2026-2028 Strategic Plan

Mission:

The Association of Professional Chaplains promotes quality chaplaincy care through advocacy, education, professional standards and service to its members.

Vision:

  • Strengthen the multifaith and multicultural professional competency of chaplains.
  • Empower chaplains to demonstrate quality outcomes to those whom they serve.
  • Demonstrate the distinctive value of professional chaplaincy which can be understood by external stakeholders.
  • Collaborate with accrediting and hiring institutions, as well as other organizations with which we have a common interest, in order to promote professional chaplaincy.

Values:

  • Dignity and worth of all persons.
  • Faith as an essential dimension of wholeness.
  • Chaplaincy care of persons, communities, organizations and systems.
  • Inclusivity and diversity.
  • Justice and equality for all.
  • Professional competency and ethical practice.

The Five Areas of Focus for the 2026-2028 APC Strategic Plan

Member EngagementProfessional Advocacy Board of Chaplaincy Certification, Inc.
Organizations & PartnersFinancial Growth & Stability

Member Engagement: 

  1. Improve communication with members through technology
  2. Grow Committee Membership and engagement
  3. Develop more educational opportunities for members
  4. Expand support calls for subject specific groups
  5. Enhance SIG groups usability
  6. Leverage our Chaplain’s Compass podcast

Professional Advocacy: 

  1. Recruit, train, and support State Leaders
  2. Update scope of salary survey for end useability
  3. Update job descriptions for Chaplains serving in various settings and positions
  4. Develop chaplain scope of practice with input from Common Council partners
  5. Leverage AMA policy on spiritual care (H-160.900) to support chaplains
  6. Develop presentation materials explaining chaplaincy to non-chaplain practitioners
  7. Promote chaplaincy as a seminary track
  8. Further promote BCCI Certification
  9. Update Impact of Professional Spiritual Care publication

Board of Chaplaincy Certification, Inc.: 

  1. Review education requirements for BCCI eligibility
  2. Continue to expand our improved Mentor program for certification applicants
  3. Develop statements and policies on AI use for BCCI applications and guidelines of ethical AI use in the practice of chaplaincy
  4. Review competencies for clarity of language and intent and add/remove/modify competencies as warranted.
  5. Review specialty certifications and the application/interview process to better align with current BCC process
  6. Develop webinars and raise awareness of the BCCI process among diverse spiritual traditions
  7. Review and update BCCI policies and procedures manual

Organizations & Partners: 

  1. Expand our relationship with CPE providers
  2. Leverage and grow our partnerships with allied spiritual care organizations (CASC(ACSS)/NAJC/NACC/NAVAC/VA/MCA/
    COMISS and Common Council partnerships)
  3. Deepen our relationship and work with Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)
  4. Partner with education institutions to promote the education and training of professional chaplains

Financial Growth and Security:

  1. Develop an endowment strategy
  2. Form an endowment committee
  3. Pursue grants related to chaplaincy

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