The Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) Program at Carolinas HealthCare System began in 1982. Our program is the only healthcare-based pastoral education program in Charlotte that is accredited by the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education (ACPE). CPE is offered at Carolinas Medical Center and at CMC-Mercy.

The CPE Program provides interfaith professional training for clergy and lay people. This exciting type of adult learning combines the action of ministry with reflection through diverse seminars, individual supervision and conceptual material. The focus is on pastoral identity, pastoral authority and pastoral functioning in the midst of a supportive, structured and compassionate setting. In this unique type of theological education, the adult learner has the opportunity to integrate knowledge from medicine, psychology and spirituality into pastoral theology.

The essentials of clinical pastoral education include:

• Actual practice of ministry
• Reporting of visitation
• Pastoral supervision
• Process model of learning
• Theoretical presentations
• Small group of peers
• Specific time period of 400 hours including 100 hours of structured group and individual education
• Individual learning contract
• CPE Program under the auspices of an ACPE-certified supervisor at a ACPE-accredited center

The Department of Pastoral Care and Education is staffed by chaplains who are certified by the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education, Inc.:

• David Carl, M.Div., Executive Director, CMC Charlotte; ACPE Supervisor
• Terri Bolotin, M.Div., Assistant Director, CMC-Main; ACPE Supervisor
• Beth Jackson-Jordan, M.Div., Assistant Director, CMC-Main; ACPE Supervisor
• Barbara L. Bullock, M.Div., Assistant Director, CMC-Mercy; ACPE Supervisor
• Rose Sharon Bryan, M.Div., Clinical Pastoral Education Faculty, CMC-Main; ACPE Supervisor

The CPE Program offers four programs:

• Summer Unit - a 10-12 week full time program
• Extended Units - 13-26 week programs offered part-time in the fall and winter. A parish placement may be combined with placement in a CHS facility as part of the required 300 hours of clinical ministry
• Chaplain Residency Program - three units of clinical pastoral education
• Supervisory Education Program - leading to certification as an Associate Supervisor