About ACPE: The Standard for Spiritual Care and Education
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. Accreditation offers an opportunity for Centers to demonstrate that they are committed to maintaining a high level of quality in their programs and that their programs are performing at the level required by the field.
Through Its Accreditation Process, ACPE seeks to:
- assure quality and promote excellence in CPE programs.
- promote the involvement of faculty and staff in self-assessment of the center and engagement in continuous quality improvement processes.
- assure students of consistency in educational programs.
- promote fairness in conduct and evaluation of educational programs.
- integrate unique clinical/educational resources based on clearly identified learning objectives.
- ensure that the students gain the knowledge and skills necessary to fulfill the roles of spiritual care as clergy and lay leaders as well as to develop professional skills for chaplaincy.
In addition, ACPE programs also help to prepare students for board certification as well as to participate in a Certified Educator CPE program, which can lead to ACPE Educator Certification.
For more information about ACPE: The Standard for Spiritual Care and Education, go to www.acpe.edu