Background

The DMin program was born out of years of prior work by Integrative Mental Health training VA and military chaplains through Mental Health Integration for Chaplain Services (MHICS). MHICS forms the basis for the first three of six semesters for the DMin, with VA chaplains accepted into MHICS having the option to complete MHICS alone or the full DMin.

MHICS

The Mental Health Integration for Chaplain Services (MHICS) program is an intensive sub-specialty training that aims to better equip chaplains in the care of Veterans and Service members with mental health-related concerns.

Chaplains learn to integrate principles from evidence-based practices (e.g., ACT, Motivational Interviewing, and Problem-Solving Training) that synergize with chaplaincy and foster a more integrative system of care through inter-professional collaboration.

Learn More

For more information about MHICS, including a comparison with the DMin option, see the MHICS Overview.

For more information about the Integrative Chaplaincy DMin, see the Vanderbilt Divinity School DMin website.

Apply

The MHICS application for entry Fall 2025 is now closed. If you are a chaplain serving in the Veterans Administration (VA) and wish to apply for the MHICS training alone or the VA MHICS tuition discount for the DMin in Integrative Chaplaincy, please check back in Fall 2025 to view the application for entry Fall 2026. MHICS applicants will be informed of their status the beginning of March. VA chaplains accepted into MHICS who are interested in the DMin in Integrative Chaplaincy will then be provided with special instruction for applying to Vanderbilt Divinity School.

If you are a non-VA chaplain or are interested in applying for the Vanderbilt Divinity School DMin in Integrative Chaplaincy separate from the VA MHICS tuition discount process, visit the Vanderbilt Divinity School DMin website.

If you are interested in applying for MHICS and/or the DMin in Integrative Chaplaincy in the future, please provide your email address to be added to our mailing list.  

The Integrative Mental Health instructional team anchors the first three semesters (i.e., the MHICS portion) of the Integrative Chaplaincy DMin. The team brings diverse identities (as mental health professionals and chaplains) and experiences (in clinical, research, and educational settings) to help foster a highly interactive training experience.

Mental Health Instructors

Keith Meador, MD, ThM, MPH, is a psychiatrist and practical theologian who founded Integrative Mental Health (initially Mental Health and Chaplaincy) for VA in 2008. He has been at Vanderbilt University since 2010, serving as Director of the Center for Biomedical Ethics and Society along with holding faculty appointments in the School of Medicine and Divinity School. Dr. Meador provides programmatic leadership and instruction for the Integrative Chaplaincy DMin.

Jen Wortmann, PhD, is a clinical psychologist who has worked with Integrative Mental Health since 2016. She provides instruction, guidance, and consultation with students as part of the Integrative Chaplaincy DMin, facilitating practicum groups with chaplain coaches and evaluating coursework.

Jason Nieuwsma, PhD, is a clinical psychologist who has worked with Integrative Mental Health since its inception in 2009 and played a substantial role in the initial development of the MHICS curriculum and development into a DMin offering. He provides instruction, guidance, and consultation with students as part of the Integrative Chaplaincy DMin.

Chaplain Coaches

Chaplain coaches interact with subsets of students in the Integrative Chaplaincy DMin through co-facilitation of practicum consultation groups.

Valerie Sanders, DMin, LMFT, BCC-MH serves as a mental health chaplain at the Atlanta VAHCS. Chaplain Sanders is a MHICS alum and has extensive clinical experience integrating principles and practices from ACT and Motivational Interviewing in her spiritual care and educating CPE students in principles and practices of ACT and Motivational Interviewing.

Andrew Turner, DMin, BCC, ACPE Certified Educator, serves as a National Program Coordinator with the VA National Chaplain Service. Formerly Chief Chaplain at the VA Portland HCS, Andrew now works with chaplains nationwide in professional development contexts wherein ACT, Motivational Interviewing, and PST influences all continue to inform his practice. Chaplain Turner is a third-generation Veteran and a MHICS and VDS alum.

Robin D. Booth, DMin, ACPE Certified Educator, BCC, serves as the Director of Clinical Pastoral Education at the VA North Texas Health Care System. Chaplain Booth is a MHICS alum and integrates ACT and Motivational Interviewing principles into his spiritual care and educational offerings to students. He is an instructor at UT Southwest Medical School and offers a course on spirituality and mental health for Psychiatric Residents.

Joe White, DMin, BCC-MH, serves as staff chaplain at the Lexington VAHCS spending much of his time in the Acute Care Mental Health Unit and Mental Health Residential Rehabilitation Program. ACT, Motivational Interviewing, and PST inform his care through the healthcare center. Chaplain White is a proud alum of MHICS and the Vanderbilt DMin program and is a third-generation veteran, having served both as an enlisted soldier and an officer, and has retired from the Army Reserves after 21 years.

Nicole Tota, DMin, BCC-MH, serves as a staff chaplain at the Greenville/Durham VAHCS. Chaplain Tota is a MHICS and VDS alumna, class of 2023. Her passion is creating spiritual community and connection which informed her doctoral paper focusing on contemplative practices as a tool for spiritual connection within the SMI veteran population. ACT, Motivational Interviewing, and PST have informed her work navigating places of spiritual crisis and isolation through her VA career at the Maryland VA HCS, Sioux Falls VA HCS and currently the Durham VAHCS.

To read about the Vanderbilt faculty, view the Faculty Directory in the menu on the Vanderbilt Divinity School DMin website.

"I find this educational format and delivery system the best of my graduate and post-graduate studies. The quality of the videos, poignant and challenging reaction and response questions, face-to-face video calls, case studies, in-person meetings, and the challenge to integrate the learning into my environment as a practical reality makes this one of the most comprehensive experiential education programs I have ever seen."

”I have to say, this is the first time in my adult life that I have really enjoyed my training experience. It was challenging, and a lot of work, but I would not change anything…I am truly better for having taken this journey. Thank you for traveling with me.”

What other alumni have said about their training…

Collaboration/Interdisciplinary Work

"This course helped me to see the value in collaborative relationships and how they are essential in meeting the spiritual needs of Veterans suffering with [serious mental health concerns]."

”This course had made me more aware of what happens on the other side of the curtain when I refer service members to mental health. I have found a new awareness of how seriously mental illness can impact individuals and what role religion can play in care.”

"…provided me with tools for pastoral care I had not previously been using ... brought me up to date on research … [and enhanced my ability] to communicate to mental health providers."

Applicability

"Throughout the last two semesters I have gained more real-world skills as a chaplain to provide pastoral care than I did in most of my classes spent in seminary. "

"It confirmed the work I am doing and challenged me to continue to grow and learn as a Chaplain. "

"There was nothing presented that was not useful to me. This is excellent training! I am honest when I say that this training is immediately applicable to my work place."

Camaraderie

"Going through this program alongside our peers in the VA and DOD is a wonderful process and I look forward to the interactions each week."

"There was a great diversity of students and mutual respect in the classroom. The difference of perspectives offered contrasting views and challenged me to have a broader viewpoint."

"My small group became a wonderful source of encouragement and accountability. We were able to wrestle with the subject matter and learn from each other. As we shared [case studies], we could learn even more through each other's experiences. The interaction with this group greatly augmented my learning of the material."

Instruction

"Grateful for this program and using it everyday in my care for people! ... I am so grateful for your leadership of us through this program. Thankful that you and your exceptional team are arming us with knowledge and best practices to serve well."

"The collection of teachers have been nothing short of abundantly supportive and flexible."

"I have given excellent ratings to the entire program of MHICS. The challenge to integrate the learning into my environment as a practical reality makes this one of the most comprehensive experiential education programs I have ever seen. Kudos to all who created it, refined it, and continue to deliver it in a most professional and enjoyable manner."

Over 300 chaplains in VA, DoD, and other settings have completed MHICS. MHICS-trained chaplains are located across the globe and embody meaningful potential to function as a network of specially-equipped chaplains to address military-to-civilian transition challenges.

Chaplain locations change frequently, especially in DoD, but we keep an active directory of VA chaplains for community and military providers who wish to connect transitioning Service members to a chaplain in the VA trained to provide an evidence-based skillset.

MHICS Alumni

 2023-2024 MHICS Cohort / DMin Class of 2026

Ray Abella (VA); Irene Boczek; Christina Brooks-Signo (VA); Rose Bryan (VA); Samuel Cabrera (VA); Alexander Calikyan (VA); Jeremy Carr (Navy); Ray "Todd" Everhart (VA); Jason Everson (Navy); Mitchel Fincher (VA); Scott Fuller; Andrew Gregg; Andrea Haldeman; Chad Hoeppel (Navy); Kim House (VA); Karon Johnson; Neissha King (VA); Kendall Kridner-Protzmann; Kenneth Linder (VA); Rachel Mikaelsen (VA); Kevin Mooney (Navy); Nate Davis (VA); Ian Olson (VA and Army Reserve); Michael Potesta (Navy); Robert Renix (VA); Amy Ruhf-Brien (Navy); Tara Shilts (VA); Michael Spoke (Navy); Caleb VinCross (VA); David "Ryan" Williams (Navy); Raymond Williams (VA)

 2022-2023 MHICS Cohort / DMin Class of 2025

William Applebee (VA); Travis Armes (Navy); Antionette Ballard (VA); Charles Barnes (VA); Julian Bond; Michael Bram (Air Force); Kimberly Cain (Navy); Ansia Chahoy; James Cooke (VA); Jennifer Dolder (Navy); Victoria Fishel (VA); Stephanie Gannon (VA); Terri Gast (VA); Matthew Harris (Navy); Jason Hart (Navy); Tanya Foster (VA); Joseph Kamphuis (Air Force); Darren Kennemer (VA); Anne Kesner; Steven Kohnert (VA); Nancy Lueschen (VA); Peter Ma (VA); Larry McCree; Brian Myers (Navy); Khoa Nguyen (VA); Laura Palmer (Navy); Derek Schultz (VA); Scot Sroka (Navy); Carolyn Talmadge (VA); Emmanuel Thompson (VA); Michael Tungett (Navy); Jonathan Van Dop (VA); Robert Wetherington; Autumn Wilson (Navy); Daniel Young (VA)

 2021-2022 MHICS Cohort / DMin Class of 2024

Andrea Baker (Army); Carmen Battle (VA); Scott Bennion (VA); Polly Berg (VA); David Matthew Brown (VA); Cheryl Bundy; Michael Chambers (VA); Mark Cook (Navy); Darryl Jason Darden (Army Reserve); Matthew Drayton (Navy); Christine Dumont; Jeffrey Fletcher; Roy Fondren (Navy); Durham Harris; Herman Frank Harris; MaryBeth Hayes (VA); Rob Hess (Navy); Lloyd Hicks (VA); Julie Hiramatsu; Megan Joyner (Army National Guard); Do In Kim; Richard Lee (Navy); Amy Levinski; Kimberly Lewis; E. Dean Luther (VA); Dianne Malcolm (VA); Ryan McNulty; Kurt Messick; Brian Miller (VA); John Miyahara (Navy); Katelyn O'Dunne; Edward Ramatowski (VA); Ted Randall (Army); Tamika Robertson; Pauline Rose Moore; Allison Salvino (VA); Alpha Sanon (VA); Pearlean Scott (VA); Rina Shere (VA); Young Song (VA); Mark Torres (Navy); Cynthia Walker (VA); Jeromy Wells (Air Force); Kathy Wissusik-Getka (VA)

 2020-2021 MHICS Cohort / DMin Class of 2023

 DoD Tamas Biro (Army); Robert Carter (Army Reserve); Hylanie Chan-Williams (Navy); Scott Dean (Navy); Aaron Fuller (Navy Reserve); Carl Headley (Navy); Frances Igboeli (Army); Gregory Kearns (Navy); Lance Lormand (Air Force); John David Luckesen (Navy); Ben Mathis (Navy); Robert Pitts (Air Force); Joshua Portwood (Army); Peter Pritchett (Air Force); Christopher Terrell (Navy); Phillip Webster (Navy)

 VA Tracy Barnett; Richie Charles; Carter Check; Reginald Cleaver; Thomas Crosby; Brian Earl; Rotunda East; Sarah Hoogendoorn; Michelle Kirby; Johnathon Law (Army Reserve); Justin Maynard; Troy Parson; Alicia Po Ching; Kenneth Standley; Nicole Tota; Andrew Turner; Bruce Wareing; Joseph White; Stephen Zachary

2018-2019 MHICS Cohort

 DoD Peter Agdamag (Navy); Micah Baker (Air Force); Tamas Biro (Army Reserve); Philip Carson (Navy); Rob Compere (Air Force); Juan Crockett (Army); Matthew Deitner (Army National Guard); John Denny (Army National Guard); Ian Howarth (Air National Guard); Takana Jefferson (Navy); David Keel (Air Force); Charles Kim (Air Force); David Kim (Navy); Chris Melvin (Army National Guard); Andy Peck (Air Force); Jeffrey Perry (Navy); Steve Peters (Air National Guard); Rob Pitts (Air Force); Jessica Prophitt (Air Force); Twig Sargent (Navy); Philip Scarbrough (Navy)

 VA Anthony D. Allen; Robin Booth; Robert Brady; Carter Check; Jim Duke; Ryan Lee Duncan; Victoria Fishel; Clay Fouse; Beth Gobeli; Richard Green; Tony Headrick; Mary Huie-Jolly; Sean LaBat (Navy Reserve); Mike Antoinette McGruder; Linda McKnight; Kristen Melton; Rebecca Morris; Eldred H. Moye Sr.; Adam Page; Ryan Parker; Karen Pickler; Patrick Whiteford

2017-2018 MHICS Cohort

 DoD Jeremiah Blackburn (Air Force); Robert Bradshaw (Navy); Michael Carollo (Air Force); Robert Carter (Army Reserve); Tara Dixon (Air Force); Rashad El-Saddiq (Air Force Reserve); Aaron Fuller (Navy Reserve); Henry Hahm (Air Force); Travis Hairston (Army); Jason Hart (Navy); Steven Hervey (Navy); Michael Kennedy (Navy); A'Shellarien Lang (Army National Guard); Michael Moreno (Navy Reserve); Christopher Morgan (Navy); Brent Mulder (Air Force); Christina Pryor-Pittman (Air National Guard); Nakia Robinson (Army Reserve); Kevin Sears (Army); Richard Smothers (Navy); Gerald Woodford (Army)

 VA Chris Antal; Brett Cartwright (Navy Reserve); Linda Conyers; Jennifer Crane; Shirley Craven; Paul Dordal; Jennifer Dukes; Fredi Eckhardt; Sara Emmerich; Janis Grubbs; Charles Hall; Manuel Mak; Barrington Malcolm; Gary Morris; James Parnell (Army National Guard); Patricia Roberts; Edward Rogland (Army National Guard); Henry Rutledge; Robin Sullens; Drew Tomberlin; David White; Phillip Willis Jr. (Army Reserve)

2016 MHICS Cohort

 DoD Michael Bram (Air Force); Bryan Davenport (Navy); Clay Edinger (Navy); Kenya Gray (Air Force); Frances Igboeli (Army); Clayton Jones (Navy); Jason Knudeson (Air Force); Linda Lesane (Army); Dallas Little (Air Force); Benjamin Mayhugh (Navy); Eamon McGraw (Navy); Michael McGruder (Army); Linda Murtala (Army); Charles Owens (Navy); Robert Sterling (Army); Christopher Sutton (Navy); Yoni Warren (Navy); Jeromy Wells (Air Force)

VA Ethel Bamberg-Revis; Herbert Becker; Douglas Falls; Janet Hanson; James Hughes; Lannie Lake; Ann Luna; David McElwain; Robert Mueller; Abdul-Rasheed Muhammad; Lance Qualmann; Richard Ross; Valerie Sanders; Steven Smith; LaRon Stover; Bruce Swingle; Chris Van Inwagen; Brynn White; Kimberly Willis; Will Wise

2014-2015 MHICS Cohort

DoD Jesse Adkinson (Army); Chad Bellamy (Air Force); Carlos Brito (Air Force); Sean Burson (Air Force); Matthew Cassady (Army); Bruce Crouterfield (Navy); Christopher Earley (Navy); Stephanie Handy (Army); Alfred Matthews (Army); Baron Miller (Navy); David Ravenscraft (Army); Peter Robinson (Army); Ben Sandford (Navy); Chuck Seligman (Air Force); Matthew Stevens (Navy); John Tarr (Navy); Mike Tomlinson (Navy)

 VA Constance Arthur; Nancy Cornell; Alejandro De Jesus; Octavio Di Iulio; George Diller; Tammie Elfadili (Army Reserve); Jennifer Hanksmeyer; Kerry Haynes; Gretchen Hulse (Air Force Reserve); Beverly Hume; Lyn Juckniess; Brian Manigold; Rob McLaren; Joe McMahan; Elizabeth Putnam; Louise Shaw; Ronald Skaggs; Cliff Vicars