Program Overview

The Clinical Pastoral Education Program at Legacy Health offers an ongoing process of self-directed graduate clinical and theological education. This education is based on and occurs within the structure of the ACPE standards that focus on the areas of pastoral formation, pastoral competency, pastoral reflection and specialized ministry.

All single-unit CPE programs generally fulfill requirements of seminaries and denominational requirements for CPE.

Residency

The CPE Residency is intended for those who are seeking to specialize in health care ministry/chaplaincy. It is specifically designed to assist graduates of the program to become certified by The Association of Professional Chaplains, the National Association for Catholic Chaplains, The National Association for Jewish Chaplains, and other certifying groups. This year-long, full-time program is divided into four units of CPE, and each unit has a focus on aspects of health care ministry. In the first unit, residents will focus on skill development such as active listening, spiritual assessments and working in the interdisciplinary medical environment. The second unit focuses on personality development and seeks to add and integrate the insights and knowledge of the behavioral sciences to the theological/philosophical views of each resident. The third unit seeks to deepen and widen the pastoral theology/philosophy of each resident and integrates that understanding with the behavioral sciences, in particular psychodynamics and other personality theories. In the fourth unit, residents will be given the opportunity to specialize in some clinical area of the hospital, including rotations at Randall Children's Hospital and Legacy Oregon Burn Center, as well as in clinical areas at Legacy Emanuel Medical Center. These would include emergency, trauma medicine, palliative care and more.

Residency stipend:

Salary: $ 36,120
Year Residency tuition: $ 4,000
Benefits for 12 months: $ 8,200
(Medical, dental, and vacation)

Total Stipend: $ 48,320

Fall and Winter Extended Internships*

The program runs for 19 weeks. The first 1-2 weeks of the unit are orientation weeks and may include additional days on site for onboarding and orientation activities. The remainder of the unit, students will meet weekly for 6-8 hours of education seminars. Students will complete approximately 16 hours/week of clinical hours which are obtained by working a combination of both overnight and day shifts. The Extended Unit program is primarily for seminary and graduate school students who need a more flexible amount of time to complete a unit and for professionals who are currently working in a ministry orhelping setting and want to increase their spiritual care skills by working directly with patients, families, and hospital staff during life changing events. (Community-Based option available*)

Tuition for an extended-unit Internship: $1000

Meals provided on education days and when on shift.

Summer Intensive Internship 

The summer program is primarily for seminary and graduate school students who are looking to complete a unit of CPE in the summer. The program is largely designed to assist students who are learning about theology/philosophy to increase their spiritual care skills by working directly with patients, families, and hospital staff during life changing events. The program runs for 12 weeks and meets each Monday-Friday from 8 until 5. Education seminars are scheduled throughout the week with time built into the schedule for clinical rounding in the hospital. The remaining required clinical hours are obtained by working 1-2 overnight shifts per week for the duration of the unit.

Tuition for a single-unit internship: $1000

Meals provided on education days and when on shift.

Certified Educator CPE

Certified Educator CPE is designed for qualified persons with demonstrated pastoral, professional, and clinical competence. Certified Educator CPE students engage in a three-year residency program designed to teach them the art of pastoral supervision through education in supervisory theories by using conceptual models drawn from theology, behavioral science and education. Students will practice under the supervision of a CPE Certified Educator. They will form their identity as educators through a focus on integrating theory and practice with their distinct, personal attributes and life history. They will also learn through peer group seminars where the emerging supervisor's understanding and practice are tested and modified. 

Tuition per year: $850

*Community-Based Option

The community-based option offers students the opportunity to obtain up to 12 hours of clinical time per week at an approved ministry site outside of the hospital. This option is designed for community clergy, other community spiritual leaders, or students with a field education ministry site who are looking to complete a unit of CPE while spending time in their congregation or current ministry setting. This option is only available in the Fall and Winter Extended Internships. 

Legacy Health is accredited to offer Level I and Level II and Supervisory Clinical Pastoral Education with ACPE, Inc., We Work, Floor 4, 120 West Trinity Place, Decatur, GA 30030.