Announcements

Fall Greetings from the Executive Director…

"Timely information and a noted cancellation"

During the past 18 months AAPC has passed through a creative period of transition. In the coming weeks you will be updated on how the changes will assist your work and vocation. Below is a glimpse.

The programmatic work of the Association has been consolidated into two divisions that appoint time limited task forces to carry forth specified initiatives.  

The Products and Services Division develops "resources" to enhance members' capacity to address emerging needs. This includes models of clinical practice and community engagement in partial response to healthcare reform and integrated care.

The Membership Division, presently working with regions, is identifying more than 50 "new" educational institutions that offer graduate degrees in pastoral counseling and spiritually integrated care. AAPC will actively engage the next generation of Pastoral Counselors.

Our membership increasingly represents a breadth of work place settings where spiritually integrated care is utilized: recovery programs, healthcare for the homeless, hospice, emergency medicine, employee assistance programs, collaborative and faith based community initiatives etc.

AAPC and Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary are exploring the collaborative utilization of distance learning and virtual classroom education for trainings, webinars etc.

The website is more dynamic and user friendly. It connects members and inquirers through various social media. It is realizing benefits and surprises.

Monthly meetings between Regional Chairs, Leadership Committees and the Executive Director facilitate decision making and strategic planning. The Fall Regional Meetings in 2012 and 2013 will continue to highlight, through working models and tangible examples, the fulfillment of AAPC's mission.

After thoughtful and intentional consideration, the association's annual conference will not be held in 2013. We want to creatively consider various "conference" options. How might we envision this? You will be asked to play a part. A survey is being developed to assess what will best equip the Association and its members to serve our clients, communities, students and constituents.

This decision provides additional time for creativity and planning to focus on AAPC's 50^th Anniversary conference, 2014, in St. Louis. 

Doug Ronsheim

GIVE AN HOUR for the Troops 

http://www.giveanhour.org

Four major mental health associations in the United States, American Association of Pastoral Counselors, American Psychiatric Association, American Psychological Association, and National Association of Social Workers, announced their support of"Give an Hour,"a non-profit organization providing free mental health counseling to returning troops and their families.  It is unprecedented that these organizations have come together in support of a single cause, underlining the importance of the services that these professionals believe"Give an Hour"is providing and recognizing the urgency of getting help to the brave men and women who have served our country.

This partnership will allow"Give an Hour"to reach 400,000 mental health professionals with a call to action to join their network.