TO MEMBERS AND FRIENDS OF CPSP
AND TO ALL MEMBERS OF THE CLINICAL PASTORAL COMMUNITY
The leadership of CPSP regrets to inform you that the mediation process between CPSP and ACPE has broken down. The Mediation Agreement which was signed with high hopes in Philadelphia, November 30, 2010, by the leadership of both organizations, and which created a good spirit and considerable optimism in the larger clinical pastoral field, has been critically breached.
The rupture has come about as a result of a threat from ACPE against the Robert Wood Johnson Medical Center's chaplaincy program as it goes for re-accreditation in January. The medical center’s clinical training program is directed by John deVelder has been accredited by ACPE for several decades. DeVelder is a certified CPE Supervisor with both ACPE and CPSP credentials. He is a prominent clinical pastoral supervisor, well-respected, past President of CPSP and former Chair of the COMISS Network.
The hospital was informed by ACPE that its accreditation would be in jeopardy if it failed to disassociate itself officially from CPSP. Since the hospital's administration did not want a fight on its hands between two accrediting organizations, it forced deVelder to resign from CPSP on December 16.
The 2010 Mediation Agreement was posited on the mutual agreement that ACPE would no longer enforce the hostile and derogatory language that had earlier been made official in the so-called ACPE "Motion 43." That article publicly describes CPSP programs as lacking in "consistent application of program standards…" and marked by "a lack of transparency" as well as unfair market practices. Such charges are without substance, and are clearly incongruent with the Mediation Agreement. Furthermore, such accusations are unbecoming of any clinical pastoral community's description of another, unless substantiated by persuasive evidence.
The 2010 Mediation Agreement states explicitly that ACPE and CPSP will refrain from mutual disparagement, or of judging the respective value of the other organization's programs.
ACPE has damaged the reputation of CPSP at Robert Wood Johnson Medical Center, and done so without a basis in fact. No self-respecting community can sit idle while its reputation is being tarnished in this way.
Therefore CPSP is requesting that the two organizations return to the negotiating table without delay in order to resolve in the best way possible the damage inflicted on CPSP at Robert Wood Johnson Medical Center.
The clinical training movement is a relatively small part of the wider culture. The work we are called to do is currently imperiled by many forces beyond our control. All the organizations in our field need to support one another as much as we are able. Ruthless competition amongst us is damaging to the entire movement.
As leaders in the field of religion and counseling we will bring shame on ourselves and the entire clinical pastoral movement if we are not able quickly to repair this breach and restore amicable relations between ACPE and CPSP.
We in CPSP are committed to the redemptive process in all human relationships and remain committed to the Mediation Agreement signed November, 30, 2010. We urge the ACPE to abide by that agreement as the only basis for a continuing collegial relationship between the two communities.
We are hopeful about the possibilities of repairing the damage done the clinical pastoral movement at Robert Wood Johnson Medical Center, and we urge the leadership of ACPE to join us at the negotiating table in an attempt to undo this damage.
Raymond J. Lawrence
General Secretary, CPSP
For More Information:
http://www.pastoralreport.com/the_archives/2012/01/to_members_and.html#more
AND TO ALL MEMBERS OF THE CLINICAL PASTORAL COMMUNITY
The leadership of CPSP regrets to inform you that the mediation process between CPSP and ACPE has broken down. The Mediation Agreement which was signed with high hopes in Philadelphia, November 30, 2010, by the leadership of both organizations, and which created a good spirit and considerable optimism in the larger clinical pastoral field, has been critically breached.
The rupture has come about as a result of a threat from ACPE against the Robert Wood Johnson Medical Center's chaplaincy program as it goes for re-accreditation in January. The medical center’s clinical training program is directed by John deVelder has been accredited by ACPE for several decades. DeVelder is a certified CPE Supervisor with both ACPE and CPSP credentials. He is a prominent clinical pastoral supervisor, well-respected, past President of CPSP and former Chair of the COMISS Network.
The hospital was informed by ACPE that its accreditation would be in jeopardy if it failed to disassociate itself officially from CPSP. Since the hospital's administration did not want a fight on its hands between two accrediting organizations, it forced deVelder to resign from CPSP on December 16.
The 2010 Mediation Agreement was posited on the mutual agreement that ACPE would no longer enforce the hostile and derogatory language that had earlier been made official in the so-called ACPE "Motion 43." That article publicly describes CPSP programs as lacking in "consistent application of program standards…" and marked by "a lack of transparency" as well as unfair market practices. Such charges are without substance, and are clearly incongruent with the Mediation Agreement. Furthermore, such accusations are unbecoming of any clinical pastoral community's description of another, unless substantiated by persuasive evidence.
The 2010 Mediation Agreement states explicitly that ACPE and CPSP will refrain from mutual disparagement, or of judging the respective value of the other organization's programs.
ACPE has damaged the reputation of CPSP at Robert Wood Johnson Medical Center, and done so without a basis in fact. No self-respecting community can sit idle while its reputation is being tarnished in this way.
Therefore CPSP is requesting that the two organizations return to the negotiating table without delay in order to resolve in the best way possible the damage inflicted on CPSP at Robert Wood Johnson Medical Center.
The clinical training movement is a relatively small part of the wider culture. The work we are called to do is currently imperiled by many forces beyond our control. All the organizations in our field need to support one another as much as we are able. Ruthless competition amongst us is damaging to the entire movement.
As leaders in the field of religion and counseling we will bring shame on ourselves and the entire clinical pastoral movement if we are not able quickly to repair this breach and restore amicable relations between ACPE and CPSP.
We in CPSP are committed to the redemptive process in all human relationships and remain committed to the Mediation Agreement signed November, 30, 2010. We urge the ACPE to abide by that agreement as the only basis for a continuing collegial relationship between the two communities.
We are hopeful about the possibilities of repairing the damage done the clinical pastoral movement at Robert Wood Johnson Medical Center, and we urge the leadership of ACPE to join us at the negotiating table in an attempt to undo this damage.
Raymond J. Lawrence
General Secretary, CPSP
For More Information:
http://www.pastoralreport.com/the_archives/2012/01/to_members_and.html#more