LEGAL NOTICE OF RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATION STATUS AND PROTECTIONS
To Whom It May Concern:
Be it known that The International Association of Licensed & Commissioned Chaplains (IALCC) is legally incorporated in the states of Missouri, Texas, Oklahoma, California, New York, Georgia, and Florida, and is recognized by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) as a nonprofit, tax-exempt organization under 501(c)(3) and 508(c)(1)(A) provisions, operating as a faith-based, religious public charity.
Pursuant to the First Amendment of the United States Constitution, IALCC is entitled to freedom of religion and the free exercise thereof, including the rights to teach, credential, and deploy chaplains, provide spiritual and moral guidance, and operate faith-based programs in accordance with its religious mission.
Notice is hereby given that IALCC, through its credentialed chaplains, is authorized to operate in accordance with its faith-based mission, provide religious instruction, spiritual care, crisis support, and community services, fully protected under federal and state law, without interference, coercion, or encroachment on its religious freedoms.
This authority supported by applicable federal and state laws
- 26 U.S.C. § 501(c)(3) – tax-exempt status for religious and charitable organizations
- 26 U.S.C. § 508(c)(1)(A) – recognition of churches and faith-based organizations as exempt without application
- 42 U.S.C. §§ 5121–5207 (Stafford Act) – coordination with faith-based organizations in disaster relief and emergency support
- 44 C.F.R. § 206.2(a)(25) – FEMA recognition of faith-based private nonprofit organizations
- Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. § 2000e et seq. – protection of religious exercise in employment and organizational practice.
- Katcoff v. Marsh, 755 F.2d 223 (2d Cir. 1985) – voluntary chaplaincy programs in public institutions are constitutionally permissible
- Cutter v. Wilkinson, 544 U.S. 709 (2005) – religious accommodations in institutional settings are protected under the First Amendment.
Chaplaincy The Key To Marketplace Ministry
The Licensed and Commissioned Association at Harvest Christian University is a professional training and credentialing arm dedicated to preparing competent, ethically grounded providers for service in counseling, behavioral health, pastoral care, and human services. It offers structured pathways in trauma-informed practice, mental and behavioral health, and related service fields where current standards, terminology, and best practices are essential.
The International Association of Licensed and Commissioned Chaplains (IALCC) at Harvest Christian University stands as a professional training and credentialing body dedicated to equipping faith-centered professionals for impactful service in today’s complex human service and counseling environments.
The curriculum addresses both clinical awareness and ministry-based application, ensuring each participant is prepared to deliver compassionate, evidence-informed support across diverse populations and environments..
How Our Program Fits
Graduates of the Harvest Christian University Licensed and Commissioned Chaplains Association who complete trauma-informed, behavioral health, CPE-style, and counseling certificate training can be referred to these roles as:
- Trauma‑informed counselors or therapists in community, faith-based, or clinical settings
- Behavioral health or behavioral specialists in schools, agencies, and programs
- Chaplains and spiritual care providers in hospitals, hospices, prisons, and community organizations
Chaplaincy The Key To Marketplace Ministry
The Licensed and Commissioned Association at Harvest Christian University is a professional training and credentialing arm dedicated to preparing competent, ethically grounded providers for service in counseling, behavioral health, pastoral care, and human services. It offers structured pathways in trauma-informed practice, mental and behavioral health, and related service fields where current standards, terminology, and best practices are essential.
The Licensed and Commissioned Association (LCA) at Harvest Christian University stands as a professional training and credentialing body dedicated to equipping faith-centered professionals for impactful service in today’s complex human service and counseling environments.
The curriculum addresses both clinical awareness and ministry-based application, ensuring each participant is prepared to deliver compassionate, evidence-informed support across diverse populations and environments..
Texas Education Code
Texas Education Code Chapter 23, Section 23.001 (enacted via Senate Bill 763, effective 2023-2024 school year) explicitly authorizes public school districts and open-enrollment charter schools to employ or accept volunteer chaplains to provide student support, services, and programs—including mental health, behavioral support, restorative practices, and suicide prevention—without requiring State Board for Educator Certification. Chaplains must pass criminal background checks under Chapter 22, Subchapter C, and cannot have sex offender convictions, but no licensure or badge restrictions apply, enabling clear "Chaplain" identification for these roles.
Texas Education Rule 505
Texas Rules of Evidence Rule 505 establishes clergy-penitent privilege, protecting confidential communications to a "clergy member"—defined broadly as ministers, priests, rabbis, or similar religious functionaries—from court disclosure, with the communicant or clergy able to assert it. This affirms clergy status legally without state oversight, shielding ordained ministers, elders, pastors, and chaplains from challenges to their professional identification in public or legal settings, including first responder duties alongside Penal Code §37.11 non-impersonation safeguards.
Combined Impact
Together, §23.001 empowers chaplains in schools with implicit badge support for visibility, while Rule 505 reinforces their protected status under First Amendment rights, allowing truthful identifiers like "Chaplain" or "Clergy" for faith-based counselors without prohibition. This framework benefits organizations like the International Association of Licensed Commissioned Chaplains serving as ordained first responders.
The International Association of Licensed Chaplains
The International Association of Licensed Chaplains (IALCC) was formed in 2009 with the aim of helping pastors master behavioral health and pursue counseling within the body of Christ.
A Community of Accountability and Growth
Becoming part of the Licensed and Commissioned Association means joining a community committed to lifelong learning, ethical responsibility, and ministry excellence. Graduates carry the reputation of Harvest Christian University as trained, credentialed, and values-driven professionals in the field of behavioral health and pastoral care.