Frequently Asked Questions

Questions 

When is payment due?

Can I pay by P.O.? 

How many hours of work a week will the program require?

Do I need to be online at certain times?

Can I move through the program at a faster pace than one module a week?

Will I need to purchase any additional text books or resource materials?

Will a letter grade be issued for the program?

Are CEU's available for this program?

When will this program be offered again?

Does registering on the Priority Wait List guarentee me a seat in the program?

How do I get in touch with the program instructor?

Are applicants required to be ordained or have 4 Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) units before taking this course? Or is this course going to replace CPE and ordination as far as being certified to be a hospice/palliative care chaplain?

Does this course meet the competencies set by APC?

Answers 

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When is payment due?

Payment in full is due at the time of registration. At this time payment plans or financial aid is not available.

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Can I pay by P.O.? 

Yes. If you have already reserved a seat in the program and would like to pay by P.O. please send all of the contact information for the participant, any required forms, and contact information of the party handling the PO to Nicole Orsini at norsini@csusm.edu. Please note that there is limited space in each program so you will need to contact Nicole Orsini to reserve your seat in the program before processing the P.O.

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How many hours of work a week will the program require?

The program will require 8-10 hours a week of reading and assignments.

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Do I need to be online at certain times?

No. Participants will be given assignments for each module with deadlines. The work can be completed on the participants own time as long as deadlines are met.

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Can I move through the program at a faster pace than one module a week?

No. the program is structured as a cohort, so participants will move through the material as a group. All work must be completed by the deadline in order to receive a certificate.

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Will I need to purchase any additional text books or resource materials?

No. All materials will be posted online and can be accessed through the online program page.

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Will a letter grade be issued for the program?

No. The program is a pass/fail program. However, if your company requires proof that you have passed the course for reimbursement purposes, the Institute for Palliative Care can issue a letter stating you have passed the course. 

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Are CEU's available for this program?

Yes. The National Association of Catholic Chaplains has approved this program for 8 Continuing Education Hours per Module for a total of 72 Continuing Education Hours. Please contact the National Association of Catholic Chaplains for more information.

The APC no longer approves specific programs for continuing education credit. However, APC BBCs may submit any program they attend as long s the content is relevant and appropriate for Chaplains. For more information on what they will accept, please contact APC.

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When will this program be offered again?

We are working on scheduling the dates for the rest of the 2013 calendar year and will post the dates online within the next month. At this time we are scheduling dates in June and September with a possibility of an earlier cohort if our faculty is available. We would be happy to put you on our Priority Wait list so you receive first notification when registration is available. To be added to the Priority Wait List please contact Nicole Orsini at norsini@csusm.edu with your full name, mailing address, phone number, and email address.

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Does registering on the Priority Wait List guarentee me a seat in the program?

No. Priority Wait List members will receive notification of registration availability before the registration is posted online for the general public. There are limited seats in each cohort and seats are reserved on a first-come-first served basis. 

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How do I get in touch with the program instructor?

For questions related to program content, please contact Rev. Amy Strano at 212-644-1111 x219 or

astrano@healthcarechaplaincy.org

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Are applicants required to be ordained or have 4 Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) units before taking this course? Or is this course going to replace CPE and ordination as far as being certified to be a hospice/palliative care chaplain?

The short answer is "no."  Participants in the course are not required to be ordained or have 4 units of CPE.  Nor does the course replace CPE and ordination.

Rather, the course is designed for 3 groups of participants:

1. For board certified chaplains who are interested in applying to one of the professional associations offering a specialty certificate in palliative and hospice chaplaincy, this course will provide a wealth of knowledge and skills to assist them in their preparation for that process. However, they will still need to meet the particular requirements of the professional chaplaincy organization to apply for the specialty certification.

2.  The course is also designed for chaplains who are not board certified.  It does not replace CPE which has a different depth and breadth.  However, many chaplains working in rural areas do not have access to CPE sites yet want to have in-depth education in palliative care.  This program will offer that.  It offers a certificate of completion of the course, not any sort of equivalency to CPE.

3.  The course is also open to persons from other disciplines than chaplaincy who are interested in receiving training in palliative care from a spiritual foundation.  This will also assist in helping them to understand the role of the chaplain as a highly skilled and contributing member of the multidisciplinary team.

Because the course is made up of cohorts, the opportunity exists for persons from all three groups to participate in learning together from their various perspectives.

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Does this course meet the competencies set by APC?

The goal of this course is to prepare students to meet the competencies as set by APC.  APC, or one’s accrediting organization, will then determine if the competencies have been met for certification in the specialty.

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Don't see the answer to your question? Please feel free to contact Nicole Orsini at norsini@csusm.edu or call our main office at 760-750-4020.