Clinical Pastoral Education

Mission

To positively affect people’s lives by nurturing connections to the sacred through experiential education and spiritual care.

Vision

To create measurable and appreciable improvement in spiritual health that transforms people and communities in the US and across the globe.

Values

Diversity and inclusion – demonstrated through cultural humility, attentiveness and collegiality.
Integrity – demonstrated through trust, respect and excellence.
Curiosity – demonstrated through listening, experiential models, innovation and creativity.
Process – demonstrated through action and reflection, listening, experiential and relational models.
Service – demonstrated through compassion, authenticity and growth.

Division of Mission and Ministry Mission Statement

The Mission and Ministry Department is guided by Baptist Health System’s Mission of helping people achieve health for life through compassionate service inspired by faith.

Our departmental mission is

“To serve patient and families, employees, students and physicians with excellence in…
Pastoral Ministry,
Education for Ministry, and
Leadership for our BHS values,
faith-based mission, biomedical
ethics and community ministry.”

For more information on the services we provide, go to Division of Mission and Ministry.

We adhere to the following Standards and Objectives set by Association for Clinical Pastoral Education (ACPE). For more information contact:

ACPE: The Standard for Spiritual Care and Education
1 Concourse Pkwy, Suite 800 
Atlanta, GA 30328
(404) 320-1472
www.acpe.edu

2024 ACPE Outcomes and Indicators for Level I/Level II CPE

CPE provides theological and professional education using the clinical method of learning in diverse contexts of spiritual care. ACPE accredits two types of clinical pastoral education programs: CPE Level I/Level II and Certified Educator CPE. ACPE accredited programs provide a progressive learning experience through a two-level curriculum. Level I curriculum outcomes must be satisfactorily addressed prior to admission to Level II. Completion of CPE Level I/Level II curriculum outcomes is a prerequisite for admission to Certified Educator CPE Candidate  (CEC program not available until further notice). It is also a goal to ensure that students are knowledgeable about the Common Qualifications and Competencies for Professional Chaplains.

CPE Level I/Level II enables students to address areas such as spiritual formation and integration, awareness of Self and others, relational dynamics, spiritual care interventions and professional development.

CPE Level IA-IB/Level IIA-IIB outcomes and indicators define the scope of the CPE program curricula. Outcomes and indicators also define the competencies to be developed by students because of participating in each of the programs.

202 CPE UNITS I-IV Outcomes and Indicators

Category A: Spiritual Formation and Integration	Category B: Awareness of Self and Others	Category C: Relational Dynamics	Category D: Spiritual Care Interventions	Category E: Professional Development
1: Narrative History	1: Self-Care	1: Empathy	1: Develop Spiritual Care Relationships	1: Clinical Method of Learning
2: Socio-Cultural Identity	2: Justice-Seeking Awareness of Bias	2: Relational Boundaries	2: Use of Cultural, Religious, and Spiritual Resources	2: Ethical Practice and Professionalism
3: Spiritual/ Values-Based Orienting Systems	3: Intercultural and Interreligious Humility	3: Group Dynamics	3: Use of Spiritual Assessments and Care Plans	3: Consultation and Feedback  4: Teamwork and Collaboration
			4: Documentation	5: Research Based Care

 

The Baptist Health System’s Clinical Pastoral Education Staff is a group of spiritual care providers who provide hands-on patient care with structured education and reflective practice to develop skills in providing emotional and spiritual support.

To Learn More:

CPE Office: (210) 297-9750

Email:[email protected]

Internships (ACPE)

If you are applying for an initial unit of CPE in either our Summer Internship Program or our Fall Extended Internship Program, you will need the following:

1. Complete an ACPE application (see below)
2. Attend a screening interview by an ACPE Certified Educator

Internship applications are open to clergy and laypersons.

CPE Residency Program (ACPE)

If you are applying for the CPE Residency, you will need the following:

1. Complete an ACPE application (see below)
2. Successfully complete one unit of CPE
3. A Master of Divinity degree or equivalent (completed or in progress)
4. On-site interview with CPE screening committee

Certified Educator Candidate (CEC) Program

If you are applying for Certified Educator Candidate program, you need the following:

1. Complete a CEC application (see below)
2. Successfully complete of one year (four units) of CPE
3. A completed Master of Divinity degree or equivalent
4. On-site interview with CPE screening committee

Download the Application

You can view and print the ACPE application by using the buttons below or by visiting the ACPE website at www.acpe.edu.

Note: Instructions and requirements differ for the ACPE and CEC application submission process.

Link to ACPE Application

When applying to the Baptist Health System CPE Center, complete and send the signed application, along with the other required materials listed on the back of the application form, electronically or by postal mail to:

Sandra Gonzales: [email protected]
Clinical Pastoral Education
Baptist Health System
730 N. Main Ave., Suite 212
San Antonio, Texas 78205-1152

CPE Office: (210) 297-9750

The Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) 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, students develop skills and understanding to serve people at crossroads in their lives.

Our ACPE history has evolved to offer both impressive service in our clinical areas and education for students. The CPE program include ACPE Certified Educators, Residents, Summer Interns and Fall 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, Summer Interns, or Extended Interns, work closely with our faculty, Baptist’s 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. We have seven hospitals in the San Antonio area – Baptist Medical Center, Mission Trail Baptist Hospital, North Central Baptist Hospital, Northeast Baptist Hospital, St. Luke’s Baptist Hospital, Westover Hills Baptist Hospital and Resolute Baptist Hospital – all with clinical placements for our CPE students. Our center offers a wide variety of learning opportunities and outstanding faculty.

Our curriculum is aligned with ACPE, and includes tools for spiritual assessment and intervention, introduction to psychological and sociological theories, didactics on culture to promote cultural competence and humility and both individual and group reflection. We provide preceptor relationships through the pastoral care staff. Mentors give students the needed support and encouragement, as well as collegial accountability of service expectations in the respective clinical area.

Programs

Internships

Internship programs with Clinical Pastoral Education provide students the opportunity to experience clinical and seminar training. The internship curriculum is an introduction to spiritual care with a focus on understanding the self as a spiritual caregiver. Each student will be assigned to one of the Baptist Health System hospitals for their clinical hours. All students participate in the on-call rotation for their assigned hospital to provide spiritual care after business hours.

Summer Internship

The Summer Internship is a full-time, 11-12-week long program for seminarians, clergy or selected lay people who meet the requirements for CPE. The program begins in late May and concludes in early August. Students spend about 10 hours a week in seminar time and about 30 hours per week in clinical time. Students completing the Summer Internship receive credit for one unit of CPE.

Fall Extended Internship

The Fall Extended Unit is a part-time, twenty-week long program for seminarians, clergy or selected lay people who meet the requirements for CPE. The program begins in mid-October and concludes in mid-March. Seminars are typically not held the week of Christmas; though clinical responsibilities continue. Students spend about six hours a week in class time and about 9-12 hours per week in clinical time. Students completing the Fall Extended Internship receive credit for one unit of CPE.

Residency

The Residency curriculum takes a deeper dive into skills of pastoral care, specialized areas of ministry and theories in the areas of theology, ethics, psychology and sociology, with a focus on providing more comprehensive spiritual care. Students spend about ten hours a week in seminar time and about 30 hours per week in clinical time. Each student will be assigned to one of the five Baptist Health System hospitals for the first six months and to another of the hospitals for the second six months to complete their clinical hours. All students participate in the on-call rotation for their assigned hospital to provide spiritual care after business hours. Whether one is called to congregational, community, military, clinical ministry or something in between, the Residency Program provides opportunities for students to function with greater integration and awareness. The Residency Program also provides the necessary education to contribute to the student’s credentialing as a Board-Certified Chaplain by the Association of Professional Chaplains. Students completing the Residency receive credit for four units of CPE.

A residency in our CPE program is full-time, beginning in late August and concluding the following late August. Students in the Residency Program build on the foundation of their first unit of CPE to increase their skills in the areas of Spiritual Formation and Integration, Awareness of Self and Others, Relational Dynamics, Spiritual Care Interventions, and Professional Development.

Notice Regarding Privacy of Records

This ACPE CPE Center/Program guarantees to its students the rights to inspect and review their education records, to seek to amend them, to specified control over release of record information and to file a complaint against the program for alleged violations of these Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) rights. All records are maintained for six years, in accordance with ACPE policy.

A student has the right to object to record content. If not negotiable, the written objection will be kept with and released with the record. Grades are exempted from this right. Violations of these protocols may be reported to the Chair of the Accreditation Commission at:

ACPE: The Standard for Spiritual Care and Education

1 Concourse Pkwy, Suite 800

 Atlanta, GA 30328
(404) 320-1472
www.acpe.edu

We see the screening process as a two-way discovery, so we encourage applicants to come with questions. Interviews are typically 45-60 minutes in length with the final 10-15 minutes reserved for any questions you may have about our program. In all interviews, interviewers will have received and reviewed your application materials prior to the interview. Interviewers will ask questions to expand on your application materials, get to know you more and get a sense for what kind of learner you are.

• Internship applicants will meet with the Certified Educator (CE) and sometimes the Certified Educator Candidate (CEC) or a Pastoral Care staff member.
• Residency applicants will meet with a small committee including the CE, the CEC and two members of either the Pastoral Care staff or the PAG committee.
• Certified Educator Candidates will meet with a small committee including the CE, the Chief of Mission and Ministry, and the available Directors of Pastoral Care. CEC applicants will also have a peer interview with the current group of Resident students.

The specific dates for each program may vary slightly due to several factors, including available dates for New Employee Orientation. For the most accurate information regarding specific start and end dates for the program(s) you are interested in, please contact us at (210) 297-9750.

No

Baptist Health System does not provide housing.

• Internship: $350
• Residency: $350 for the first unit of CPE and $300 for each subsequent unit ($1,250 for the year)
• Certified Educator Candidate: paid by the system

Baptist Health System is not able to sponsor any Visas. If you are an international applicant, you will need to have your denomination or other organization sponsor your Visa.

Students in the Summer Intensive and Fall Extended program are not eligible for benefits. Students in the Residency and Certified Educator Candidate program are eligible for benefits including health, dental and paid time off.

• Summer Internship: may be available at the end of the unit, and distributed as a lump sum at the conclusion of the program
• Fall Extended Internship: may be available after completion of the unit, and distributed as a lump sum at the conclusion of the program
• Residency: $36,000 annually, considered hourly employees and paid on a bi-weekly schedule
• Certified Educator Candidate: competitive with Market; annually, salaried