ASSOCIATIONS

American Association of Pastoral Counselors (AAPC)

AAPC represents and sets professional standards for over 3,000 Pastoral Counselors and 100 pastoral counseling centers in North America and around the world. AAPC was founded in 1963 as an organization which certifies Pastoral Counselors, accredits pastoral counseling centers, and approves training programs. It is non-sectarian and respects the spiritual commitments and religious traditions of those who seek assistance without imposing counselor beliefs onto the client.

AMA's work includes the development and promotion of standards in medical practice, research, and education; strong advocacy agenda on behalf of patients and physicians; and the commitment to providing accurate, timely information and discourse on matters important to the health of America. The AMA strives to serve as the voice of the American medical profession. Being that voice is their mission.

Association for Clinical Pastoral Education (ACPE) is a multicultural, multifaith organization devoted to providing education and improving the quality of ministry and pastoral care offered by spiritual caregivers of all faiths through the clinical educational methods of Clinical Pastoral Education.

The Association of Professional Chaplains (APC) is an interfaith professional pastoral care association serving chaplains in health and human service settings throughout the world. The mission of the Association is to provide excellence in pastoral care through education, research, standards of care, certification, and support of members, and to promote public support for skilled spiritual care.

The Canadian Association for Pastoral Practice and Education (CAPPE) is a national multifaith organization which is committed to the professional education, certification and support of people involved in pastoral care and pastoral counselling. CAPPE provides educational programs for lay persons and clergy who are preparing to become chaplains, pastoral counsellors, ministers, priests, or community based pastoral care workers. It provides education and certification for supervisors and specialists. And is concerned with a holistic approach to health care and personal development with a special focus on spiritual and religious care.

The Catholic Health Association of the United States (CHA) represents the combined strength of its members, more than 2,000 Catholic health care sponsors, systems, facilities, and related organizations. Founded in 1915, CHA unites members to advance selected strategic issues that are best addressed together rather than as individual organizations. It strengthens the Church's healing ministry in the United States by advocating for a just health care system, convening leaders to share ideas and foster collaboration, and uniting the ministry voice on critical issues.

COMISS Network strives to promote spiritual well-being as essential to personal, organizational, and societal health. To be an active and effective presence which empowers, nurtures, advocates, bridges, and transforms.

The HealthCare Chaplaincy is a multifaith community of professionals committed to the advancement of pastoral care, education and research. They are dedicated to the spiritual care of all persons who are suffering in body, mind and spirit.

The International Association of Pastoral Counselors is a professional association of clergy, mental health professionals, and family life educators dedicated to the support and development of pastoral counseling.

The International Pastoral Care Network for Social Responsibility (IPCNSR) is an interfaith network of concerned clergy and lay persons who are engaged in specialized ministries of pastoral care/pastoral theology in some fifty countries. They are committed to cooperating with their brother and sister specialists, across national boundaries, in using their dual training in the theological and psychological disciplines, to help save God's creation, our precious planet, from ecological disaster, epidemic violence, over population and dehumanizing poverty and oppression. They build communication bridges, exchange news and views through a quarterly newsletter, hold theory-building conferences periodically, explore the spiritual roots of violence against people and the biosphere, and engage in collaborative action to contribute to a positive, justice-based future for all members of the human family.

COMISS Commission on Accreditation of Pastoral Services (formerly JCAPS) provides national consultation, evaluation, and accreditation of institutions for their delivery of pastoral services. Standards are developed by commissioners appointed by the COMISS Network Leadership.

The mission of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) is to continuously improve the safety and quality of care provided to the public through the provision of health care accreditation and related services that support performance improvement in health care organizations. The Joint Commission evaluates and accredits nearly 19,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States. An independent, not-for-profit organization, the Joint Commission is the nation’s predominant standards-setting and accrediting body in health care. Since 1951, the Joint Commission has developed state-of-the-art, professionally based standards and evaluated the compliance of health care organizations against these benchmarks.

The National Association for Lay Ministry (NALM) is a professional organization that supports, educates and advocates for lay ministers and promotes the development of lay ministry in the Catholic Church.

National Association of Jewish Chaplains (NAJC) is a professional organization for Rabbis, Cantors, and other Jewish professionals functioning as Jewish Chaplains in hospitals, nursing homes and geriatric centers, psychiatric facilities, correctional centers, and the military. In addition to offering collegial support to and professional certification of Jewish Chaplains, NAJC provides conferences and ongoing resources to its members to foster services to and resources for the Jewish and general community on issues of pastoral and spiritual care based on Jewish traditions and values.

National Coalition for Health Professional Education in Genetics (NCHPEG)

The mission of NCHPEG is to promote health professional education and access to information about advances in human genetics to improve the health care of the nation. [The National Association of Catholic Chaplains is a member of NCHPEG.]

The National Institute of Business and Industrial Chaplains (NIBIC) is the national professional organization for business and industrial chaplains, as well as other people interested in furthering, promoting, and encouraging this form of ministry. The membership of NIBIC is composed of ministers, priests, rabbis, and laypersons.

The Pediatric Chaplains Network, Inc. (PCN) is a collaborative fellowship of pediatric chaplains and others interested in the spiritual care of ill and injured children, their families, and the pediatric medical team.

The Association of Roman Catholic Chaplains (RCCHC) in Health Care arose out of a need to provide support for those involved in Roman Catholic Chaplaincy work and to develop and promote good practice in Roman Catholic Chaplaincy in England and Wales.

The Pennsylvania Society of Chaplains is an informal association of chaplains serving hospitals and healthcare facilities in Pennsylvania. In 2002, it formally incorporated as a tax-exempt non-profit organization so that it might expand its mission and scope.

The Spiritual Care Collaborative (SCC) was formed to provide a common voice for professional pastoral care, counseling and education organizations in the United States and Canada. Our goal is to speak with a unified voice as clinically trained, qualified pastoral/spiritual caregivers who serve as chaplains, pastoral educators and counselors in specialized settings including hospitals and other healthcare organizations, military, prisons, and the business workplace.

Throughout human history, individuals have been called to accompany others seeking the Mystery we name God. In this time, Spiritual Directors International responds to this call by tending the holy around the world and across traditions.

The Wisconsin Chaplaincy Association, Inc. is an interfaith, non-profit, educational corporation whose mission is fourfold: To promote excellence in spiritual care for persons in specialized settings, primarily in public, non-profit and religious institutions. To advocate with institutions and with government for the funding, selection and placement of qualified chaplains according to current national professional standards. To provide information through a communications network, to chaplains, clergy/religious leaders, parish nurses, institutions and faith groups. To provide a professional educational support network via conferences and workshops to support the professional needs of Chaplains as they minister to those in the institutions of Wisconsin.