Clinical Pastoral Education

Our programs at the Durham VA Health Care System are unique, and an ideal location to complete Clinical Pastoral Education.

Schedule

Students complete clinical hours between the hours of 8am and 4:30pm, with responsibilities for leading worship once each program unit. Internships accommodate a part-time schedule, while our residencies and fellowship programs are full time. Our students do not serve as on-call chaplains. 

Accessibility & Inclusion

The DVAHCS CPE program seeks to be an accessible and inclusive program of CPE. This ACPE accredited program does not discriminate against persons because of race, ethnicity, religious/spiritual tradition, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, or disability. 

Mentoring

In addition to formal education sessions, CPE participants have the opportunity for clinical mentorship from board certified professional chaplains throughout their program. 

Interprofessional Collaboration

Chaplains and CPE Students at the Durham VA are well-integrated into the Veteran’s care team, providing unparalleled opportunity for collaboration across disciplines. Participants can expect to work closely with physicians, nurses, social workers, psychologists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, and more. Team meetings, one-on-one ad hoc consultations, and cross-discipline group leadership make this deep collaboration possible.

Group Facilitation

Students in our residencies and fellowships gain skills in facilitation by leading spirituality groups with our Veterans.

Mental Health Emphasis

The Durham VA is a wonderful place to learn about integration of spiritual care and mental health. Our program provides introductory and advanced training in Suicide Prevention, Mental Illness, Moral Injury, and PTSD. 

Accreditation

The DVAHCS CPE Program is accredited to offer Level I, II, and CEC CPE by ACPE: The Standard for Spiritual Care and Education. 1 Concourse Pkwy, Suite 800; Atlanta, GA 30328. https://acpe.edu/ . 

Students in the program are considered part of the team and attend interdisciplinary team meetings on the unit where they are assigned. They work with staff chaplains offer clinical guidance and consultation. Services that the CPE students typically serve include:

• Community Living Center (CLC) an extended care for rehabilitation or convalescence.
• Hospice provides care and support to patients and their families during the last stages of their illness.
• Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU) an intensive cardiac care unit
• Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU) treating oncology, diabetes, and other general medicine ailments.
• Surgical Services include patients needing a variety of surgical interventions and their families who are often waiting. The surgical process moves from pre-surgery through surgical procedures and on to discharge and follow-up.
• General Medicine.  Such patients suffer from a variety of respiratory conditions, diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer, gastrointestinal problems, renal disorders, and other medical diagnoses.   
• Psychiatric patients are treated on Psychiatric Acute Recovery Center. These patients are being treated for psychiatric diagnoses including Schizophrenia, PTSD, Affective Disorders, and other mental illnesses.
• Home-Based Primary Care patients are visited by all disciplines in their homes. These patients are treated for a myriad of health symptoms and needs.
• Outpatient Clinics serve Veterans who suffer from issues including but not limited to: Substance Abuse, Women's Clinic, Hematology/Oncology Clinic and Home-Based Primary Care, Audiology, Radiology Cardiology, Urology, PACT, GI Clinic, Eye Clinic, Dental, PT/OT/RT, ED, PC-MHI, Suicide Prevention, Chemo, PRIME, Pain Clinic, OEF/OIF, Dialysis, Homeless Program, Pharmacy. 

Tuition and Fees

As a Department of the Federal Government, the Durham VA Health Care System does not charge tuition or application fees to program participants.

Residency & Fellowship Programs

Students receive competitive pay, annual leave, and a regular schedule which requires no overnight on-call responsibilities.

Meet Our Educators

Matthew Incorvaia, M.Div., BCC (he/him/his)
Chief, Chaplain Service / ACPE Certified Educator   
| matthew.incorvaia@va.gov

Matthew was born and raised in Northwest Ohio. He is an ordained elder in The Brethren Church and endorsed by the Evangelical Chaplains Commission. He graduated with an MDiv from Ashland Theological Seminary in 2002. In his last year of seminary Matthew served a small rural church as an interim pastor. After graduation he pastored a Brethren congregation in Canton, Ohio. Following two years of ministry in Canton, he commissioned as an officer and chaplain in the U.S. Air Force. Matthew later transitioned from Active-Duty to the Air National Guard (ANG), where he continues to serve. He pastored a local congregation for five years. He also provided pastoral care at a local in-patient substance use disorders treatment facility on a part-time basis. At the Durham VA he has served as a Chaplain Resident, Certified Educator Candidate, Certified Educator & Staff Chaplain, and then Chief, Chaplain Service. Matthew was certified as Associate Supervisor in 2013 and then CPE Educator in 2015, completing that certification process. He is a Board Certified Chaplain through the National Association of VA Chaplains (NAVAC). His ministry and clinical interests include spiritual wellness & resilience, the intersection of chaplaincy and mental health, marriage care retreats, and education theory. Matthew and his family reside in Durham, NC. Matthew is a basketball enthusiast and loves making homemade bread & pizza recipes, baking, reading, movies, and nature.

Stuart Harrell, M.Div., BCC, (he/him/his)
CPE Program Director / ACPE Certified Educator
| stuart.harrell@va.gov

Stuart is an ACPE Certified Educator and an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ. Stuart completed a B.A. in Studio Art at Davidson College and a Master of Divinity Degree at Duke University Divinity School. He completed his supervisory training at Carolinas HealthCare System in Charlotte, NC. Prior to joining the Durham VA Chaplain Service, Stuart established programs of CPE at UNC Hospitals Hillsborough Campus and McLeod Regional Medical Center in Florence, SC. Stuart serves as the CPE Program Director and teaches units of CPE. Stuart is also an Ethics Commissioner with the Association of Clinical Pastoral Education. His teaching interests include exploring the arts as opportunities for reflective practice, pastoral care as the practice of social justice, and the intersection of shame, vulnerability, and vocation with spiritual care practice.

Ryan Parker M.Div., BCC-PTSD/SP (he/him/his)
Chaplain / ACPE Certified Educator
(mobile) | ryan.parker3@va.gov

Ryan is the Outpatient Team Lead for the Durham VA Chaplain Service. He is an Episcopal Priest, endorsed for VA Chaplaincy by the Bishop Suffragan, Armed Forces and Federal Ministries of The Episcopal Church. Ryan was born and raised in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, and earned two undergraduate degrees from William Carey University (BA-English Education; BS-Psychology). After completing his Master of Divinity (M.Div.) from Duke Divinity School (May 2010,) Ryan completed a two-year part-time CPE residency at UNC-Rex Healthcare (Raleigh, NC) while pastoring two rural United Methodist congregations in Northampton County (August 2010-May 2012.)  Ryan completed his second CPE Residency (May 2012-May 2013,) and Supervisory CPE (October 2013-November 2016) at the DVAHCS.  Ryan was hired as a Staff Chaplain at the DVAHCS in November 2015, and in November 2018 was certified by ACPE as a CPE Educator. He is Board Certified through NAVAC with special competencies in PTSD and Suicide Prevention.

Ryan is a 2018-2019 graduate of the Mental Health Integration with Chaplain Services (MHICS) program offered by VA Integrative Mental Health (IMH) and was one of 12 VA Chaplains to help launch IMH’s Dynamic Diffusion Network, an invited network of chaplains and mental health partners who are demonstrated leaders in suicide prevention and moral injury. Ryan continues to collaborate with VA Chaplains across the country who are working to improve access to mental and spiritual care for those affected by suicidality. Ryan and his family live in Durham, NC and his interests include: musical theatre, science-fiction/fantasy literature, mythology, and comic books.