Overview
Fairview Hospital emphasizes a ministry to the whole person. We believe—and studies have shown—that spiritual well-being contributes to overall physical health. We encourage our patients and families to utilize and share important spiritual and/or cultural beliefs or traditions with us as a part of their total health care.
Spiritual Care offers caring and compassionate listeners who have been professionally trained to assist you with your special needs as a hospital patient, as well as the needs of your family. Chaplains are available to address and tap into your spiritual resources, needs and concerns. Our spiritual care staff respect and honor each person's faith, cultural values and traditions.
Spiritual Care Staff
Chaplains are available in-house: Monday - Friday; 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.
On-Call Chaplains are available: 24/7
Rev. Brent Raitz, DMin, BCC
Director of Spiritual Care
Rev. Brent has been serving as Director of Spiritual Care at Fairview since June 2022. He completed his Doctor of Ministry in Formational Counseling from Ashland Theological Seminary in 2022. His dissertation was focused on how past emotional traumas contributed to heart failure patients at the Main Campus of the Cleveland Clinic. He received his Master of Divinity from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and his Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Wheaton College in Chicago. Prior to becoming a chaplain, he served as a youth pastor for sixteen years in Baptist churches. He served nine years as a staff chaplain over the Heart, Vascular & Thoracic Institute at the Main Campus of The Cleveland Clinic before coming to Fairview.
Brent is a Board Certified Chaplain with the Association of Professional Chaplains (APC) and is endorsed by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (CBF). He is also a Reiki Level 2 practitioner providing relaxation techniques to patients, families and staff. He is very involved with his church in Tremont and volunteers regularly on the worship team and offering pulpit supply. Brent resides in Brunswick with his wonderful wife Sharon and is a father of three daughters. He loves to relax by watching Marvel films, working in his yard and reading.
Rev. Joey Hinson, DMin
Staff Chaplain/Healing Services Practitioner
Rev. Joey is a Staff Chaplain at Fairview Hospital. He received his Doctor of Ministry degree from Christian International Graduate School, his Master of Divinity Degree from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, and Bachelor of Arts degree from Mars Hill University. He completed his Clinical Pastoral Education at Cleveland Clinic. Chaplain Joey is endorsed by Cooperative Baptist Fellowship to serve as a Staff Chaplain at Fairview Hospital.
Ordained in 1976, Joey has served as a Chaplain in a variety of settings including Cleveland Clinic Main Campus, Lutheran Hospital, Lakewood Hospital, Avon Hospital, and Corporate Chaplains of America and has also served churches in South Carolina, Louisiana, and Florida. Chaplain Joey is also a Reiki Certified Healing Services Practitioner. Joey and his wife Donna live in Rocky River. His four children and five grandchildren live in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and Florida.
Suzy Lefelhocz, MDiv
Staff Chaplain/Healing Services Practitioner
Suzy Lefelhocz works as a staff chaplain at Fairview over the Pediatric Psych and Women & Children’s units. She grew up in Willoughby Hills, Ohio and completed an undergraduate degree in English Literature and Theology from the University of Notre Dame. She then spent a year working in Washington, DC with the Jesuit Volunteer Corps, and went on to complete an M.Div at graduated from Boston College. She finished her residency at Cleveland Clinic Lutheran in June. In her free time she enjoys singing, reading, practicing yoga. Suzy lives in Lakewood with her wife, Melissa.
Chaplain Mike Mika, M.Min
Chaplain
Chaplain Mike Mika is married with three sons. Originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo in Africa, he arrived in the United States in 2007 through the Refugee Resettlement program and became a US citizen in 2013. In Africa, after graduating from College, he taught English as a Second Language (ESL) and French, both in the Congo and in Zambia. He also held the post of Deputy Director for Jesuit Refugee Service in Zambia, and served in a local church in different capacities, as Deacon and as Associate Pastor upon graduation from Bible school. He currently serves at Grace Christian Missionary Alliance, and is a minister for the Worshippers’ Prayer Ministry. Mike holds a master’s degree in Education and master’s degree in ministry.
Upon arrival here in Cleveland Ohio. Mike worked as a Sleep Technician at Cleveland Clinic, then for Cleveland Metropolitan School District where he taught French in high school. Mike completed four units of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) at Cleveland Clinic Main Campus and currently works as a Staff Chaplain at Fairview Hospital, and PRN Main Campus.
Request a Chaplain
Inside the hospital, dial “0” for the hospital Operator and ask for the on-call Chaplain to be paged.
Outside the hospital, dial 216.476.7000 for the hospital Operator and ask for the on-call Chaplain to be paged.
Anyone may request a chaplain’s visit—you, a family member, your clergy, your doctor or a member of the hospital staff. We respond promptly to specific requests. Regular visits are made to patients’ rooms as time permits.
For our patients identified as Catholic on the census report, Catholic Charities provides a Chaplain to meet your sacramental needs. Volunteer Eucharistic ministers also visit daily. An on-call priest is available 24/7 for emergencies.
If you wish to request a visit from clergy of a particular faith or from your own pastor, priest, rabbi or imam, our office will assist you.
Call a Chaplain when:
- You would like someone to pray with you
- You are struggling with “why” questions
- You need support or encouragement
- You are feeling stressed, alone or angry
- You have concerns about meaning or values
- You are celebrating good news
- You are coping with grief or life-threatening illnesses
- You have family issues which you would like to discuss
- You are considering treatment options
- You desire sacraments or prayer
- You need assistance with bio-ethical issues
- You have Spiritual/Religious questions regarding Advance Directives (Living Will/Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care)
- You need assistance in contacting your clergy or church
- You would like scriptures or other spiritual literature
Where to Find Us
The Fairview Hospital Chapel is located on the first floor in the North Hallway and open 24/7.
Devotional materials, Bibles and other spiritual literature are available and there is a Prayer Request book located on the front altar for patients, family and staff members to write down their prayer requests.
The Bible and Quran can be provided to any patient who requests one. Requests for other Holy Writings can be made to the Staff Chaplain.
Spiritual Care Office
The Spiritual Care office is located on the first floor by elevator A.
Sacred Space
We offer the sacred space of our Chapel located 1st floor north hallway..
Healing Space
We also offer a healing space available to patients, families and staff to rest and relax. The
Serenity Room is located on the Parkview 1 Pod B. It is a place of rest, relaxation, restoration
and renewal for Patients, Families and Staff. The room is open 24/7, with comfortable furniture and
a calming environment. A generous supply of motivational and spiritual literature is also
available.
Additional Services
Additional Services
- Spiritual Care Volunteers make visits to patients in non-critical areas of the hospital.
- Religious literature and scriptures are available in the chapel, the Spiritual Care office, or by requesting them from the staff chaplain (216.476.7067) or your caregiver.
- Code Lavender and Tea for the Soul provided.
Grief Recovery Outreach Program
An eight-week program in which trained Grief Recovery Specialists help people move beyond the pain caused by loss.
