Association For Clinical Pastoral Education Inc

THE ASSOCIATION FOR CLINICAL PASTORAL EDUCATION, INC ("ACPE")IS THE PREMIER, DOE-RECOGNIZED ORGANIZATION THAT PROVIDES THE HIGHEST QUALITY CPE PROGRAMS FOR SPIRITUAL CARE PROFESSIONALS OF ANY FAITH AND IN ANY SETTING. WE DO THIS THROUGH A RIGOROUS ACCREDITATION AND CERTIFICATION PROCESS FOR CENTERS AND EDUCATORS THAT PROVIDE CPE. THE DEPTH OF OUR TRAINING ENABLES STUDENTS TO REALIZE THEIR FULL POTENTIAL TO STRENGTHEN THE SPIRITUAL HEALTH OF PEOPLE IN THEIR CARE AS WELL AS THEMSELVES.

GENERAL EDUCATION - ACPE CERTIFIED CPE IS OFFERED IN MANY KINDS OF SETTINGS: IN HOSPITALS AND HEALTH CARE INCLUDING UNIVERSITY, CHILDREN'S, AND VETERANS' FACILITIES; IN HOSPICES; IN PSYCHIATRIC AND COMMUNITY CARE FACILITIES; IN WORKPLACE SETTINGS; IN GERIATRIC AND REHABILITATION CENTERS; AND IN CONGREGATIONAL AND PARISH-BASED SETTINGS. THE TEXTBOOKS FOR CPE INCLUDE IN-DEPTH STUDY OF "THE LIVING HUMAN DOCUMENTS." BY "LIVING HUMAN DOCUMENTS," WE MEAN BOTH THE PEOPLE WHO RECEIVE CARE AS WELL AS A STUDY OF OURSELVES, THE GIVERS OF CARE. THROUGH THE PRACTICE OF MINISTRY AND THE REFLECTION THEREON WITH SUPERVISOR AND PEERS, THE EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING THAT IS CPE TAKES PLACE.SINCE ACPE FORMED IN 1967 (AS A MERGER OF FOUR CPE ORGANIZATIONS), NEARLY 200,000 UNITS OF ACPE CERTIFIED CPE HAVE BEEN OFFERED TO ABOUT 75,000 INDIVIDUALS FROM THE UNITED STATES AND MANY OTHER COUNTRIES INTERNATIONALLY. APPROXIMATELY 9,000 UNITS OF ACPE CERTIFIED CPE ARE COMPLETED ANNUALLY. CPE STUDENTS COME FROM MANY DIFFERENT ETHNIC AND CULTURAL GROUPS. INDIVIDUALS FROM MANY FAITH TRADITIONS -- PROTESTANT, ROMAN CATHOLIC, JUDAISM, ISLAM, ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN, NATIVE AMERICAN RELIGIONS AND BUDDHISM -- HAVE TAKEN ACPE ACCREDITED CPE.THE ASSOCIATION FOR CLINICAL PASTORAL EDUCATION IS NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED AS AN ACCREDITING AGENCY IN THE FIELD OF CLINICAL PASTORAL EDUCATION BY THE U.S. SECRETARY OF EDUCATION THROUGH THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.THE ASSOCIATION HOLDS ANNUAL AND REGIONAL CONFERENCES, MEETINGS AND OTHER COMMUNICATION WITH MEMBERS TO ESTABLISH STANDARDS AND LEADERSHIP RELATED TO GENERAL EDUCATION

PSYCHOTHERAPY PROGRAM

PROGRAM ACCREDITATION - ACPE IS THE ONLY AGENCY RECOGNIZED BY THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION (USDE) TO ACCREDIT PROGRAMS OF CLINICAL PASTORAL EDUCATION (CPE) IN THE UNITED STATES. ACPE CURRENTLY ACCREDITS OVER 300 CPE PROGRAMS OFFERED IN HOSPITALS, PRISONS, CHURCHES, SEMINARIES, COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS, AND OTHER SETTINGS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES. ACCREDITATION IS A PRIMARY MEANS OF QUALITY ASSURANCE IN THE FIELD OF CPE. HAVING ORIGINATED IN INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN NORTH AMERICA, ACCREDITATION IS A VOLUNTARY ACTIVITY IN WHICH INSTITUTIONS AGREE ON STANDARDS OF INSTITUTIONAL AND EDUCATIONAL QUALITY AND HOLD THEMSELVES, AS WELL AS OTHER INSTITUTIONS, ACCOUNTABLE TO THOSE STANDARDS. ACCREDITATION OFFERS AN OPPORTUNITY TO INSTITUTIONS TO DEMONSTRATE THAT THEY ARE COMMITTED TO MAINTAIN A HIGH LEVEL OF QUALITY IN THEIR PROGRAMS AND THAT THEIR PROGRAMS ARE PERFORMING AT THE LEVEL REQUIRED BY THE FIELD. CONTINUED ACCREDITATION BY ACPE PROVIDES LASTING BENEFITS TO STUDENTS, THE INSTITUTION, FACULTY MEMBERS AND EMPLOYEES, THE PROFESSION AND THE LARGER COMMUNITY.

PROGRAM CERTIFICATION - CERTIFICATION AS AN ACPE EDUCATOR BY ACPE IS AN EARNED PRIVILEGE AND RESPONSIBILITY. IT IS ACHIEVED BY MEETING THE REQUIREMENTS FOR CERTIFICATION IN THE ACPE STANDARDS. ACPE CERTIFIED EDUCATORS ARE CLINICAL PASTORAL EDUCATORS WHO ARE ACADEMICALLY PREPARED AND WHO ARE AUTHORIZED BY A RECOGNIZED FAITH GROUP. THEY COMBINE PERSPECTIVES FROM THEOLOGY AND THE BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES IN CONDUCTING ACCREDITED PROGRAMS OF CLINICALLY SUPERVISED MINISTRY EDUCATION.ACPE ONLY CERTIFIES ACPE EDUCATORS. WE DO NOT CERTIFY CHAPLAINS OR PASTORAL COUNSELORS. CPE IS A PREREQUISITE FOR CERTIFICATION AS CHAPLAIN OR PASTORAL COUNSELOR.