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Dear Members,

After careful and extensive deliberation, the ACPE Board of Directors voted to withdraw from the renewal of recognition process with the United States Department of Education (USDE) on Friday, 10/25/2024. This decision was made with the stated support of the Chair and Chair-elect of the ACPE Accreditation Commission. Collectively, we agree it is in the best interest of our association at this time.

The primary reasons for this decision stem from preliminary USDE feedback, which indicates the agency’s continued concerns regarding ACPE’s ability to demonstrate student achievement, program achievement, and adverse action policies as an accrediting body. While the agency recognizes the incredible amount of work ACPE has done in these last few years, it does not believe we sufficiently demonstrated compliance within the timeframe allotted. Rather than proceeding through to a potentially adverse outcome, i.e. termination of recognition, we have chosen to take a step back, reassess, and address the issues the USDE has brought to our attention over the course of this process. We understand this decision is disheartening; however, we do not want to jeopardize our organization's long-standing, positive reputation by continuing through to an unfavorable end. 

We extend gratitude for the tremendous work undertaken by members of the Accreditation Commission and the staff members who have supported them. We also acknowledge that all of our programs and educators have worked hard to adapt to changing processes and offer assurance that these efforts have not been in vain.

What this means for us:

1. First and foremost, we recognize our decision will have the most significant and direct impact on our programs within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). We have contacted leadership within the VA and are working closely with them to define steps forward that will be the least disruptive to our educators and students there.

2.  Again, while ACPE has always been proud of the distinguished recognition from USDE, this decision of intentional withdrawal does not mitigate our stated expectations for the delivery of CPE. Our work upholding the ACPE Standards and implementing revisions will continue with the support of our dedicated Accreditation Commission. Our steps thus far and in the future will continue to sustain and elevate the quality we offer as the leading model of education in this space.

3. ACPE is recognized as a national accrediting body in the federal regulation for Medicare Passthrough funding. However, according to Lerrill White, an ACPE member well-versed in this area, “the language of the statute implies that there is an agency that ‘recognizes’ accrediting organizations. This is an area we will need to explore further with CMS.” More in-depth communication will be provided as soon as it becomes available. 

4. This decision does not significantly impact our mission to be the standard for spiritual care and education, nor does it broadly inhibit the delivery of the excellent education for which we are esteemed. Students within our programs can rest assured they will continue receiving the highest-quality training in the industry. Our institutional and programmatic partners and collaborators can remain confident of the same.

5. Lastly, the substantial work underway to operationalize our latest strategic plan will continue with lessons learned from this experience.

Keeping you informed:



ACPE is currently developing a comprehensive communications plan to facilitate dialogue and chart our path forward, which includes the potential reapplication for USDE recognition within the next 12 months. In the coming months, we are organizing a series of opportunities to answer questions, gather feedback, and collaborate on solutions. The first is a virtual town hall held on Tuesday, November 12, 2024. More specific details on how you can join and participate will be released in the coming days. 

As a new leadership administration, your trust and confidence in our capabilities are paramount, and we remain committed to earning and maintaining that trust through open communication and accountability. Our commitment to you is as follows:

• We will continue to engage you with respect, integrity, and transparency throughout this process.
• We will uplift and foster two-way communication with members and our partners. 
• We will provide routine updates to ensure you are apprised of our progress as we address the USDE findings.

Finally, while the gravity of this decision weighs heavy on us all, we also view this as an opportunity to amplify our work of strengthening and positioning ACPE as a “future-ready” organization. We are confident we will continue to level-set the highest standards, and with your support and active participation, we will lay the foundation for superior outcomes for future generations.

As we collectively navigate this circumstance, thank you for your continued dedication and support. We remain hopeful and are excited to advance our organization’s mission together.

With hope and warm regards,

With full support from: