Chaplaincy Programs in California
Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE)
What is Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE)?
Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) is interfaith professional education
for ministry which brings students into supervised encounters with persons
in crisis. Out of intense involvement with people in need, and feedback
from peers and teachers, students develop an awareness of themselves as
persons and of the needs of those to whom they minister. Through reflection
on specific human situations, they deepen their understanding of ministry.
Within the interdisciplinary team process of helping people in need, they
develop skills in interpersonal and professional relationships.
Clinical Pastoral Education includes:
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Spiritual Formation
and Integration- focusing on personal and pastoral identity issues in learning and ministry.
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Awareness of Self and Others - includes learning about oneself and developing greater awareness of the
experiences and values of others.
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Relational Dynamics - Spiritual care and education require empathy and healthy relational boundaries
grounded in warmheartedness for self and others. Empathy includes caring
about and taking the perspective of others’ experiences, values,
beliefs, and practices. Healthy relational boundaries include respect
for differences in spirituality.
-
Pastoral Reflection - reflecting on oneself as a person and spiritual caregiver in relationship
to others in crisis, the Educator, and peer group members, as well as
the curriculum and institutional setting.
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Pastoral Competence - deepening competence in spiritual care skills and knowledge of faith
traditions, human personality, development and behavior.
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Spiritual Care Interventions - Understanding one’s role and the power and authority embedded within
it are essential to providing spiritual care interventions. Learning practical
communication styles and skills are necessary to develop spiritual care
relationships.
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Professional Development - Professional Development in the CPE process includes engaging the Clinical
Method of Learning, abiding by Ethical Practice and Professionalism, growing
through Consultation and Feedback, investing in Teamwork and Collaboration,
and becoming Research literate.
The essential elements of CPE include:
- Spiritual care with people in crisis
- Learning through action and reflection
- An individualized contract for learning
- Written reflection and evaluation.
- Peers in a shared learning experience
- Individual and group supervision
What does CPE prepare a person to do?
CPE may be a component of one's preparation for ministry within a religious
community, chaplaincy, lay ministry, teaching, health ministry and counseling.
Some students, after completing several units of CPE, choose to enroll
in Educator CPE, working toward certification as an Educator.
USC Arcadia Hospital is accredited to offer Level I and Level II and Education CPE
by ACPE: The Standard for Spiritual Care and Education. ACPE, is an accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
ACPE may be contacted at:
We Work, Floor 4
120 West Trinity Place
Decatur, GA 30030
404-320-1472
http://www.acpe.edu
The USC Arcadia community is culturally and religiously diverse. Our chaplains
practice cultural humility with respect to the social locations and faith
traditions of their patients, even as they develop a deeper understanding
of their own faith and cultural uniqueness.
Full-Time CPE units are offered quarterly. Students meet Monday through Friday from
8:30 a.m. through 5 p.m. and have on-call duties on evenings and weekends.
Extended CPE units are offered in the fall and early spring, students may enroll for
22-week units which involve approximately 20 hours per week education
and spiritual care visitation. Usually, these units meet on Thursdays
for educational components and on the weekend days for service in the
hospital.
CPE interns are not eligible for stipends, housing, or meal tickets.
Education CPE units are available to a limited number of qualified applicants as positions
become open. Educator CPE entails a full-time commitment over several
years. Requirements for admission into Educator CPE include sufficient
ministry experience to demonstrate pastoral competence, the successful
completion of Level II outcomes (usually four or more units of CPE), and
membership in the ACPE. Educator Candidates are eligible for yearly stipends
plus health benefits.
Admission to CPE
Our center is committed to giving fair and thorough consideration to all
qualified applicants and to enhancing the educational experience by selecting
students with a variety of backgrounds and perspectives. We select students
who are seminarians, clergy and laypersons according to aptitude for learning,
capacity for self-reflection and potential for ministry without regard
to age, gender, race, national origin, disability, religious affiliation
or sexual orientation. Successful applicants generally have completed
at least one year of graduate theological education or specialized training
in their particular faith traditions.
Clinical Pastoral Education Schedule 2023-2024
Dates
Tuition
2023 Fall Fulltime Unit
Tuition: $750
September 25 - December 15, 2023
2023 Fall/Winter Extended Unit
Tuition: $900
September.28, 2023 - March. 14, 2024
(Thursdays & Weekends)
2024 Winter Full-Time Unit
Tuition: $750
January 3 - March 15, 2024
2024 Spring Full-Time Unit
Tuition: $750
April1 - June 21, 2024
2024 Spring/Summer Extended Unit
Tuition: $900
March 28 - September 5, 2023
(Thursdays & Weekends)
2024 Summer Full-Time Unit
Tuition: $750
March 28 - September 20, 2024
2024 Fall Full-Time Unit
Tuition: $750
September 23 - December 13, 2024
2024 Fall/Winter Extended Unit
Tuition: $900
September 26, 2024 - March 13, 2025
(Thursdays & Weekends)
Full-Time CPE hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and overnight
on-call on evenings, weekends and holidays, as assigned.
Apply Early! CPE Program information and application material is available
at
Chaplaincy Programs in California | USC Arcadia Hospital
The application fee is $50.
Application
You can E-mail the application to
spiritualcare@med.usc.edu or mail with your application fee to:
USC Arcadia Hospital - Spiritual Care Dept.
300 W. Huntington Drive
Arcadia, CA 91007
Clinical Pastoral Education Faculty
The Rev. Stephen Wilson
Manager, Spiritual Care Department
ACPE Certified Educator Candidate
Stephen.wilson@med.usc.edu
(626)898-8195
The Rev. Bruce Whyte
Supervisor, Pastoral Education
ACPE Certified Educator Candidate
Bruce.whyteIV@med.usc.edu
(626)898-8815
Chaplain Natasha Huang
Supervisor, Pastoral Education
ACPE Certified Educator Candidate
Natasha.huang@med.usc.edu
(626)898-8267
mailto:spiritualcare@uscarcadiahospital.edu
For more information please contact our Spiritual Care Department at
626-574-3433.