The program is currently on hold until further notice.

Our Association for Clinical Pastoral Education (ACPE) Certified Clinical Pastoral Education program is an interfaith professional education course for members of the ministry. Through intense involvement with people in need of spiritual care, and the feedback you receive from peers and teachers, you develop new awareness of yourself as a person, your abilities as a caregiver, and the needs of those you serve.

Through reflection on specific human situations, you learn to utilize your faith tradition as a lens that informs your understanding and practice of spiritual care. Within the interdisciplinary team process of helping people, you develop skills in interpersonal and professional relationships.

In addition to the direction of certified ACPE supervisors, supervisors in supervisory education and other professionals in Chaplaincy Services, our CPE program benefits from the expertise of healthcare professionals throughout our campuses. CPE students also regularly participate in educational workshops, didactic sessions with guest speakers and retreats.

CPE students, either as interns (for a single unit) or residents (for four consecutive units), are people preparing to enter professional hospital chaplaincy, seminary students, interested laypersons, others in graduate programs and spiritual caregivers seeking continuing education.

What's it like to be a CPE Student?

As a CPE student, you can expect to participate at the medical center in a variety of ways, including:

• You will provide direct ministry with patients, residents, families and staff.
• Most of your time will involve working as a chaplain in a particular area of the medical center, providing spiritual care to the people who come onto your unit. You’ll also interact with interdisciplinary staff members in rounds and team meetings. In addition, you will participate in the overnight and weekend on-call rotation, serving as the chaplain for the whole medical center on a rotating basis.
• You will receive both individual and group supervision in all areas of your training (100 hours of supervised education for every 300 hours of clinical work), including a final evaluation at the end of each unit of CPE.
• You will join a group with other CPE students and a supervisor where you meet to present cases based on your clinical work, reflect on your faith tradition, simulate incidents and practice spiritual care responses, and engage in interpersonal group relations.
• You will attend presentations on topics related to spiritual care and assessment, ethics, behavioral sciences, hospital chaplaincy, cultural sensitivity, interfaith awareness and other issues.
• You will be expected to do supplemental reading and prepare papers related to your learning goals and the ACPE objectives, which you can find at www.acpe.edu.

What Types of CPE Are Offered?

Our center is accredited to offer four formats of CPE, including:

• Residency (Levels I and II) — This amounts to four units of training in a calendar year. Residents work full-time, five days a week, with weekly on-call responsibilities. A monthly stipend is provided.
• Internship (Level I) — An 11-week intensive training (usually during the summer) where students receive one unit of CPE. Interns work full-time, five days a week, with weekly on-call responsibilities. Interns receive a $1000 stipend and $500 waived tuition fee.
  
• Supervisory Training — A student who has completed four or more units of CPE (at least two units at Level II) can train to become a certified ACPE supervisor. A monthly stipend is provided. Required credentials include completion of a seminary degree from an accredited academic institution, ordination/commissioning (or its equivalent) and an ecclesiastical endorsement. Completion of supervisory certification may range from three to six years.

How do I Apply for the CPE Program?

In accordance with ACPE standards, applicants for CPE must either have a high school diploma or GED certificate, as well as ordination or its equivalent by a faith community or commission to function in ministry by an appropriate religious authority.

Applicants for Levels I and II CPE at this center normally hold undergraduate degrees and have recent theological education and clear learning goals, as well as the ability or potential to reflect on the psychodynamics and spiritual implications of significant events in their lives. Applicants for Supervisory CPE must have completed at least four units of CPE (with at least two units at Level II) and demonstrate a readiness to utilize supervisory training.

To apply to the CPE program, you may download an application from www.acpe.edu. Please mail your completed application to:

Alta Bates Summit Medical Center
Chaplaincy Services
2450 Ashby Avenue
Berkeley, California 94705

We typically begin accepting applications during the month of October for the internship and residency programs the following year. We do not have an application deadline, but will continue to receive applications until our programs are filled. We are committed to providing equal opportunity in our admissions process without discrimination based on age, gender, race, national origin, disability, religious affiliation, sexual orientation or veteran status.

For more information or if you have questions regarding the application process or programs offered, please contact Chaplaincy Services at (510) 201-6730 or email ABSCHSRVC@sutterhealth.org.

Alta Bates Summit Medical Center is fully accredited to offer Level 1, Level 2 and Supervisory CPE by the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education, Inc., One West Coast Square, Suite 325, Decatur, GA 30033-4635. Phone (404) 320-1472. For more information, visit www.acpe.edu.