Chapter Life is essential to one’s participation in the CPSP community. In fact, no one can secure and maintain CPSP credentials without an active and committed involvement in chapter life.

Some chapters see it as their role to take in non-credentialed persons and nurture them along until they can secure their credentials. Others may opt to limit membership only to those who are certified at  certain level, or in a certain field.

CPSP’s diverse community of members welcomes each participant in the life and work of a CPSP chapter without preference or prejudice as to race, ethnicity, national origin, class, age, physical disability, faith group background or affiliation, or sexual or gender identity, orientation or preference. Members live and function in the spirit of the CPSP Covenant, in accordance with the CPSP Standards, according to their own chapter rules and traditions, which are to be congruent with The Covenant, By-Laws and Standards of CPSP. (CPSP By-Laws, § 3.01.)

Chapters are the place where all persons participating in CPSP are known, fully accountable for both professional functioning and personal integrity, and in process of training for subsequent certification. Each chapter continually reviews all its members whether they be fully certified or in training. 

Chapters provide a formal certification consultation to candidates for certification , which is shared with both the candidate and the certification review panel. This consultation references the candidate’s achievement of the specific competencies required for certification.

Chapters review their members’ professional functioning, including participation in chapter life, no less than annually. A positive recommendation for the renewal of a member’s certifications, based on this review, is required for the renewal of credentials.

Each chapter, through the representation of its Convener, participates in the selection by consensus of a Cluster representative to the Chapter of Chapters of the Governing Council. The Cluster representatives give voice to the interests of the chapters within their Cluster, are responsible for communication to and from the Governing Council and the chapters of the Cluster, and thereby ensure that all chapters are responsibly participating in and providing leadership to the whole of CPSP life and its processes.

A new Chapter will be established “in formation” in consultation with and by request to the General Secretary and the Committee for Certification and Promotion of Chapters. The Chapter-in-formation will have ongoing consultation according to the Standards and the procedures of the Committee. (CPSP By-Laws, Article VIII.)