Clinical Pastoral Education Program

For Residents:

What are the minimum requirements for applying for a 12 month CPE Residency?

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field and two (2) years of service with a faith community required.
• A Master of Divinity degree or Master’s in Theological Studies is preferred.
• Work experience may not substitute for the minimum education requirement.
• Ordination, Commission or Licensure as a minister / faith leader or in the process of obtaining such status also preferred.

How to apply:

• Fill out an electronic application by visiting uabmedicine.org/web/careers/search-open-jobs, click on “Search Open Jobs” under UAB Hospital, then click on “Search Openings,” and type in keyword “Chaplain Resident.”
• Complete an ACPE application and mail it to Director of Spiritual Care & CPE, UAB Department of Spiritual Health, WP125, 615 18th ST S, Birmingham, AL 35249-6555. Or you can download the application in Word format, write and attach it in an email to sgsimmons@uabmc.edu. The ACPE application can be found here.
• Mail a $50.00 application fee. Make the check payable to “UAB Spiritual Health.”

If you have questions about applying for the one year residency starting end of August, please contact:

Suzanne Simmons, Director- Spiritual Care and Clinical Pastoral Education

• Email: sgsimmons@uabmc.edu
• Phone: 205-934-3095
• Mailing Address: WP-125-J, 615 18th ST S, Birmingham, AL 35249-6555.

Accreditation:

UAB Center for CPE is accredited by the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education (ACPE) to offer Level I, Level II and Certified Educator Candidate Education. 

Residency:

UAB offers a year-long residency program in which students can earn four (4) units of Level I or Level II CPE.  In order to maintain compliance with ACPE Standards, each CPE unit will involve minimum of 100 hours of structured group and individual education and a minimum of 250 hours of supervised clinical practice in spiritual care. 

Internships:

Occasionally UAB center for CPE offers one-unit CPE internships. 

Contact Suzanne Simmons at sgsimmons@uabmc.edu or (205) 996-9042 for more information. 

Clinical Assignments: 

UAB offers placement opportunities for clinical assignments for students in a variety of specialty areas. As a Level I Trauma Center, UAB provides opportunity for students to learn first-hand about spiritual care to individuals impacted by major trauma and loss.  Therefore, each CPE student can expect to provide in house on-call coverage during the evening, weekend, or holiday on a weekly basis.

This on-call coverage is included in the total hours expected each week.  Learning modules for Level I students might include but not be limited to the following:  Family Systems, Theological Reflection and Assessment, Grief and Loss, and a Skills Lab.  Learning modules for Level II students would include but not be limited to Leadership and Management, Ethics, Multi-Cultural Diversity, Substance Abuse and Its Impact on the Family.

Curriculum Description and Rationale:

Our CPE program designs its Level 1 and 2 curricula to facilitate students’ achievement of the ACPE Outcomes and Indicators that enable pastoral formation, pastoral competence, and pastoral reflection. The UAB Program for CPE accomplishes this task in two primary ways:

1. Assigning a theme to each of the four units creating a sequential, developmental learning model
   • Unit 1 – Skills: Introduction to Spiritual Care + Self-Awareness: Grief
   • Unit 2 – Skills: Foundations of Spiritual Assessment + Self-Awareness: How the Past informs the Present
   • Unit 3 – Skills: Intercultural Care + Self-Awareness: Intermediate Use of Self in Spiritual Care
   • Unit 4 – Skills: The Clinical Practice of Spiritual Caregiving after Residency: Endings
2. Utilizing various teaching and learning modalities to develop and explore the unit themes including, but not limited to: verbatims, seminars, didactics, group work, reading/discussion, learning goals, evaluations and films.

Benefits:

Residents are paid according to the agreed upon stipend and receive benefits established by UAB Hospital. These are described in the acceptance letter to the student. The stipends and benefits may or may not be identical to those of employees, but will be consistent with the employee practices of the Hospital, and are described upon inquiry for each residency program.

Residents will be provided a stipend of $40,000 for a one (1) year residency. In addition, each resident will be eligible for medical and dental insurance at the same rate as UAB employees. All costs associated with the CPE program will be provided for residents at no additional charge with the exception of purchase of required textbooks and the Completion of Level I Consultation Committee appearance.

Additional benefits for residents include five (5) paid vacation days, eight (8) paid holidays plus two (2) personal days and up to five (5) paid sick days. All leave time must be approved in advance by the CPE Supervisor. Students are encouraged to take vacation during Clinical Intersession periods.

UAB holidays include New Year’s Day, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Due to the inclusion of personal days in this time off, all professional development time off for job interviews or denominational meetings should be counted toward personal holiday time off.

Tuition:

Tuition fees are $500 per CPE unit. Unless arrangements are made with the CPE Supervisor, all tuition must be paid by the first week of the unit. At the time of acceptance, a $200 non-refundable deposit is required in order to reserve a position in the program. Student acceptance is not considered official until this fee is received. The $200 will be credited towards the total cost of the unit. Any evaluation issued without confirmation of tuition payment will be identified as a non-official evaluation and lack of payment of fees will be noted as the reason. Tuition is non-refundable unless UAB finds it necessary to cancel a unit. A student will not be permitted to participate in the mid-term evaluation process or continue the CPE unit unless all fees have been paid, or guarantee of the same has been given in writing by an appropriate faith group or seminary representative for that student. Such a student will be dismissed.

Incidental Expenses:

In addition to the application and tuition fees, incidental expenses that students will also be expected to provide include required textbooks. UAB Spiritual Health provides a copy machine in the department that is accessible to students for copying of CPE related material. Any failure to return library books at the end of the unit will necessitate payment for missing books. Grades will be withheld until receipt of books and/or payments for lost books is made.

Frequently Asked Questions about CPE The following information is from the national website of the Association of Clinical Pastoral Education

1. What do the essential elements of CPE include?

The actual practice of ministry to persons. Detailed reporting and evaluation of that practice in Pastoral Supervision. A process conception of learning. A theoretical perspective on all elements of the program. A small group of peers in a common learning experience. A specific time period. An individual contract for learning consistent with the objectives of CPE The CPE program must be conducted under the auspices of an ACPE certified educator (faculty) attached to an ACPE accredited CPE center.

2. What kinds of things might be included in the Individual Learning Contract?

Pastoral Reflection – reflection on one’s self as person and pastor in relationship to persons in crisis, the educator, and peer group members, as well as the curriculum and institutional setting. Pastoral Formation – focus on personal and pastoral identity issues in learning and ministry. Pastoral Competence – deepening and unfolding of competence in pastoral function, pastoral skills and knowledge of theology and the behavioral sciences. Some centers also offer Pastoral Specialization, focusing on the student’s desire to become competent and knowledgeable in a particular area of ministry, e.g. oncology, urban ministry, parish ministry, hospice ministry, etc.

3. What are the different types of CPE?

ACPE offers Level I and Level II CPE, as well as Certified Educator Candidate CPE, in sequence. The outcomes for each level must be completed before moving to the next level. CPE is usually offered in single units (10-12 weeks) or in a year-long program (3-4 consecutive units). Some centers have other part-time options. The center of your choice can explain the options available at their location.

4. What does CPE prepare a person to do?

CPE serves as a part of one’s preparation for parish ministry, chaplaincy, lay ministry, teaching, and counseling. A student’s learning contract may be focused toward integration of theological, psychological, and pastoral insights into pastoral functioning for parish work. Or the contract may be designed with a career goal of chaplaincy or pastoral counseling. Some students, after completing several units of CPE, choose to enroll in Educator CPE working toward certification as a CPE Educator. In Educator CPE the student learns the theory and practice of education and has an experience of educating CPE students under the guidance and with the consultation of a CPE certified Educator. CPE develops the capacity for the pastoral and spiritual care of individuals, families, and systems. Many theological schools require one unit of CPE as a part of a theological degree program. Other schools accept a year of CPE as the required intern year of ministry for a theological degree program. A number of theological schools which are members of the ACPE have graduate degree programs which combine academic study and CPE Educator/CPE.

5. I want to be a Chaplain or a Pastoral Counselor, do I need CPE?

The Association of Professional Chaplains (www.professionalchaplains.org), the National Association of Catholic Chaplains (www.nacc.org) and the National Association of Jewish Chaplains (www.najc.org) and other organizations certify chaplains. The American Association of Pastoral Counselors (www.aapc.org) trains and certifies pastoral counselors. Some CPE is required as a pre-requisite. You should contact these organizations directly about their requirements.

6. Who is eligible to enroll in CPE?

What are the minimum requirements? Bachelor’s degree in a related field and two (2) years of service with a faith community required. A Master of Divinity degree or Master’s in Theological Studies is preferred. Work experience may not substitute for the minimum education requirement. Ordination, Commission or Licensure as a minister / faith leader or in the process of obtaining such status also preferred. Ordination, Commission or Licensure as a minister / faith leader or in the process of obtaining such status preferred. For Supervisory CPE programs: An individual who has successfully completed several units of CPE and has demonstrated a readiness to utilize Supervisory CPE, usually one who has a theological degree and several years of pastoral experience.

7. Do you offer a stipend?

Yes, the stipend is $40,000 for a one (1) year residency.

8. What is the tuition?

The tuition fee is $500/unit

University of Alabama Birmingham Program for Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) Annual Notice Concerning Student Records 2025

Policy:

This ACPE CPE program guarantees to its students the right to inspect and review education records, to seek to amend them, and to specify control over release of record information. This policy will describe what constitutes directory information at the University of Alabama Birmingham program for CPE and how to opt out. It will define what constitutes directory information. It will detail our program’s record’s management protocols including that 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. The policy will indicate who constitutes an “educational official” and what constitutes “a legitimate educational interest.” Within the program these people may have access to student records without student consent. Violations of Annual Notice protocols may be reported to the Chair of the Accreditation Commission at:

ACPE, Inc.
1 Concourse Parkway
Suite 800
Atlanta, GA 30328
Or via email: accreditation@acpe.edu

Definitions:

• Directory Information is student information not generally considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if released. The CPE at UAB Medicine considers the following items to be directory information, which can be released without specific consent unless a current student chooses to restrict or “opt out” in writing: the student’s name, address, e-mail, telephone number, previous education, photograph, and units of CPE successfully completed. All other information is released only with the student’s written, signed and dated consent specifying which records are being disclosed, to whom, and for what limited purpose. Before releasing information, students must have received the Annual Notice. Current students can restrict directory information and/or record access at any time during attendance. Restrictions must be honored even after the student’s departure. Former students cannot initiate new restrictions after departure.
• Student Record is any record (paper, electronic, video, audio, biometric, etc.) directly related to the student from which the student’s identity can be recognized and maintained by the UAB program for CPE or by a person acting as a representative of the UAB program for CPE. During a unit, the Student Record includes:
  1. ACPE Application face sheet and materials
  2. Certified Educator’s end of unit evaluation
  3. Student’s response to the Certified Educator end of unit evaluation, if submitted
  4. Student end of unit self-evaluation
  5. Use of Clinical Materials Consent Form
  6. Any pertinent documentation or correspondence
• Education Officials are hose within the program who may have access to student records without student consent. At this center, all ACPE Certified Educators or Associate Certified Educators who are employed by or serving under contract by CPE at UAB Medicine, Certified Educator Candidates and Certified Education Students who are enrolled in CPE at UAB Medicine programs, the Spiritual Health department administrator and support staff, and current members of the Professional Advisory Group. These people may access student records with a “legitimate educational interest” of supporting a student’s learning or administrating the program within which the student is enrolled.

Procedures:

1. Opting out: Students who are currently enrolled in ACPE training in this program may restrict directory information and/or record access at any time during their attendance. To “opt out”, the student must restrict directory information, and/or record access, by submitting specific restrictions in writing to the Certified Educator. Restrictions will be honored even after the student’s departure. Former students cannot initiate new restrictions after departure.
2. Evaluations and Process notes: A copy of the ACPE Certified Educator’s end of unit evaluation report will be given to the student. The student will be informed that the program will keep this evaluation for six (6) years and it will not be available to anyone else except with written permission of the student. If the student submits a written response, it will be kept with the educator’s evaluation and subject to the same provisions. Certain exceptions concerning the release of information exist to protect the health or safety of the student or others, and for the purpose of accreditation or complain review, or as required for legal processes. Before releasing material in any of these circumstances, the ACPE Certified Educator will consult with the ACPE Executive Director. The ACPE Certified Educator may keep process notes on a student. These process notes are for the exclusive use of the writer and are not considered a part of the student’s record. They must be kept separately from the student record.
3. Student’s Responsibility: Students are responsible for maintaining their own files for future use. The program will not keep a permanent file of evaluation reports. Students are informed at the time copies are given to them that it is their responsibility to keep copies for future use. Students can use department copiers to copy their records. CPE students are expected to give written consent for copies of the educator’s end of unit evaluation reports (and their own if applicable) to be sent to any outside party.
4. Records Management: If the UAB program for CPE closes, the program will arrange for the secure storage of student files in accordance with applicable local/state laws. In the absence of an ACPE Certified Educator, appointed designee responsible for student records is the Senior Director of Spiritual Health or the Associate Vice President of Clinical Operations. Only the appointed designee is authorized to retrieve student records with a student’s written request and written authorization.
5. Records Retention: The program shall keep educator’s evaluations and student’s written responses if submitted, for at least six (6) years. These records are not open to anyone outside the UAB program for CPE except with the student’s written request. After six years, the program must keep the Application face sheet with identification information and the Use of Clinical Materials Consent Forms indefinitely but may destroy all other materials including the educator’s evaluation report and the student’s written response if submitted. The program may also retain a roster of students, the dates of their CPE units, and the levels of training they completed. Materials written by students such as verbatims and case histories that contain information about other persons, including other students, will either be destroyed or, if they are part of the student’s record, will have the identifiable information about everyone other than the student redacted. When peers are referenced in student’s evaluations, only initials should be used.
6. Health Records: (mental and physical) must be kept in locked, limited access files separate from other student records. Their use and release is subject to ADA and HIPAA. Certain safety and employment records are also subject to other federal regulations and state laws and are to be kept separately.
7. Student Review of Records: Students will be able to review their record within 45 days of their request. Records inspection cannot be denied based on the student’s inability to come to the site or outstanding financial obligations. In the latter case, the program can note on the copy sent, “not available for official use.” When a student record contains identifiers of another student, those must be redacted. If peers are referenced in student’s evaluations, only initials should be used.
8. Digital and Electronic Student Records: are maintained in compliance with ACPE standards and the UAB program for CPE’s policy for records management. Digital and Electronic student records have the same storage requirements as paper records. Digital records must have at least one backup separate from the original hardware location. Backups should be dated and updated at least monthly or in accordance with institutional guidelines.

UAB Center for CPE is accredited by the ACPE for Level I, II and Certified Educator CPE. The CEC program is currently filled.

Requirements for CEC applications:

Applications are not considered until the following steps are completed.

1. Fill out an electronic application by visiting uabmedicine.org/web/careers/search-open-jobs, click on “Search Open Jobs” under UAB Hospital, then click on “Search Openings,” and type in keyword “Certified Educator Candidate/Chaplain Educator Candidate.
2. Mail a $50.00 application fee. Make the check payable to “UAB Spiritual Health” (see mailing address below).
3. Admission to UAB’s CEC program includes the following criteria
   • A completed Application for Certified Educator Programs
   • College graduation
   • Master’s of Divinity or its equivalent.
   • Ordination or commissioning to function as a spiritual care provider by an appropriate religious/spiritual authority as determined by ACPE. Individuals whose spiritual or religious community do not have ordination should email certification@acpe.edu for more information.
   • Endorsement/statement of accountability from an appropriate religious/spiritual authority as determined by ACPE
   • Successful completion of a minimum of four units of CPE that includes Level II CPE Outcomes.
   • Demonstration of spiritual care and conceptual competence as evidenced by the attainment/completion of Level I/Level II Outcomes.
   • Certification or eligibility to be certified by the Association of Professional Chaplains, the Association for Catholic Chaplains, Canadian Association for Spiritual or the National Association for Jewish Chaplains.
   • Evaluation of the competencies for admission to a Certified Educator Program.
   • Mail/email application materials to the Director of Spiritual Care & CPE, UAB Department of Pastoral Care, WP125, 615 18th ST S, Birmingham, AL
4. Complete all the requirements for the ACPE admission process by visiting https://acpe.edu/programs/cpe-educator-certification/admission-process

PLEASE NOTE: WE ARE NOT RECEIVING APPLICATIONS FOR THE CEC EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM AT THIS TIME.