ACCA-Certification

A. You may begin the process near the completion of the required one year experience as a correctional chaplain. However, you are urged to begin the process at the time that you decide to pursue a career in correctional chaplaincy. A certified correctional chaplain may be assigned to provide guidance as you obtain the needed credentials and experience (mentor). Upon the documentation of the credentials, you will become an "approved applicant for certification." This can be a valuable document to have in obtaining a correctional chaplaincy position

B. Send a letter requesting the Application Form or use the application form on this WEB SITE. Return the Form with all written materials and documentation listed under REQUIREMENTS for the category of certification you are seeking, plus the $10.00 application fee. This fee is non-refundable but will care for your application through setting of the certification interview. Your packet of materials will be in the hands of your mentor who will assist you in providing the required documents and will notify the Chair of Certification when the materials are complete. Those materials will be reviewed by 3 certified members. If they concur, this will be reported to the certification committee and you will be become an "approved applicant for certification."

C. When all materials are received and in good order, and you have completed 1 year as a professional correctional chaplain, a letter will be sent to you to that effect.

D. When all fees are paid, a place and time for the candidate to meet with the interview committee will be set. If at all possible your Presenter will be your Mentor or a Presenter will be appointed for the candidate to assist the candidate during the interview meeting.

E. At the end of the interview, the interview committee will indicate the recommendation which will be sent to the Certification Committee for vote. This recommendation will be for approval or non-approval for Certification, or for In Care Status with recommendations for continuing work toward Certification.

F. A Certificate will be sent to an approved candidate, and a notification letter to an appropriate authority as requested by the candidate.

All materials, fees, and other correspondence regarding, Certification by the ACCA are to be directed to:

2. Ecclesiastical Endorsement from religious endorsing agency of the candidate’s faith or religious judicatory.

(Submit official College Transcripts, Seminary, Graduate School, CPE Supervisors Evaluation )

4. Clinical Pastoral Education as required for the level of certification being sought, one unit may be an approved equivalent.

Documentation of CPE includes the self evaluation and CPE Supervisor evaluation of the unit.

Questions on equivalency may be directed to the Chair of the Certification Committee.

7. Payment of required fees. A total of $60.00 that will cover certification and membership.

ACCA membership fees and certification are separate. Membership is for one-year April to April i.e. April 2,2020 to April 2, 2020.

Certification is from the date of interview to i.e. August 3, 2020 to August 3, 2025 five years.

8. Official copies and/or formal written documentation of the above requirements, 1 through 5.

9. Letters of recommendation as required for the level of certification being sought:

10. Written paper demonstrating the competencies of a chaplain in a correctional setting, length as described in the category of

11. Autobiography addressing personal, professional, and faith development (350-500) words.

12. Dated Verbatim/s demonstrating pastoral competency as required for the category of certification being sought.

13. Meet in person with an interview committee [Face to Face interview meetings may be Via Zoom as determined by circumstance and

Certification Chair.] This interview will focus on the Theory of Pastoral Care Competencies (TPC), Identity and Conduct

competencies (IDC), Pastoral Competencies (PAS), and Professional Competencies (PRO) as required for the level of certification

Members of the American Correctional Chaplains Association are available for ministry to all prisoners and staff in jails, prisons, and other institutions in which they serve. Such ministry and outreach will be extended to all regardless of race, cause of confinement, sexual identity, creed, or religious belief. The following are areas in which members are available to assist:

All members are spiritual leaders, other than inmates, who participate in ministry to the incarcerated. All Association members, volunteer or employed by the institution, uphold the highest personal conduct. Unethical conduct that clearly violates the explicit agreement to abide by the acts of discipline described in this Code shall be grounds for disassociation by the members of this Association.

All members practice their ministry task as pastoral care providers through various religious activities. Chaplains function as religious professionals within the correctional setting and do not undertake roles that are contrary to that of pastoral care provider. They are empowered by their religious judicatory to administer ordinancesand/or sacraments, to counsel, and to provide worship and religious services for youth or adults in detention and correctional settings. All members make use of their skill and training to maintain the integrity and enhance the image of religious ministry in a correctional setting.

Confidentiality is respected by all members, oral and written communication is received with the expectation that such remains confidential and not divulged to others. An exception may be made where the content of such communication reveals danger to staff or prisoners and the prisoner is informed of the need for disclosure. Religious faiths hold that confidentiality by their clergy or those with parallel designation is a sacred trust. The Seal of the Sacrament of Confession and parallel requirements by all faith groups in matters of confidentiality are recognized and respected.

Members continue professional development in personal growth, education, spirituality and understanding of correctional issues. This development includes participation in meetings and training opportunities provided by this Association.

Members meet and maintain requirements set by their particular faith groups. Members maintain ties

with their religious faith groups for purposes of support, vocational identity, accountability, evaluation, and fellowship. Chaplains are those members who are ordained or have parallel designation, or otherwise vocation ally identified, for correctional chaplaincy by their religious judicatory or its designated endorsing body representing the faith group. Chaplains are thus authorized for religious ministry within jails or prisons as designated representatives the faith group. Volunteers, lay and ordained or who have parallel designation, have approval from their religious judicatory or appropriate religious superior in the faith group to serve as a volunteer representing the faith group in

a jail or prison. Members participate in a network or adherents to other faith groups for

purposes of common concerns of correctional chaplaincy, sharing of training opportunities, informing the community of needs and objectives of correctional chaplaincy, and fellowship.

Members relate to and cooperate with persons from other professional disciplines in their work environment and community. The welfare of an individual may be enriched and enhanced by consultations and referrals by members to professionals from other disciplines.

Members are responsible for effective ministry within the institution they serve, whether responsibility is for the overall program or for one part of it. Members exercise their ministry without influencing prisoners or staff to change their religious preference or faith. Members conduct their ministry without communicating derogative attitudes toward other faiths. Chaplains process all prisoner requests promptly, in order of urgency and without bias. Chaplains balance administrative duties with direct ministry through individual or group activities, which include religious services, spiritual activities, and pastoral counseling.

Members are primarily involved in matters directly related to the religious portion of the prisoners' institutional life and rehabilitation. Members maintain the highest ethical standard of behavior and avoid any social, personal, financial, or political situation that might discredit

their ministry. Chaplains are responsible for planning, coordinating, and supervising all religious activities and services. They are responsible for ministry to prisoners regardless of religious beliefs or affiliation, using outside sources for assistance when needed. Chaplains are responsible for preventing and correcting institutional policies and actions which distort, misuses, or suppress religious tenets and principles of all faith group adherents. Chaplains uphold and promote standards for religious faith and practice within the institution which are in harmony with the Standard for Faith and Practice devised by this Association for youth and adult detention and prison institutions.

Signature _______________________________________________________________ Date _____________

Recommended by the Certification Committee and Approved by the Executive Council on August 9, 2008, affirmed by our Certified Members, to be implemented January 1, 2009.

There shall be three categories: 1) Basic Certified Chaplain, 2) Certified Correctional Chaplain, and Certified Clinical Correctional Chaplain. All three categories require the following: At least 1 year or 2000 hours of experience as a correctional chaplain, ACCA membership, ordination or licensing for ministry, ecclesiastical endorsement by a recognized faith group for ministry in a specialized setting, agreement with the ACCA code of ethics, 350-500-word autobiography, a narrative statement of pastoral care and chaplaincy addressing the competencies specified, documentation of all requirements, certification fee, and an interview by a Certification Interview Committee. The three categories are:

(1) Basic Certified Correctional Chaplain. In addition to the requirements for all categories noted above, other requirements include: at least one unit of clinical pastoral education (CPE provided by the ACPE, CAPPE or NACC); at least 12 credits of counseling, psychology, or pastoral care courses, and at least three credits in religion at the bachelor’s or master’s level; two letters of recommendation, at least one of which will be from a facility supervisor; be willing to accept a Certified Correctional Chaplain “mentor” for consultation as needed and on a periodic basis; one dated verbatim representing the chaplain’s current level of functioning; a narrative statement on the chaplain’s pastoral care and chaplaincy work of approximately 1000 words demonstrating and citing the competencies listed below for a “Basic Certified Chaplain;” and other work as might be deemed needed to develop competencies to fulfill the role of a chaplain in a correctional setting as determined through the interview process.

(2) Certified Correctional Chaplain. In addition to the requirements for all categories noted above, other requirements include: at least two units of clinical pastoral education (CPE provided by the ACPE, CAPPE or NACC; one unit may be an equivalent unit, per ACCA guidelines); three letters, at least one of which will be from a facility supervisor; master’s degree in religion, social science or related field from an institution accredited by either the Association of Theological Schools or one of the regional Association of Colleges and Schools (www.chea.org) or equivalent; two dated verbatim representing the chaplain’s current level of functioning; a narrative statement of the chaplain’s pastoral care and chaplaincy work of approximately 2000 words demonstrating and citing the competencies listed below for a “Certified Correctional Chaplain;”

(3) Certified Clinical Correctional Chaplain. In addition to the requirements for all categories noted above, other requirements include: at least four units of clinical pastoral education (CPE provided by the ACPE, CAPPE or NACC; one unit may be an equivalent unit, per ACCA guidelines); four letters, at least one of which will be from a facility supervisor; master’s degree of a minimum of 72 semester hours or 108 quarter hours of credit in religion, social science or related field from an institution accredited by either the Association of Theological Schools or one of the regional Association of Colleges and Schools (www.chea.org) or equivalent; two dated verbatim representing the chaplain’s current level of functioning one of which must have been in the past year; a narrative statement of the chaplain’s pastoral care and chaplaincy work of approximately 2000 words demonstrating and citing the competencies listed below for a “ Certified Clinical Correctional Chaplain.”

Competencies

Competencies to be demonstrated for each of the above categories are paralleling the competencies required for certified chaplains by the Association of Professional Chaplains (APC) as established by the Spiritual Care Collaborative.

EDUCATION: College_________________________	Degree_______________________	Year_______
Seminary________________________	Degree_______________________	Year_______
Postgraduate____________________	Degree_______________________	Year_______
CPE ___________________________	Unit 1 _______________________	Year ______
CPE ___________________________	Unit 2 _______________________	Year ______
CPE ___________________________	Additional Units ________________	Years _____

Name:__________________________________________	Date:______________
Agency Name:___________________________________	Title:_______________________

DATE	SUBJECT	LOCATION	HOURS