Association for Clinical Pastoral Education.

The Association for Clinical Pastoral Education (ACPE) was formed on November 17, 1967 by the merger of four organizations: the Association of Clinical Pastoral Educators (formerly, the Southern Baptist Association for Clinical Pastoral Education), the Council for Clinical Training, Inc. (CCT), the Institute of Pastoral Care, Inc., and the Department of Institutional Chaplaincy and Clinical Pastoral Education - Lutheran Council in the U.S.A.

While the formation of the ACPE joined together four organizations, a decentralization of function which had already begun, at least within the CCT, continued following the merger. Training of students and other regular operations increasingly became the work of local centers and of the regions, while the national organization turned its attention more fully toward development of standards, accreditation of training centers, certification of training supervisors and promotion of the CPE movement. Following a time of consolidation of the new organization, the ACPE began to work more directly with other organizations having similar interests, such as the American Association of Pastoral Counselors, the Association of Mental Health Chaplains and the National Association of Catholic Chaplains.

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