical care; staff support; grief; and bereavement among other essential topics.

As the health system’s chaplain, TeBeest provides free-of-charge spiritual care and pastoral counseling to hospital and hospice patients and their families; The Neighborhoods at Brookview residents; and Brookings Health System employees. Services he provides include bereavement care for families, funerals and memorial services for patients and residents without faith support, chapel services and Bible studies for residents at The Neighborhoods at Brookview. 

TeBeest has completed his Clinical Pastoral Education from the Association of Clinical Pastoral Education, giving him the training to effectively minister to people of all faiths, cultural and spiritual backgrounds or those with no religious affiliation. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in Bible and pastorology from Pillsbury Baptist Bible College in Owatonna, Minnesota; and a master’s degree of divinity from Central Baptist Theological Seminary in Minneapolis. He also has eight years of experience as a parish pastor.

Brookings Health System patients, residents, and family members who would like a pastoral care visit from TeBeest may place a request with care providers.

For more information on Brookings Health System and its full list of services, visit www.brookingshealth.org.

Courtesy photo: Gregg TeBeest