March 12, 2024
Per USDE regulations, the following pages have been updated:
Adverse Actions and Identified Areas of Non-Compliance – Suspensions are no longer considered adverse actions and have been moved to the list of potential actions to be taken by the Accreditation Commission to address issues Identified Areas of Non-Compliance.
February 19, 2024
A Brief Definition of Terms Used in the Revised Outcomes page was added to to the section of Revised Outcomes and Indicators.
Updated February 5, 2024
New numbering system for the Revised Outcomes and Indicators has been added to the manual.
Updated January 1, 2024
Defining a Unit of CPE has been updated to reflect new outcomes and indicators and student achievement requirements.
Standardized Evaluation Form for Level IA, Level IB, Level IIA, and Level IIB Programs
The electronic evaluation form is almost ready. We will soon have an overview video to demonstrate how the form will be used, how the information contained in the form will remain confidential, and how the form is shared with the student and finalized for storage in the program’s files. A great feature of the new form is that units will be automatically registered in the ACPE database upon the completion of the end of unit evaluation, thereby eliminating the need to log into the database to register the unit.
New Pages in the Manual
Program Achievement: This page outlines how a program demonstrates the minimum requirements for student achievement as a part of the six-year review process.
Headcount: ACPE is obligated to have a policy on monitoring the headcount (total enrollment) of each program. Programs report the total number of students for the previous year on their current year’s dashboard so that the Accreditation Commission can monitor the overall growth of programs from year to year.
Program Length: This page outlines the requirements for units of CPE as well as what is required of programs for advertising, setting of dates, and the number of hours in a program unit of CPE.
Student Achievement for Level I/Level II Programs: This page explains how students earn credit for the program unit of CPE and the requirements to advance to the next level of learning.
Student Achievement for CEC Programs: This page explains how student achievement is documented in CEC programs.
Program Certificates: This page explains the requirement for programs to provide a certificate to each student upon successful completion of the program unit. Templates for the certificates that allow editing are in SharePoint on the ACPE Accreditation Page.
Changes to Existing Pages in the Manual
End of Unit Evaluations: This page has been updated to reflect the implementation of a standardized evaluation form and includes specific requirements for CEC programs.
Standard 1: Language related to the revised outcomes and indicators and evaluations has been updated.
Standard 2: Language related to the revised Outcomes and Indicators has been updated. Specific requirements have been added for programs utilizing video conferencing for units of CPE in items 1 and 4 of the items that must be included in the program’s portfolio.
Standard 3: information has been added for programs utilizing video conferencing for units of CPE in the indicators for items B and D.
Standard 5: Updated language in item 5 to reflect student and program achievement tracking and reporting.
Standard 6: information has been added for programs utilizing video conferencing for units of CPE in the indicators for items B and D.
Standard 7: A new indicator has been added for programs utilizing video conferencing for units of CPE.
Updated November 20, 2023
Added clarifying language in one of the indicators:
Category C, Outcome 2, Level IB now reads (new words underlined):
“Articulate how one uses healthy relational boundaries in spiritual care contexts”
Updated August 1, 2023
The office address of ACPE has been update throughout the manuals to the new address:
ACPE, Inc.
1 Concourse Parkway, Suite 800
Atlanta, GA 30328
Updated May 3, 2023
Revised ACPE Outcomes and Indicators have been added to the Accreditation Manual
Enhancement to the policy: Using Video Conferencing in a Unit of CPE. Updates are highlighted in red.
Updated February 7, 2023
Revision to Required Program Policies:
A. An admission policy that serves to inform the public about a program’s non-discrimination policies. Policies must follow local, state, and federal laws related to discrimination.
Updated January 2, 2023
- Revision to Standard 3 (Indicators A & B are worded differently, to make them cleaner. Indicator E was changed to remove certification status and peer review references. All the materials required are the same except for item #4 which now requires documentation of the 50 hour requirement for continuing education in addition to the previous requirement of the presentation.)
- Revision to Item 5 under Items that must be included in the program’s portfolio in Standard 1.
- Program Feasibility/Self-Study Requirements
- Updates to the definition of and requirements for a Preceptor
- Addition of a definition of an Adjunct Faculty/Didactic Presenter to the Definition of Terms
- Updates to the Component Sites page
- Updates policies/procedures related to Bias and Conflict of Interest for Site Team Members
Updated September 21, 2022
As of 9.21.2022, new satellites are no longer being accredited by ACPE
Updated April 13, 2022
The policy for Appeal of Adverse Decisions of the Commission has been updated to reflect new regulatory requirements.
Updated April 11, 2022
Clarification of a requirement in Standard 4
C. Process and mechanisms for communicating policies, curriculum, and program expectations to students and to the general public, including its accredited status. All statements in advertising, catalogs, publications, recruiting, and academic calendars shall be accurate at the time of publication. Publications that advertise a center’s programs shall include the type(s) and level(s) of education offered and the ACPE telephone number and website address.
Updated December 3, 2021
The 6 Year Site Visit Plan has been updated to clarify various aspects of the process.
Updated August 11, 2021
Clarification of the requirements for the center’s grievance/complaint process:
The item now reads: C. Grievance/Complaint process for the local center that includes links to ACPE processes as indicated below. While ACPE recommends that complaints and grievances be addressed at the local level, center policies must indicate that a student may file a complaint directly with ACPE .
Updated August 3, 2021
Updated June 25, 2021
Update to Year 3 of the Accreditation Cycle.
Update to Items that must be included in the center’s portfolio for Standard 4, item #2.
The item now reads:
A detailed listing of any complaints filed locally within the center and how each was resolved. Include any educational complaints filed with ACPE, but do not include any ethical complaints filed against a center educator directly with ACPE.
Updated January 26, 2020
Update to the language in Clinical Placement Agreement requirements:
The ACPE Certified Educator(s) and student(s) must be authorized to function in the clinical site (language to provide spiritual care was removed from this line).
Updated September 14, 2020
Important update to Standard 4:
The following item required as part of a center’s portfolio was added: A detailed listing of any complaints filed within the center and how each was resolved.
Updated June 5, 2020
Added a page to clarify the process of moving from an Accredited Member to a System Center
Updated February 28, 2020
Maintenance and Renewal of Accreditation – The Year 3 Mid-Cycle has been updated.
Year 3 – Mid-Cycle
Consists of a Comprehensive Portfolio Review and a one person, peer consultation. The purpose is to offer collegial and collaborative consultation on aspects of the center’s program. Peer consultants are local volunteers who are assigned by the Accreditation Commissioner, with input from the center. The local educator will add a reflection on the consultation to the center’s portfolio.
Standard 3 – Educational Resources has been updated to include the requirement for private office space for educators to provide supervision and support for students.
Standard 4 – Management of CPE Programs has been updated with the following:
B. Alignment of the center’s policies and procedures with ACPE Policies and Procedures, including the requirement that an ACPE Certified Educator or Associate ACPE Certified Educator must be employed by the center to oversee the program.
Updated February 17, 2020
Clinical Placements and Agreements: The clinical placement agreement must be completed/signed PRIOR to students beginning their work at at site.
Updated January 8, 2020
Clarification of Standard 4 for the requirements for hyperlinks in the Student Handbook.
Updated December 5, 2019
The Objectives and Outcomes for Level I/Level II CPE have been reformatted for clarity.
Updated August 5, 2019
Clarification of item #6 under Standard 1
6. Summary results of the evaluation process of a unit that utilized video conferencing for regular student engagement, including student feedback specific to video conferencing and the Center’s own evaluation of the effectiveness, strengths, and limitations of the modality as an educational tool.
Added a new section for Component Sites
Updated July 16, 2019
6 Year Site Visit Plan
Details about the 6 Year Site Visit have been added.
Updated July 9, 2019
End of Unit Evaluations
The following item was added:
Students must write a final self-evaluation at the conclusion of the unit.
Guide for Student Records has been clarified with the following:
ACPE requires that:
- The center retain the following items indefinitely:
- The application face sheet
- The Use of Clinical Materials Consent Form
- The center retain the following items from the student record for ten (10) years:
- Certified Educator’s end of unit evaluation
- The student’s response to the end of unit evaluation, if submitted
- The student’s self-evaluation.
Updated June 12, 2019
Self-Study Requirements have been revised
Updated as of April 22, 2019
Types of Accreditation
This section offers a clarification of three categories of accreditation, incorporating the previous section of System Centers. Includes the section on Satellite Programs, which has been revised.
Maintenance and Renewal of Accreditation (Revisions)
- Year 1, Year 2, Year 4, Year 5
In each of these years, centers will have a review of their Dashboard and a Focused Portfolio Review. These reviews are conducted by volunteer committee members, with reports submitted to the Accreditation Commission. The Focused Portfolio Review is a review of a particular component of the center’s portfolio. The Accreditation Commission will determine on an annual basis which Portfolio components will be examined in a given year. The Commission shall provide centers with a minimum of six months notice of the focus of the next year’s review. Please note that although only a portion of the portfolio will be officially reviewed, the entire portfolio must be available to the Accreditation Commission at any time.
- Year 3 – Mid-Cycle
Consists of a Comprehensive Portfolio Review and a one person, peer site visit. The purpose of the peer site visit is to offer collegial and collaborative consultation on aspects of the center’s program, but with a focus on its accreditation materials in the center’s portfolio. Peer site visitors are trained, local volunteers who are assigned by the Accreditation Commissioner, with input from the center. The site visitor will document their visit for the center and this will become a part of the center’s portfolio.