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Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) at PeaceHealth

A father holds the hand of his son in a comforting manner.

Discern your vocation in spiritual care 

Clinical Pastoral Education at PeaceHealth Clinical Pastoral Education: A space to recover and discover your identity as a spiritual caregiver.

About the Clinical Pastoral Program at Sacred Heart

What we teach

In our Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) program, we offer spiritual and clinical education that will allow you to become more effective at providing spiritual care and embody your unique way of ministry. As you go through the program, you will be invited to develop skills that help you become a more effective spiritual caregiver, that encourage you to deeply engage your identity, personally, professionally and spiritually, and that challenge you to reflect on how you are in relationships with others.

How we educate

Our curriculum includes is rooted in an experiential model of education. Through seminars and didactic instruction, small group reflection and one on one consultation with the CPE Educator, our program brings you into supervised encounters with patients and hospital staff. Your peer group consists of theological students, religious clergy of all faith backgrounds, and lay people interested in learning to provide spiritual care.

 

The setting

At PeaceHealth you have the choice between different clinical settings:

Exterior building photo of Sacred Heart at RiverBend Medical Center

 

Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center

Exterior view of PeaceHealth Cancer Center in Bellingham, Washington

 

Clinical Pastoral Education at PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center

Southwest Medical Center tower in Vancouver, Washington

Clinical Pastoral Education at PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center


When you become a CPE intern at PeaceHealth, you will find a vibrant Spiritual Care Department that is invested in student learning and welcomes you with open arms. Chaplains of different spiritual backgrounds will provide you with mentoring and support in your learning process. Clinically each site will offer you a richness in learning.

Program Specifics

Clinical Pastoral Education is offered in “units” of CPE.

One unit of CPE includes at least 100 hours of structured group and individual education and 250 hours of supervised clinical practice in ministry. The combined two shall be 400 hours of structured education.

PeaceHealth CPE currently offers three programs:

Full-Time Summer Unit

Forty hours a week over an twelve-week period from the end of May to the middle of August. One evening and overnight shift per week is required. The peer group meets for structured education on Tuesdays and Thursdays. 

Fall Extended Unit

Twenty hours a week over a twenty-week period from September through January. One evening and one overnight shift per week is required. The peer group meets for structured education on Wednesdays.

Spring Extended Unit

Twenty hours a week over a twenty-week period from the end of January through May. One evening and one overnight shift per week is required. The peer group meets for structured education on Wednesdays. 

Application Process

Fill out a ACPE Clinical Pastoral Education application form https://acpe.edu/education/cpe-students/cpe-application and email to: lellis1@peacehealth.org.

If mailing via USPS, send the application with the fee of $50 to:
PeaceHealth Clinical Pastoral Education
3333 RiverBend Dr.
Springfield, OR 97477

If you wish to pay with a credit card, please phone Laura Ellis at 541-222-2245 and she will process your payment.

After we have received your application, we will contact you regarding an application interview.  Final acceptance into the program depends on successfully completing a drug screen and a criminal background check.

Once accepted into the program you will need to pay a deposit to hold your place in the peer group. This will be counted towards your tuition of $600 per unit. Scholarships are granted upon request. Final acceptance is contingent upon passing a background check, drug screen, and PeaceHealth’s immunization requirements.

Questions?

Please contact:
Laura Ellis
Phone: 541-222-2245
Email: lellis1@peacehealth.org

The Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend CPE Program is accredited for Level I CPE, Level II CPE by:

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