Part of The Practical Chaplain Method
PEACE Spiritual Assessment Model
The clinical framework for modern spiritual care. Structured. Evidence-informed. Built for the bedside and the medical record.
The PEACE Spiritual Assessment Model is the assessment engine of The Practical Chaplain Method, a structured methodology for evaluating, documenting, and communicating spiritual care findings across any clinical setting, any faith tradition, and any EHR system.
PEACE inside the ecosystem
The PEACE Model is the clinical foundation of The Practical Chaplain® ecosystem, but it doesn't stand alone. It is taught in the Academy and deployed at the organizational level through consulting and department implementation support. Assessment is where the Method begins. Everything else is built on what happens here.
What Is the PEACE Model?
A framework built for how chaplains actually work.
The PEACE Spiritual Assessment Model is a structured clinical framework developed by The Practical Chaplain® for conducting and documenting spiritual assessments in healthcare settings. It guides chaplains through five dimensions, Presence, Exploration, Access, Communication, and Ethics, providing a repeatable methodology for evaluating spiritual need, communicating findings to interdisciplinary teams, and satisfying Joint Commission documentation requirements.
Most spiritual assessment tools were designed for research or theology, not for the speed, documentation demands, and interdisciplinary realities of clinical care. PEACE was built differently.
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It gives chaplains the clinical language to do what they have always done, and to make that work visible, defensible, and meaningful to the teams around them.
The PEACE Framework
The five dimensions of PEACE.
Each dimension of the PEACE Model guides the chaplain through a distinct domain of spiritual care, from the first moment of contact to the final documentation and interdisciplinary communication.
Presence · Exploration · Access · Communication · Ethics
Why PEACE?
Clinical assessment. Clinical documentation. Clinical outcomes.
Who Is PEACE For?
For every chaplain. In every setting.
The PEACE Model was designed to work across the full scope of healthcare chaplaincy, from the acute care bedside to the CPE classroom to the health system board room.
Learn the PEACE Model
Go deeper. Learn it completely.
The PEACE Model is taught in depth in The Practical Chaplain® Academy, from foundational principles through advanced clinical documentation. Whether you're encountering the framework for the first time or looking to formalize and deepen your practice, the Academy has a course for where you are.
Featured Course
Mastering the PEACE Spiritual Assessment Model
The definitive course on the PEACE framework. Clinical theory, real-world application, documentation practice, and Joint Commission alignment, all in one structured learning path.
✔ Video lessons
✔ PEACE documentation templates included
✔ Certificate of completion
✔ Included with Academy Membership
Learn the PEACE Model
Go deeper. Learn it completely.
The PEACE Model is taught in depth in The Practical Chaplain® Academy, from foundational principles through advanced clinical documentation. Whether you're encountering the framework for the first time or looking to formalize and deepen your practice, the Academy has a course for where you are.
Academy
Every documentation course, clinical skills course, and CPE curriculum resource in the Academy is built on the PEACE Model. It is the thread that connects every learning pathway in the platform.
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently asked questions about the PEACE Model.
PEACE is an acronym representing the five dimensions of the assessment model: Presence, Exploration, Access, Communication, and Ethics. Each dimension guides the chaplain through a distinct domain of the spiritual care encounter, from establishing therapeutic presence through to identifying ethical and values-based concerns affecting care.
The PEACE Spiritual Assessment Model was designed specifically for clinical documentation and interdisciplinary communication in healthcare settings. Unlike tools designed primarily for research or physician screening, PEACE provides a comprehensive framework for the chaplain's full assessment process, from relational engagement through documented care planning. It integrates directly with EHR documentation standards and Joint Commission requirements.
Yes. The PEACE framework aligns with Joint Commission requirements for spiritual assessment and care planning. The Ethics dimension specifically addresses the documentation of chaplain interventions, values-based concerns, and care goals in a format that satisfies survey requirements and supports interdisciplinary communication.
Yes. The PEACE Model was designed for the religious and spiritual diversity of real hospital populations. It is interfaith by design, applicable across Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, secular humanist, and any other tradition without reducing the patient's spiritual life to a denominational checklist.
The PEACE framework produces documentation that can be structured within any major EHR system, including Epic and Cerner. Organizational consulting is available for health systems implementing PEACE-based documentation standards within their EHR workflows.
The definitive learning resource is the Mastering the PEACE Spiritual Assessment Model course in The Practical Chaplain® Academy. It covers the full framework from first principles through advanced clinical documentation, includes downloadable templates, and offers a certificate of completion.