About the ACPE Program
We invite you to learn more about what we have done and are doing in Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) at Baptist Health System. As we reflect upon the evolution of the ACPE program at BHS, the breadth of service and education we provide, our system---wide integration with Baptist Medical Center, Mission Trail Baptist Hospital, North Central Baptist Hospital, Northeast Baptist Hospital and St. Luke’s Baptist Hospital, we believe we offer truly exceptional opportunities for Clinical Pastoral Education and Certified Educator Candidacy.
The Clinical Pastoral Education Program at Baptist Health System functions as an element of the Division of Mission and Ministry. The Association of Clinical Pastoral Education, Inc. (ACPE) trains professionals and laypersons for ministry in hospitals, hospices, nursing homes, mental health centers, congregations and in other specialized settings. Through CPE, you'll develop skills and understanding to serve people at crossroads in their lives. Some are dealing with serious illnesses; some are aging or facing new challenges; others are dealing with death.
Our ACPE history has evolved to offer both impressive service in our clinical areas and education for students. From its beginning in 1961 as part of the Pastoral Care Department, the CPE program currently includes two ACPE Certified Educators, one Certified Educator Candidate position, six stipend Residents, six Summer Interns, and six Extended Interns.
Our ACPE Professional Advisory Group (PAG) provides strong support, consultation, and advocacy from our culturally diverse community and institution that ensures continued accountability and visionary leadership. The CPE students, whether Residents, Extended Interns or Summer Interns, work closely with our faculty, Baptist Health System healthcare professionals, and with a rich diversity of patients.
Baptist Health System is a fully accredited ACPE center offering certified units of CPE and a CPE Certified Educator Candidate (CEC) education. Because of our rich diversity of learning opportunities and our outstanding faculty, our CPE program is competitive with the finest CPE programs in the United States.
Family and faith-centered pastoral care is the program’s emphasis providing students with significant growth in their pastoral/personal formation. The family centered care has provided a natural setting for family systems theory, faith development and spiritual assessment to stimulate the students’ growth and integration. The emergence of interest in spirituality has created a positive environment where our students truly feel a part of the team.
We provide mentor relationships through the presence of not only staff chaplains but other key clinical personnel who give students needed support and encouragement as well as collegial accountability of service expectations on the respective clinical area. Because the mentors consist of those outside of the respective Pastoral Care Departments as well, we believe the level of investment and integration of our ACPE program into the lifeblood of our Baptist Health System is certainly present. This is a definitive strength in professional development and pastoral formation, and provides a strong basis for CEC Education.