Episcopal Health Services Clinical Pastoral Education and Training is accredited by the College of Pastoral Supervisor and Psychotherapy (CPSP). The CPSP is a theological based covenant community that is dedicated to “Recovery of Soul.”
Clinical Pastoral Education and Training (CPE/T) is a professional training and education program for ministry. It brings theology students, ordained clergy, members of religious orders, and qualified laypersons into supervised encounters with hospital patients and nursing home residents. The program facilitates the development of pastoral identity, interpersonal competence, pastoral assessment skills, professional collaboration, group leadership, pastoral care and counseling, and pastoral theological reflection.
To apply, call 718-869-7411. The Clinical Pastoral Education Program office is open Monday-Friday, 9AM-4PM.
A Journey of Self Exploration
CPE programs function at three levels: Basic, Advanced, and Supervisor-In-Training. Within this graded, competency-based curriculum, our CPE trainees provide pastoral care service in hospitals, nursing homes and community-based organizations under supervision. Supervision is the heart of the learning process, wherein trainees acquire skills through multiple structures of responsibility (i.e. pastoral care service, group relations, and case presentations) and reflection (i.e. individual supervision, case presentations, and self/peer/group evaluations).
Basic Units
Basic CPE/T is professional education for ministry that focuses on the formation of the pastoral care provider’s identity as a chaplain and minister. It includes the development of basic pastoral care giving skills such as active listening, theological reflection, psycho-social and cultural systems, family systems, and personal and interpersonal awareness.
Advanced Units
Advanced CPE/T is for those who have achieved a heightened level of personal awareness in pastoral formation and professional development. It is a continuing education process in ministry and pastoral care specialization. Students and trainees exercise a greater autonomy, provide input to their CPE/T curriculum, and develop functional competencies towards professional chaplaincy certification.
Community Based CPE/T
Our Community Based CPE/T Program aims to equip those who are willing and able to provide pastoral care to people within their communities by engaging diversity and differences, especially those who are marginalized. The results will enable participants to connect to our common humanness and the struggles of social (in) justice.
Supervisory CPE/T
Supervisory CPE/T is for those who demonstrate personal, theological, and professional competence. Individuals who desire to learn the craft of supervising and teaching CPE/T will develop in the areas of personal growth in the CPE/T learning process, individual supervision, program management, and personal and clerical integration of practical theology and identity as a clinical pastoral educator.
Our Story
The Episcopal Health Services (EHS) CPE Program, established in 1994 by the Rt. Rev. Orris Walker, Jr. and the Rev. Dr. Richard Liew for the Diocese of Long Island, is the only diocesan owned and accredited program in the United States. Over the years, the program has attracted and trained a diverse applicant pool. The diversity of our trainees and our supervisors’ skills make this program unique and outstanding.
The wide variety of patient and resident populations served by the CPE program in our inner-city, urban setting enriches the training experience. Our CPE program is situated minutes from Kennedy International Airport. EHS facilities service the diverse ethnic, social, and economic community of the Rockaways. We preserve, express and share in this diversity, which harbors potent experiences and lessons in pastoral care for students at this CPE Center.