Shared Purpose
Supporting Spiritual Care Education
Affiliate Organizations help extend Clinical Pastoral Education into healthcare, ministry, community and other spiritual care settings.
CPEI Affiliates
CPEI Affiliate Organizations extend access to Clinical Pastoral Education through structured relationships built on shared purpose, clear responsibilities, ethical practice and mutual accountability.
How Affiliation Works
An Affiliate Organization is a legal entity that formally partners with CPEI in support of its educational mission. The relationship is established through CPEI’s Affiliate Organization process and a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).
CPEI provides institutional and academic oversight, educational standards, student and records systems, program processes and organizational support. Affiliate Organizations provide the local context, cooperation and resources needed to support CPEI education in their settings.
Shared Educational Mission
Affiliation gives organizations a formal way to participate in CPEI’s educational mission within established standards, responsibilities and institutional processes.
Shared Purpose
Affiliate Organizations help extend Clinical Pastoral Education into healthcare, ministry, community and other spiritual care settings.
Formal Relationship
Affiliation is established through application, approval, required documentation and a Memorandum of Understanding between CPEI and the Affiliate Organization.
Accountability
Affiliates operate within applicable CPEI educational expectations, policies, documentation requirements and institutional standards.
Collaboration
Successful affiliation depends on accurate information, timely communication, responsible documentation and a shared commitment to student learning.
Roles & Responsibilities
CPEI and its Affiliate Organizations work together while retaining responsibility for their respective institutional, academic and local operations.
CPEI
Affiliate Organization
Boundaries & Authority
Affiliation creates collaboration without transferring each organization’s underlying institutional responsibilities.
Affiliation does not transfer CPEI’s academic governance to the Affiliate Organization, nor does it make CPEI responsible for the affiliate’s employment practices, workplace policies or internal operations.
CPEI’s Commitment
CPEI supports Affiliate Organizations through a defined educational framework, institutional processes and ongoing communication.
Guidance regarding affiliation requirements, student learning, documentation and applicable CPEI policies.
Respectful communication and reasonable follow-through from CPEI staff, faculty and representatives.
CPEI maintains responsibility for academic structure, educational standards and the student learning framework.
Student-facing systems and support related to education, records, technology and institutional policies.
Recognition of each affiliate’s setting, mission, organizational needs and local requirements.
Processes for addressing concerns involving education, documentation, compliance or ethical practice.
Affiliate Responsibilities
Affiliate Organizations help protect the quality, integrity and continuity of CPEI’s educational work.
Support for CPEI’s educational mission and commitment to ethical spiritual care formation.
Access to meaningful learning opportunities appropriate to the student’s program and level of preparation.
Prompt communication about concerns, site changes, student access or matters affecting the learning environment.
Timely completion of required agreements, fees, documentation and applicable compliance requirements.
Professional cooperation with students, Supervisor-Educators, staff and others involved in the educational process.
Responsibility for the affiliate’s own operations, site requirements, policies and local points of contact.
Affiliation Process
Affiliation follows a formal application and approval process. Additional documentation or requirements may apply depending on the organization and educational setting.
The organization or eligible CPEI Supervisor-Educator or Training Supervisor-Educator submits the Affiliate Organization application and required application fee.
CPEI reviews the application and determines whether the proposed affiliation can be approved.
Approved applicants complete required terms, fees, the Memorandum of Understanding and applicable compliance documentation.
CPEI establishes the Affiliate Organization within its institutional systems and provides approval information and related resources.
Affiliates maintain required documentation, fees, communication and compliance to remain in good standing.
Ongoing Affiliation
Affiliate Organizations are expected to remain current with applicable financial obligations, required documentation and CPEI compliance requirements.
CPEI maintains processes for active, inactive and non-compliant affiliate status and works with organizations to address outstanding requirements when possible.
Start a Conversation
Explore the affiliate application process or contact CPEI to discuss your organization and its interest in supporting Clinical Pastoral Education.