Mission and Goals for 2005-2009
Introduction
As a professional organization founded in 1964, AAPC was originally established to bring standards, order and communication to the newly expanding profession of Pastoral Counseling. Responding primarily to the Christian community's need for a form of depth ministry, pastoral counseling specialists emerged, drawing together the inspiration of the church and the wisdom of behavioral sciences. While maintaining these historical roots and vision over the past 40 years, AAPC is evolving into a more diverse professional organization serving within an increasingly complex world. Our members now represent a broader spectrum of theological and spiritual traditions and work among a wide variety of health care providers and settings. They provide services within increasingly multi-cultural, interfaith, multi-disciplinary and racially diverse communities and within a vastly more interconnected, conflicted and technically sophisticated world scene.
The following Plan will assist the Association in building upon its historic mission and discerning new goals which reflect the changing needs of these complicated and uncertain times. As Regions and Members review and begin to implement the resulting action plans, we will each be strengthened in our abilities to promote the well-being of persons and communities.
Mission Statement
To promote the profession and the practice of Pastoral Counseling and to train future generations of the profession.
AAPC through the work of its members strives to:
- Provide pastoral counseling, psychotherapy, consultation, education, certification and accreditation as an extension of the ministry of faith communities.
- Commit to recruit new members and retain and revitalize present membership.
- Promote pastoral counseling and care practices that are ethically sound, clinically competent, theologically grounded and sensitive to multiple faith and spiritual practices.
- Provide professional formation, credentialing and collegial membership for those who seek to integrate the resources of spirituality, theology and faith traditions into their professional practice.
- Utilize governance, education, training, professional practice and collegial relationships to move AAPC toward a culturally competent and diverse Association.
- Advocate the well-being of persons and communities.
Core Values
As an Association we are committed to:
- Grounding our work in the theological, psychological, social and spiritual dimensions of all human endeavors.
- Affirming the dignity and diversity of all persons by embodying cultural, ethnic and racial sensitivity in our professional practices, collegial relationships and our Association governance.
- Respecting and engaging religious diversity as a way of discerning the rich and varied expression of the Holy and spiritual practice in the world.
- Working actively for the wholeness of individuals, relationships, families, institutions and communities.
- Engaging in lifelong formative processes of personal, professional and spiritual growth.
- Maintaining high standards of accountability and ethical conduct.
- Practicing responsible stewardship in the use of resources.
- Contributing to the support and health of existing religious institutions through our professional services and our covenantal relationships with our own faith communities.
Future Direction
In five years, AAPC will be widely known and respected as a theologically diverse, professional association that supports psychologically informed, culturally and spiritually sensitive therapeutic and pastoral practices. Through supporting its membership and providing a resource for congregations, communities, and networks of care, it will contribute significantly to the wellness of individuals, families, congregations, institutions and communities.
Goals for 2005-2009
I. AAPC will vigorously pursue its mission of advocacy of the integration of psychotherapy, theology and spirituality to reflect the core values of the organization.
Objectives:
A. Participate in coalitions, connections, and networks with denominations, faith groups, cognate groups, and other networks of care in order to increase public accessibility to the Association's members.
Action Step: 1
Continue to participate in COMISS Network – The Network on Ministry in Specialized Settings (COMISS)
Tactic: 1
The Executive Director, President and Vice President will continue to represent AAPC by participating in the annual COMISS meeting. As appropriate, they will report to the Board of Directors, Association Action Council, Regions and/or AAPC office staff about issues and opportunities for involvement by AAPC and its members.
Action Step: 2
Continue to participate in the Council on Collaboration, (representing National Association of Catholic Chaplains; National Association of Jewish Chaplains; Association of Professional Chaplains; Association for Clinical Pastoral Education; and Canadian Association for Pastoral Practice and Education.)
Tactic: 1
AAPC staff will provide Council on Collaboration sites to AAPC members. This will provide access to names of pastoral care professionals that could be potential referral sources for patients who are in need of care following discharge from hospitals.
Tactic: 2
The Executive Director in concert with appropriate AAPC structures will develop and implement opportunities for pastoral counselors and pastoral care providers to work on collaborative models of service delivery, education and training.
Action Step: 3
Increase visibility among endorsing Denominations and Judicatories represented in its membership. Such increased visibility will enhance referrals and opportunities for collaborative working relationships.
Tactic: 1
The Association staff in concert with appropriate AAPC structures will place "advertisements" and "public service announcements" on Denominational and Judicatory web sites describing the services of Pastoral Counseling Centers and Counselors with a link to the AAPC Web site to find the Pastoral Counselor in closest proximity.
Tactic: 2
Regional Chairs working with the Executive Director will encourage AAPC members to submit articles regarding pastoral counseling and educational services to local newspapers, to newsletters of "Council of Churches" and to local congregations.
Action Step: 4
Continue to build relationships with organizations and Networks of Care which have a national presence to facilitate local relationships with pastoral counselors and centers and potential partnerships for mission.
Tactic: 1
The Executive Director in concert with appropriate AAPC structures will utilize affiliations with national entities (for example-National Association of Community Health Centers, American Academy for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry etc) to facilitate local relationships with pastoral counselors for collaborative program development.
B. Serve as a resource to AAPC members and other networks through research, educational events and publications.
Action Step: 1
Demonstrate and promote a shared perspective of an interface of medicine and religion in the practice arena utilizing chaplains, community based clergy or other religious professionals.
Tactic: 1
AAPC working groups (time and focus specific) will initiate several pilot projects, in cooperation with health related partners that focus on outcome studies, qualitative and quantitative, to demonstrate the efficacy of pastoral counseling as a modality of care.
Action Step: 2
The Program Planning Committee will offer educational opportunities at annual conferences to be held in locations that are welcoming to diverse populations that provide the best value for a setting, transportation etc.
Tactic: 1
The Program Planning Committee will utilize post conference evaluations to ascertain the above information.
Action Step: 3
Develop on line, connected learning opportunities.
Tactic: 1
The Executive Director in concert with the Certification Committee and the Institutional Accreditation Committee will develop on line learning opportunities by utilizing the Oates Institute.
Tactic: 2
The office staff and web developer have developed a "Members Only" section on its web site. Educational endeavors will be able to be accessed and downloaded from the "Members Only" section. This section will also promote a variety of educational events and provide links to regional sites.
Action Step: 4
Provide publications at a reduced cost as a member benefit and a possible on line journal.
Tactic: 1
The development of an e-journal will be considered to include a variety of theological and human science perspectives as well as quantitative and qualitative research in addressing issues and topics relating to pastora counseling. It is hoped to encourage students, clinicians, supervisors and teachers to write scholarly and reflective articles on topics relating to pastoral counseling.
C. Advocate for the profession in order to increase the visibility in the general public, to affect policy impacting its work, and to gain legislative recognition.
Action Step: 1
Monitor legislation, regulations and policies that affect the practice of pastoral counseling, marriage and family therapy and licensed professional counseling.
Tactic: 1
The Executive Director in concert with Regional Representatives will utilize StateNet; a web based Internet Company, for this purpose.
D. Position AAPC among the general public, faith and spiritual communities, mental health and health care professions, as a trusted, understood and respected resource.
Action Step: 1
Leverage the impact AAPC has had on various aspects of people's lives (individuals, families, organizations) to reach the general public with messages of AAPC's value to society.
Tactic: 1
The Executive Director in concert with Association leadership and committees will position and provide information which positions AAPC as a resource for key public opinion influencers, including the media, people of faith, policy makers and family health care providers.
E. Establish AAPC as an active partner with pastoral counselors and other faith-based mental health practitioners outside of North America, with special attention to cross-cultural training opportunities and elimination of accreditation barriers.
Action Step: 1
Executive Director and Association Action Council will clarify international member’s connections to regions.
Tactic: 1
Association staff in concert with the International Association of Pastoral Counselors liaison, Institutional Accreditation Committee, and Certification Committee will clarify relationship of AAPC international members.
Action Step: 2
Identify cadre of US and Canadian AAPC members with international experience, and of pastoral counselors beyond North American with US experience, who have an interest in extending cross-cultural cooperation in pastoral counseling.
Tactic: 1
Develop a data base of AAPC Members who have taught, supervised, or counseled overseas.
Tactic: 2
Develop data base of non-North American pastoral counselors who have taught, supervised, or counseled in the United States.
Tactic: 3
Membership Services and Centers and Training Committee will develop an internet-based clearing house for individuals who are seeking opportunities to train or teach active counseling ministries in settings other than their home countries.
Action Step: 3
Membership Services, Centers and Training Committee and Institutional Accreditation Committee will identify key pastoral counseling training institutions outside North America and establish regular institutional contact with them.
Tactic: 1
Establish a voluntary registry on the "Members Only" section of the AAPC website of pastoral counseling training institutions outside North America, for reference by one another and by American pastoral counselors seeking to minister overseas.
Tactic: 2
Establish a regular pattern of soliciting those institutions for what they are able to contribute to pastoral counseling in North America, and what they request from AAPC and North American pastoral counseling institutions.
Tactic: 3
Invite the finance committee to consider including some AAPC support for the Executive Director and/or President’s attendance at the International Congress every four years.
II. AAPC will embark on a plan of recruitment, retention and revitalization.
Objectives
A. Recruitment
Action Step: 1
Market to potential membership base the positive impact AAPC can have on their lives, including personal and professional development, training and education, national/state advocacy and networking. The target audiences can be separated into four categories:
Tactic: 1
The Certification Committee, Centers and Training Committee and Institutional Accreditation Committee will work together to market the Pastoral Care Specialist category to potential markets within regions. This can be done through direct contact with congregations and judicatories.
Tactic: 2
Joint M. Div /clinical counseling degree programs will be identified by the Certification Committee. This information will be forwarded to Regional Executive Councils for distribution to local contacts for follow up.
Tactic: 3
The Executive Director working with the Certification, Centers and Training and Institutional Accreditation Committees will identify degree granting programs in Pastoral Counseling. Locations of such institutions will be forwarded to Regional Executive Committees for developing local contacts for follow up.
Tactic: 4
Students will be invited to attend regional meetings and offered scholarships as appropriate.
Tactic: 5
The Certification Committee will develop a "new professional" category of membership designed to ease the passage of students from student status to member status.
Tactic: 6
The Executive Director working with regional representatives of the Certification and Institutional Accreditation Committees will identify professional counseling organizations’ websites on a state by state basis. Links will be developed to AAPC website and information regarding conferences, trainings etc that are offered regarding the integration of psychotherapy and spirituality.
Tactic: 7
The Executive Director will contact representatives of Professional Therapy/Counseling organizations to apprize them of the uniqueness of AAPC and the possibilities of potential collaboration.
Action Step: 2
Market to individuals representing diverse populations the benefits of affiliation with AAPC.
Tactic: 1
The Program Planning committee will offer skill-based, culturally sensitive training as pre-conference workshops at Association meetings.
Tactic: 2
Regional Planning Committees will invite individuals representing diverse populations to attend regional meetings. This will serve as an introduction to the benefit of affiliation with AAPC.
Tactic: 3
The Board of Directors will serve as the diversity committee of AAPC. This is to ensure that leadership will attend to the importance of diversity and will develop a Plan of Action related to this issue.
B. Retention
Action Step: 1
Retain present members.
Tactic: 1
The Association Staff will format a questionnaire to build on the work of the Recruitment, Retention and Revitalization Task Force to assess perceptions, attitudes, and trends (on "Members Only" website) for all members in order to identify organizational issues concerning:
- value of membership
- areas for improvement
- resource/support needs
- date/information gathering habits
Tactic: 2
The Association Staff will provide Executive Councils at Regional meetings, a list of members who have been sent a "dues reminder," in order to follow up. Follow up is to ascertain any issues/concerns related to on going interests in AAPC membership.
Action Step: 2
Re-engage members who have dropped-out or resigned in the last four years.
Tactic: 1
Regional Chairs, working with the Executive Director, will organize contacts with all members who have left the Association in the last four years, inviting them to return.
C. Revitalization
Action Step: 1
Encourage renewed and increased commitment to the mission and vision of AAPC
Tactic: 1
The Association and Regions will charge the officers of the Association to verbalize in public statements to current and potential members the passion, commitment and creativity that is manifest throughout the Association.
Tactic: 2
Measure revitalization through indices such as responses to the Mission and Vision Statement, more rapid payment of dues, a decrease in resignations of members, and more energy in committees.
Tactic: 3
Request regions to look for and report signs of revitalization (to the Board and Action Council), especially increased attendance at Regional meetings and increased willingness to serve on committees.
III. AAPC will continue to develop its process of formation, education, training and credentialing for professionals.
Objectives:
A. Develop and implement a professional formation process for all membership categories of the Association in order to enhance the effectiveness of AAPC members.
Action Step: 1
Educate the membership on the need for ongoing formation in theological, spiritual and clinical realms.
Tactic: 1
Utilizing the Formation Committee and other Standing Committees the membership will be apprised of processes of formation.
Tactic: 2
Utilizing the Certification Committee, assess the potential pool of candidates (Mental Health Track) who have an interest in membership and their needs from a formational and educational perspective.
Tactic: 3
Formation Committee will develop a short bibliography that would be available on the Web site to encourage and aid formation.
Tactic: 4
Program Planning Committee in concert with the Formation Committee and Institutional Accreditation Committee will offer workshops and other formation experiences at annual meetings.
Tactic: 5
Regional Formation Chairs will forward Formation Programs offered at regional meetings to be placed on the AAPC web site.
B. Through the Institutional Accreditation and Certification Committees, forge alliances with seminaries and schools of theology, graduate programs in Pastoral Counseling, free standing training programs and Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) and AAPC approved training programs.
Action Step: 1
Working with Membership Services, Masters and Doctoral degree programs (pastoral counseling/ counseling) will be identified in each region that could benefit from joint accreditation by AAPC and CACREP and encourage M.Div degree programs by utilizing information from them to seek AAPC accreditation.
Tactic: 1
Regional members of the Institutional Accreditation Committee and Certification Committee will be encouraged to make contact with the above mentioned programs.
C. Find creative ways in the current climate to do education, training and credentialing.
Action Step: 1
Utilize a distance-learning resource to help meet the Body of Knowledge and serve as a virtual classroom.
Tactic: 1
Collaboration with the Oates Institute.
Action Step: 2
Develop a virtual library of the best educational and training curricula that would be available on the AAPC web site.
Tactic: 1
Certification Committee, Institutional Accreditation Committee and Centers and Training Committee will work to establish a virtual library.
Action Step: 3
Continue to refine the credentialing process to enhance the value and recognition of AAPC credentials for individual practice and center service and training.
Tactic: 1
Ongoing work of the Centers and Training, Institutional Accreditation and Certification Committee.
IV. AAPC will continue to support and enhance collegiality among all its members.
Objectives:
A. AAPC will broaden its support and assistance to its annual conference, regional meetings and individual members in their diverse variety of practice settings.
Action Step: 1
Offer programs and workshops that encourage members to share professional concerns and support each other.
Tactic: 1
Association Office will make opportunities available to share professional concerns and offer support on the member’s only web page. An Action Council Task force, guided by the Publications Committee, will regularly review the web pages and offer direction to the Association Office.
Tactic: 2
The Program Planning Committee will highlight the skills of our own membership through plenary presentations.
Action Step 2
Promote mission dialogue and cohesion throughout the regions.
Tactic: 1
The President, Vice President or Executive Director will attend regional conferences, enlisting other officers and board members as needed.
Tactic 2:
Promote the attendance of Association Board of Director members at the Executive Director Working Group and Training Director Working Group at the annual conference in order to understand and interpret to the Association issues that are particular to centers and training programs.
Tactic: 3
The Association Office will continue to publicize opportunities for employment, study and e-group conversation in written and web communications to the membership.
Tactic: 4
Regional Executive Committees will recommend member presenters to the Association office and other regions.
B. AAPC will increase the presence of persons of diverse cultural, faith, spiritual and ethnic backgrounds among its membership and leadership.
Action Step: 1
Continue to offer conference scholarships to under-represented members of the Association.
Tactic 1:
The Association Board of Directors and Action Council will annually review the opportunities regionally and association wide for such scholarships.
Tactic 2:
The Board will annually encourage the Action Council and the Program Planning Committee to offer feedback and make applications available.
Action Step: 2
The Action Council through the Publications Committee will promote under represented members’ participation in communication opportunities.
Tactic: 1
The Publications Committee will encourage the submission of written articles and communication from under represented members.
Action Step: 3
Offer conference programs and working groups that are of particular interest to under represented members.
Tactic: 1
The Program Planning Committee will address the need to have a variety of pre-conference and conference workshops available for minorities.
Tactic: 2
The Publications Committee will profile in Association publications the work of members of diverse populations as well as reporting the progress of the Association in working with diverse populations.
Tactic: 3
The Centers and Training Committee will contact Training, Masters and Doctoral programs seeking information on research done by program graduates who represent diverse populations.
C. AAPC will clarify and strengthen the connection between the Action Council and the Board of Directors.
Action Step: 1
Action Council and Board of Director members will find ways to interface at Annual Association Meetings.
Tactic: 1
The Board of Directors will set aside time on its agenda for Regional and Committee Chairs to present concerns and needs for action.
Tactic: 2
The Vice President will be responsible for the coordination of regular communication between Board and Action Council members.
Tactic: 3
The Vice President will electronically communicate with the Action Council membership after each Board meeting and at other times as necessary.
