Clinical Pastoral Education

THE EFFECTS OF WAR ON PASTORAL CARE & COUNSELING by John DeVelder Chaplain Lieutenant Colonel Joanne Martindale was the keynote speaker at the COMISS* Network Forum on Sunday, December 2, 2006 in Arlington, Va. Joanne, in civilian life, is the Director of Pastoral Care at Ancora State Psychiatric Hospital in New Jersey. She supervises a staff of thirteen Chaplains. She has been active in the National Guard and has been called up for service in Iraq twice since the war began. She has been home from her last tour of duty for almost a year. While in Iraq Joanne was stationed in an installation near Tekrit, North of Baghdad. LTC Martindale was one of six out of 800 soldiers in her camp to receive the Bronze Star for exceptional service. LTC Martindale was asked to speak on the topic of The Effects of War on Pastoral Care and Counseling. Joanne began her story by talking about the effect of war on herself and family. Joanne and her husband Bob Cholke are raising two boys, ages ele

The Association for Clinical Pastoral Education seeking Re-Recognition by the Department Of Education counseled to cease & desist a practice which "has frequently created problems and put students at risk" Department of Education evaluator, Ms. Jones, who recently attended meetings with the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education directs ACPE to end a practice which "has frequently created problems and put students at risk." The issue, as outlined in the December 2006 edition of the ACPE North Central Region News, is as follows: There have been many occasions when ACPE supervisors, despite having clear guidelines in the Accreditation Manual and duly designated colleagues with whom to consult about accreditation processes, have initiated units in satellite or component sites that have not been assessed and approved by those charged with that task. Colleagues on accreditation committees have felt themselves held hostage there after by appeal to students' w

There remains considerable confusion concerning which Clinical Pastoral Education training programs qualify to receive Medicare Payments. The leadership of the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education has not acted in a responsible manner to clear up the misunderstanding; promoted by ACPE leaders; that only ACPE accredited Doe recognized programs qualify for such payments. Clinical Pastoral Education training programs accredited by The College of Pastoral Supervision & Psychotherapy also qualify for such payments. Medicare officials do not support the ACPE only claim. We quote a response provided from the Medicare office: “The regulations cite the ACPE as an example of a national professional organization that would be sufficient as the accrediting body. However, the regulation at section 413.85(e) also specifically state that the accrediting bodies are “not limited to” the cited organizations. While programs that are accredited by the ACPE meet CMS definition of an Approved Nur