About Us
The Tri-State Health Ministry Organization previously recognized as the Tri-State Parish Nurse Organization (TSPNO) has a rich history in parish nursing and health ministry.
The 1990's
The idea of parish nursing within the tri-state area started with one practicing parish nurse in a congregation with 120 members in 1992. In 1993, a group of 5 nurses began the process of developing a plan to train nurses and educate the public regarding Parish Nursing. The first parish nurse training took place in 1994 being taught by the Deaconess Parish Nurse Ministry in St. Louis, Missouri. In January of 1995, the Tri-State Parish Nurse Organization was established by the election of officers and formulating bylaws.
During the Tri-State Parish Nurse Organization first year, 20 nurses in 14 churches were committed to growing the ministry within Vanderburgh County, Indiana. By September that same year, the group had increased to 34 churches with the goal to extend into the surrounding counties within the tri-state area. A steering committee developed and implemented a formal parish nurse orientation program that facilitated the promotion and implementation of parish nursing/health ministry programs in area churches. By the end of the decade, the Tri-State Parish Nurse Organization had seen remarkable growth of parish nurse and health ministry programs.
During early 2000's
The Tri-State Parish Nurse Organization became educational partners with the University of Southern Indiana. This partnership resulted in the University of Southern Indiana becoming a continuing education center for the Basic Parish Nurse Educational Program which is affiliated with the International Parish Nurse Resource Center. Through this partnership, the University of Southern Indiana and the Tri-State Parish Nurse Organization began offering the Basic Parish Nurse Educational Program in a retreat setting. The course is held annually at the Kordes Retreat Center in Ferdinand, Indiana and is mostly taught by experience parish nurses.
Presently
The Tri-State Parish Nurse Organization has grown substantially and to date approximately 300 individuals in more than 100 churches have been trained in either the Basic Parish/Faith Community Nurse Educational Course or Health Ministry Training in Indiana, Kentucky, and Illinois.
The Tri-State Health Ministry Organization was awarded a $14,000.00 grant from the Welborn Baptist Foundation in 2009 for developing a web-site, creating resource material to share among tri-state churches, and to provide advanced training for parish nurses. During a TSPNO general meeting held November 18, 2008, TSPNO voted to rename the organization to the Tri-State Health Ministry Organization. It is the desire of the organization to live our mission by supporting a network for people of faith who promote whole-person health through faith groups in the communities they serve.
The Tri-State Health Ministry Organization meets on a quarterly basis with two out of the four meetings offering continuing education in the advanced modules of parish/faith community nursing.