As you are aware, there are several required changes that are taking place within Accreditation. To help programs with the changes, the Accreditation Commission has decided to simplify the Portfolio Review process for 2023. This communication outlines the Portfolio Review process for 2023 and provides a checklist of the USDE changes that are required. Please note that the checklist encompasses those areas that have been developed as of now. Based on the continued work around student achievement, there will be an updated checklist coming as the student achievement materials are developed and approved.

For licensed spiritually informed psychotherapists, state lines often form a barrier to practice. Many states do not recognize licenses granted by other states. Earning the right to practice in another state can be a drawn-out, expensive undertaking.  

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, this stricture’s primary effect was to limit geographic mobility among therapists. If you were licensed in one state but wanted to move to another state, whether to accompany a relocating spouse or simply to give yourself a change of scenery, you faced the possibility of an extended period of little to no income as you secured a license in your new state.

In May 2020, the Board of Directors of ACPE authorized a working group to begin a thorough review, revision, and updating of the Objectives and Outcomes for Level I/Level II CPE. The Outcomes Work Group (OWG) is chaired by Maurice Appelbaum and Liam Robins. The members of the group included ACPE Certified Educators Julie Hanada, Amani Legagneur, Tamekia Milton, Judy Ragsdale, Matt Rhodes, Maureen Shelton, and Dr. Carrie Doehring, the Clifford Baldridge Professor of Pastoral Care and Counseling at Iliff School of Theology, and Jana Troutman-Miller, former chair of the Board of Chaplaincy Certification, Inc. The group initially met monthly and, over time, increased frequency to multiple times per week for the past few months. These revised Outcomes and Indicators are the culmination of significant time and energy, many years of practical experience, and gleanings from the most current research in the field.

ACPE is pleased to announce the Rev. Dr. Theresa S. Thames as our 2023 Glaz Plummer Speaker. The Rev. Dr. Theresa S. Thames (she/her/hers) is the Associate Dean of Religious Life and the Chapel at Princeton University. An ordained Elder in the United Methodist Church, Theresa is a graduate of Howard University, Duke University Divinity School, and Wesley Theological Seminary. She is passionate about the intersections of theology, gender, organizational development, and social justice. She is a challenging preacher, thoughtful theologian, certified yoga teacher, wife, dog mom, and devoted friend. Dean Thames is a lover of life and a music connoisseur who prioritizes self-care and believes that freedom is not optional, rest is her strength, and radical joy is her resistance.

Poster presentations will highlight and integrate research and evidence-based practices for CPE, spiritually integrated psychotherapy, and spiritual care to inform the future of ACPE and the craft of spiritual care & education.

We invite posters about research projects, quality improvement (QI) projects, and innovative curriculum or practice projects conducted by all ACPE constituents such as ACPE Certified Educators, Psychotherapists, Spiritual Care Professionals, CPE Students, CECs, and Interprofessional Colleagues. We consider reports on projects involving any aspect of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE), Spiritually Integrated Psychotherapy (SIP), or spiritual care, which may be qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods in their design. All posters, including QI projects and innovative curriculum or practice projects, must report outcomes or results that were evaluated or measured. We also highly recommend spotlighting how your project and findings inform our professional practices.