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HCMA Certification Process
This describes the process for a candidate to qualify for professional certification as an HCMA Board Certified Chaplain (BCC). Certification as an HCMA Chaplain is a recognition of the attainment of specialized education and experience as a competent Chaplain. An HCMA BCC is an individual who has completed four Units of clinical pastoral education, a one-year internship and meets the Professional Competency Standards for a Chaplain as established by HCMA.
HCMA Certification Qualifications:
- Successful completion of four (4) Units (1600 hours) of clinical pastoral training. This would include submitting the four evaluations by the Supervisor/Teaching Chaplain who assessed the candidate’s competencies for each Unit of training.
- Successful completion of a one-year Internship under the supervision of an HCMA Teaching Chaplain.
- Attainment of chaplaincy skills established as Professional Competency Standards by HCMA.
- Letter of endorsement from an ecclesiastical group.
HCMA Certification Procedure:
The candidate for certification with HCMA will:
- Submit the four evaluations by the Supervisor/Teaching Chaplain who assessed the Chaplain-Trainee’s competencies for each Unit of clinical pastoral education.
- Submit the four evaluations by the Teaching Chaplain who assessed the Chaplain-Intern’s competencies during Internship.
- Submit the HCMA Certification Application Form.
- Submit a narrative statement, not to exceed ten pages, that explains and documents how the candidate demonstrates the competencies required for certification.
- Submit a letter of endorsement from an ecclesiastical group.
- Submit a recommendation from the candidate’s Area Director and Teaching Chaplain.
- Submit a current autobiography, not to exceed seven pages, that addresses the personal, professional and faith development of the candidate.
- Submit two verbatims by the candidate that demonstrate the competency of his/her ministry.
- Interview with the HCMA Certification Commission (Area Steering Committee).
- Primary purpose of the interview is to determine the attainment of personal, theological, pastoral care and professional competencies required for certification.
- Interview Team considers both written and oral presentation by candidate in reaching decision regarding recommendation.
- Chair of Interview Team will submit to HCMA Executive Director a written summary of team’s review and vote, and the team’s recommendation.
- If there are concerns about deficiencies in the candidate, then there will be a follow up interview with the candidate to discuss a plan for meeting certification requirements.
- Be recommended for certification by the HCMA Executive Director to the HCMA Board of Directors.
- Receive the certificate of professional certification at the HCMA Annual Clinical Conference (or by mail if absent). A copy will be placed in the candidate’s HCMA file. The HCMA office will send a letter notifying the candidate’s endorser that certification has been granted.
Professional Competency Standards:1
An HCMA Board Certified Chaplain (BCC) gives evidence of the personal, theological, pastoral care and professional competencies necessary to provide effective spiritual care in the healthcare setting.
- Personal Identity and Conduct Competencies are evidenced by ability to:
- Demonstrate self-knowledge that permits pastoral care to be offered within the context of one’s strengths and limitations.
- Be a self-reflective person who is well grounded in a relationship to the Lord Jesus Christ, self and others.
- Demonstrate emotional and spiritual maturity resulting in compassionate ministry that is respectful of other people, including their physical, emotional and spiritual boundaries.
- Build peer relationships for the purpose of support, confrontation and clarification.
- Articulate ways in which one’s feelings, attitudes, values and assumptions affect one’s pastoral care.
- Attend to one’s own physical, emotional and spiritual well-being.
- Use pastoral authority appropriately.
- Function according to the HCMA Code of Ethics, showing personal integrity in all areas of one’s life.
- Reflect professional behavior, including appropriate attire and personal hygiene.
- Theology of Pastoral Care Competencies are evidenced by ability to:
- Articulate and implement a pastoral theology that is integrated with practical pastoral care.
- Reflect theologically and to facilitate that spiritual formation process in others.
- Understand current theological/spiritual/religious beliefs, issues and practices among various religious groups as they affect pastoral care.
- Articulate a working knowledge of bio-ethical issues as they relate to pastoral care.
- Pastoral Care Competencies are evidenced by ability to:
- Initiate, deepen and terminate pastoral relationships with sensitivity, openness and respect.
- Provide effective pastoral support that contributes to the well-being of patients/residents, their family and staff.
- Communicate effectively with others through active listening and empathic responding.
- Use spiritual assessment, planning, intervention and evaluation in order to contribute to the plan of care.
- Offer pastoral care that is respectful of diversity and differences, including age, culture, diagnosis, disability, economic status, ethnicity, gender, race, sexual orientation, social status and religious beliefs and practices.
- Provide effective pastoral care to those suffering grief and loss.
- Understand ways in which psycho-social-pneuma dynamics and cultural/ethnic differences affect pastoral care practices.
- Triage and manage crisis situations in the practice of pastoral care.
- Develop, coordinate and facilitate public worship and spiritual practices appropriate to diverse settings and needs.
- Support others in the application of their own values in decision-making.
- Advocate for the persons in one’s care.
- Professional Competencies are evidenced by ability to:
- Promote the integration of Pastoral/Spiritual Care Services into the systems of the healthcare institution.
- Communicate effectively orally and in writing.
- Establish and maintain professional and interdisciplinary relationships, giving evidence of understanding professional accountability within the operational systems in the clinical setting.
- Articulate an understanding of institutional culture and systems, and systemic relationships.
- Support, promote and encourage ethical decision-making and care.
- Communicate effectively with other disciplines through the use of referral systems, chart entries (documentation of pastoral care) and other mechanisms in the clinical setting.
- Utilize pastoral perspective and competence in a variety of functions, such as worship, teaching, administration and team building.
- Foster collaborative relationships with community clergy and faith group leaders.
- Articulate ways in which one has used supervision, consultation and peer group process to evaluate personal and professional growth in ministry.
1HCMA officially affirms the Common Standards for Professional Chaplaincy that were affirmed by the council on collaboration on November 7, 2004. HCMA is not listed with the other organizations on this document because it was not included in the membership of this council.
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Becoming an HCMA Chaplain
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