Clinical Pastoral Education

What is CPE?

Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) a multi-faith, multi-cultural, hands-on, course that combines clinical supervision of the spiritual care of patients, families, and staff in a diverse health care setting with an academic education component on site. Students are offered the opportunity to develop and expand professional caring skills for addressing a person’s spiritual, emotional, and physical needs. The textbooks for CPE include an in-depth study of “the living human documents” – both the people who receive care as well as a study of ourselves, the givers of care. The experiential learning takes place through the practice of ministry and the reflection thereon with ACPE Certified Educators and peers.

One unit of CPE consists of 300 hours of clinical service; during which students visit and support patients, their families, and care-givers, plus 100 hours of dedicated classroom education. CPE is a mix of practical ministry, instruction, one-on-one supervision, group process, reading, research, and writing. CPE’s core learning methodology is action/reflection/action. Developed more than 75 years ago by Anton Boison, this method encourages students to act, reflect, and act again with a renewed sense of professional competency and skill.

The Saint Francis Hospital/Trinity Health Of New England CPE Center offers four programs of CPE credit:

• Extended Internship – A part-time (volunteer position) extended internship: 
  • Winter Unit: January – May (1 unit)
  • Fall Unit: September – April (1 unit)
• Residency – A full-time (employment) year-long residency:
  • August – August (3 units)
• Summer Intensive – A full-time (volunteer position) Summer Intensive unit:
  • June  – August
• Certified Education Candidate (CEC) a three (3) - four (4) year program
  • Certified Educator Candidate education addresses the competencies and issues of the art of supervision, educating qualified persons in the theory and practice of supervision of Clinical Pastoral Education.

Our programs have been nationally accredited by the Standard for Spiritual Care & Education since 2010. Students receive credit for every 400 hours of training completed. Many students accumulate 1,600 hours toward application for board certification by the Association for Professional Chaplains (APC), or the National Association of Catholic Chaplains (NACC) or Neshama: National Association of Jewish Chaplains (NAJC).

The Saint Francis Hospital/Trinity Health Of New England Clinical Pastoral Education Center is accredited to offer Level I and Level II, and Certified Educator Candidate education by:

The Standard for Spiritual Care & Education  
1 Concourse Pkwy, Suite 800 
Atlanta, GA 30328   
Phone: (404) 320-1472 
Fax: (404) 320-0849 
Email: acpe@acpe.edu  
Web: www.acpe.edu

The Standard for Spiritual Care & Education, Inc. is a nationally recognized accrediting agency in the field of clinical pastoral education by the U.S. Secretary of Education through the U.S. Department of Education.

What are the Programs’ Objectives?

• Pastoral Competence: CPE helps the spiritual caregiver understand and integrate the disciplines of theology and the behavioral sciences. This includes not only a broad knowledge of religious practices and spiritual assessment but also the emotional and social dynamics of personal and interpersonal relationships.
• Pastoral Reflection: The program helps pastoral caregivers identify the spiritual and theological foundations of their pastoral ministry. Pastoral reflection is prompted by relationships with individuals in crisis, peers, their ACPE Certified Educator, and the hospital staff. The primary activity for this type of education has come to be known as the clinical method of learning – action, reflection, action.
• Pastoral Formation: CPE encourages participants to move toward a clearer understanding of their personal and pastoral identities – their gifts and graces for ministry. Students will explore a variety of appropriate responses and interventions within their pastoral relationships.
• Prepare for a Wide Variety of Spiritual Careers: The Saint Francis Hospital/ Trinity Health Of New England CPE Center’s practical application of spiritual education prepares students for ministry careers in many settings, including:
• Healthcare chaplaincy
• Industrial chaplaincy
• College and University chaplaincy
• Military chaplaincy
• Prison chaplaincy
• Spiritual direction and counseling
• Spiritual Care and counseling in churches, synagogues, and temples

Who is Eligible?

People of all cultures, religious traditions, genders, nationalities, sexual orientations, and denominations, who are interested in serving as chaplains and learning to facilitate whole-person healing and health, take CPE. Laity, theology students, and clergy may take CPE in order to serve alongside an interdisciplinary team of caring professionals in a hospital setting.

CPE groups often include seminarians who are required to take one unit of CPE as part of their degree program or who take more than one unit as their ministry internships. Our students also include clergy and non-certified chaplains who serve in congregations and other community settings and want to improve their skills.

Some students decide to complete the four units required to become board certified chaplains. Often this route includes a summer Intensive or an Extended Unit followed by a (3 unit) Residency. Others, whose commitments and responsibilities do not allow full-time study, pursue CPE through Extended units. Seminary students often enroll in an Intensive Summer Unit.

To qualify for the Residency Program, applicants must have earned a Masters level degree in theology, or an Mdiv, or an equivalent level of education, and one prior unit of CPE.

Contact Us

For question or more information, call either of the faculty members directly at:

The Rev. Dr. Celillon Alteme                  (860) 714-4304              Celillon.Alteme@trinityhealthofne.org