CPSP Little Rock Chapter

VA Chaplaincy and Clinical Pastoral Education Requirements by George Hankins-Hull It is important to clear up some confusion that many have had concerning employment requirements as a VA chaplain. In order to qualify for employment as a VA Chaplain, an individual must have completed two units of Clinical Pastoral Education, or demonstrate equivalent training. Units of CPE completed and certified by the College of Pastoral Supervision & Psychotherapy, National Association of Catholic Chaplains and The Association of Clinical Pastoral Education all count toward this requirement. Equivalent training is not less than 800 hours of supervised ministry in a health care setting, such as a hospital or nursing home, which incorporated both ministry formation and pastoral care skills development. To be considered equivalent to CPE, training must include the following components: 1. It must be a formal educational program, with curriculum, theological reflection, and evaluation components, whi