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Staff support hotlines, chaplaincy services available for employees

COVID-19 continues to place significant stress on families and individuals as everyone works to stay safe, run households and care for children. The impacts on finances, family support systems and holiday traditions is increasing anxiety and feelings of isolation.

The Hershey Medical Center Staff Hotline is available to all staff by calling x3600 in the hospital or (717) 531-3600 from outside of the hospital. The Pastoral Services Department chaplaincy staff is providing 24/7 services, seven days a week.

Chaplaincy staff are fellow health care professionals who understand many of the pressures and demands employees face. They will listen with empathy and serve as a sounding board, providing a confidential way for employees to discuss trauma, death and stressful situations.

In addition to the pressures brought on by the pandemic, the Staff Hotline guarantees confidential support for other problems that include:

  • Overwhelming demands on time, energy and emotions
  • Moral distress demoralization, grief
  • Family demands and relationship difficulties
  • Health concerns
  • Workplace dynamics or relationship conflicts
  • Unprocessed personal grief

The Chaplaincy staff can help individuals, units, and departments. They will provide referrals when appropriate. If an individual needs more indepth assistance for suicidal thoughts, abuse or addiction, they will provide resource connections for employees.

Staff also has the option to send a text, through Tiger Connect for non-urgent concerns.  Employees can sign in to their Tiger Connect account, find HMC Staff Support Hotline in the directory and type a message. They will receive confirmation that their message has been received and a chaplain will get back to them. This service is available from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Employees with questions may call Darlene Miller Cooley at 717-531-0003, ext. 280375 or email her.

At St. Joseph Medical Center, employees can reach the Spiritual Care line at 610-378-2297 or the Human Resources employee assistance number at 866-465-8935.

Holy Spirit Medical Center employees can call the crisis services line at 717-763-2222. The same number is available to anyone in the community, but for critical staff incidents, ask the counselors to deploy the Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) team. Staff members also have access to the chaplain on duty, who can be reached by calling the operator at 717-763-2100 or texting “GHS Duty Chaplain” in Tiger Connect.

For urgent or ongoing concerns, Penn State Health staff can also reach out to the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) at guidanceresources.com using the web ID “PSHMC.” College of Medicine employees can utilize the University’s EAP Program.

If you're having trouble accessing this content, or would like it in another format, please email the Penn State College of Medicine web department.