Application of the CACREP 2024 Standards

FAQs-Updated 6/21/2024

* Denotes additions

Changes in the 2024 Standards

*In reviewing the new standards, my program had some questions about the following standards (list provided). If possible, it would be very helpful to have some additional clarity and examples about what specifically these standards are referring to.

On the For Programs Page is a Guidance Document for the 2024 CACREP Standards. The Guidance Document provides, for each standard, a brief explanation of what the standard is about, things to consider when responding, what documents are required (if any), examples of appropriate supporting documents, and relevant policies.

*Will there be a comparison document of the 2016 and 2024 Standards that clearly identifies the changes between the 2016 and 2024 CACREP Standards?

While there is no clear one-to-one correspondence to changes between the Standards, a good-faith comparison document will be developed in the near future. More importantly, we encourage programs to focus on the 2024 Standards Glossary as there is new language in the Standards that is included in places even where on face value the standards may appear to be similar or the same.

The 2024 Doctoral Standards no longer requires a practicum, must our program remove that requirement from our doctoral program?

No, your program does not have to remove the doctoral practicum. Your program can choose to retain the doctoral practicum requirement, if so desired. Programs can and often do have requirements that exceed the minimum requirements stated in the CACREP Standards.

*Can you please clarify the elimination of a practicum?

Practicum is still a requirement at the entry-level in the master’s program and the standards are delineated in Section 4 Professional Practice.

The requirement for a Practicum at the doctoral-level program has been removed to accommodate the diversity of individuals entering a doctoral program. Entering doctoral students typically fall in one of three categories: a seasoned licensed practitioner returning to complete advanced level training; a master’s graduate of a Counseling program with no independent practice experience; or a master’s graduate from a related profession. The counseling skills of these individuals vary, as such, their program of study would need to similarly vary at the discretion of the counselor education program.

Standard 6.C.1 requires counselor education programs to assess doctoral students’ counseling skills to ensure preparedness to begin a doctoral internship. A program could choose to make an outcome of the assessment be that a doctoral student would be required to complete a Practicum as a means for additional counseling skill preparation prior to enrolling in the doctoral internship.

Standard 6.C.2 requires that the minimum 600 hours of internship must include supervised experiences in counseling.

*In terms of Professional Identity of counselor educators, I believe something new in 2024, is we each must hold a current license in counseling. Can you comment/clarify this?

Self-study submission

Should our self-study report (SSR) be completed based on the 2016 or 2024 CACREP Standards?

All self-studies submitted on or prior to June 30, 2024 must be based on the 2016 CACREP Standards.

All self-studies submitted on or after July 1, 2024 must be based on the 2024 CACREP Standards.

*If we are going up for accreditation review in the next couple of years, do we need to transition to the 2024 standards now or are we evaluated on the old standards?

All self-studies submitted on or prior to June 30, 2024 must be based on the 2016 CACREP Standards.

All self-studies submitted on or after July 1, 2024 must be based on the 2024 CACREP Standards.

Beginning July 1, 2026, all other required reports (e.g., Progress Reports or other monitoring reports) must be based on the 2024 CACREP Standards regardless of the set of standards under which the program was granted its current accreditation.

When can I submit under the 2024 CACREP Standards?

You can submit self-study reports (SSRs) under the 2024 CACREP Standards on or after July 1, 2024. If you have required reports due under the 2016 CACREP Standards, those reports should be submitted addressing the 2016 Standards until July 1, 2026, the date for all programs to be in compliance with the 2024 Standards. After that date, all reports should address the 2024 CACREP Standards.

*When will programs be required to use CACREP’s accreditation management system (AMS) for Accreditation Self-Study submission?

A template for the self-study report (SSR) has been developed in the AMS and is under-going testing for use in the accreditation review process from the time of the SSR submission through the completion of the site visit. Our target is to have the submission portal available sometime this fall. Programs will be given ample notice as to the start date for when all programs will be required to submit their SSR in the AMS. In the meantime, a draft version of the Self-Study Template is available for download on the 2024 Standards Resource Page.

*When will the 2024 Standards SSR Template be permanent and not a Draft? We are a new applicant and do not want to fill in a document that will then have significant changes.

The SSR Template labeled Draft is a Word document of what is currently built in the AMS. We are currently testing the accreditation review process from the time of the SSR submission through the completion of the site visit. Any tweaks that need to be made, as a result of the testing, will be made in the AMS. The final version of the template will be what is in the AMS. The draft template is a good representation of what will be in the final version in the AMS.

Support to programs

What assistance is available for the 2024 CACREP Standards?

Please see For Programs for available resources. New items will be added to this page as they are released. An important item located on this page is a Guidance Document for the 2024 CACREP Standards. This document provides information for faculty and reviewers to assist them in understanding and utilizing the new standards. The Guidance Document provides, for each standard, a brief explanation of what the standard is about, things to consider when responding, what documents are required (if any), examples of appropriate supporting documents, and relevant policies.

*Can you please direct me to where I can download the CACREP 2024 Accreditation Application?

The Accreditation Application is now available within the accreditation management system and is available for use. The Application Signature Page is available in the AMS-based application. A draft Self-Study Template is available for download on the 2024 Standards Resource Page.

Available resources

Do the new Guidance Document and 2024 Standards Glossary supersede the previous “guiding documents”?

On the CACREP website, there are two types of Guiding Statements that represent the position of CACREP and should be used as a reference for seeking and/or maintaining accreditation.

The first type of Guiding Statements are on different issues or perspectives that may have an impact on the accreditation of a program and are not bound to any set of CACREP standards.

The second type of Guiding Statements are specific to the 2016 CACREP Standards and are clearly labelled as such. These statements will continue to be applicable to programs accredited under the 2016 CACREP Standards. These Guiding Statements will become void and no longer be applicable on July 1, 2026 when all programs must be in compliance with the 2024 CACREP Standards.

The Guidance Document and the 2024 CACREP Standards Glossary are specific to the 2024 CACREP Standards.

The direction provided in the Guidance Document will be applicable to all programs beginning July 1, 2026, when all programs must be in compliance with the 2024 CACREP Standards.

Policies

* When will the Policy Document be made available?

The new Policy Document is available under For Programs and will go into effect July 1, 2024.

When must all programs be in compliance with the 2024 CACREP Standards?

The 2024 CACREP Standards will go into effect on July 1, 2024. All self-study reports (SSR) submitted on and after this date must be based on the 2024 CACREP Standards.

Beginning July 1, 2026, all programs must be in compliance with the 2024 CACREP Standards and all required reports submitted must be based on the 2024 CACREP Standards regardless of the set of standards under which the program was granted its current accreditation. Board reviews and accreditation and monitoring decisions will be based on the 2024 CACREP Standards.

Why must all programs come into compliance with the 2024 CACREP Standards by July 1, 2026?

Historically at any given point in time, accredited programs were preparing students under three different sets of Standards as a result of the time of the submission of the Self-Study Report (SSR). Therefore, graduating students while meeting their accredited program requirements may not be meeting the current expectations for entry into the Counseling profession. The most current CACREP Standards reflect the accreditation requirements for counselor preparation. To ensure currency and equity in preparation to enter the Counseling profession, this new policy has been enacted.

Will we have to complete a Substantive Change when we adjust our curriculum and/or process to meet the 2024 Standards?

Programs do not need to submit substantive change reports for changes to existing curriculum and/or processes that are specifically being made to align with the requirements in the CACREP 2024 Standards. It is expected that currently accredited programs will be making changes to prepare for review under the 2024 Standards. CACREP’s policy on the use of new standards stipulates that all currently accredited programs must be in compliance with the new standards within two years of the effective date of the new standards. Therefore, all reports submitted on or after July 1, 2026, must address the 2024 Standards regardless of the set of standards under which the program was granted its current accreditation cycle.

Programs must still submit substantive change reports for changes that are not specific to requirements in the 2024 Standards. If there are any questions as to whether a substantive change report is needed or not, please contact your program’s designated CACREP staff point of contact.

*If we are submitting a self-study to add a doctoral program or specialty area, will there be any further guidance given on the sections of the standards that need to be addressed?

Policy A.2.k, in the new Policy Document, addresses the criteria and timelines for adding a degree program by an institution that currently has one or more CACREP-accredited program. A procedures document is currently in development to accompany the policy document. This procedures document will address the procedures required when a counselor education program is seeking to add a degree program to its accreditation. The eligibility of a program is dependent on the point in time of its accreditation cycle. For information specific to your program, please reach-out to your staff point of contact (POC) at the CACREP office.

*We hope to start a new specialized practice area degree program or doctoral program in 2025 or 2026. Our self-study for the MA program is due April 2026. Will our new degree program be able to be grandfathered in for our next accreditation cycle?

New degree programs may be added when submitting an application and SSR to initiate a new accreditation review cycle. However, please take note of Policy A.3.c in our new Policy Document. Policy A.3.c outlines requirements for CACREP to schedule a site visit. This, in turn, has ramifications for when it may be appropriate to include a new degree program in an SSR and application for accreditation.

For new entry-level specialized practice area degree programs, students must be, at a minimum, in the last term of their program of study in order to schedule a site visit. This means that it is typically appropriate to include a new entry-level degree program in an SSR and application for accreditation when students are in the penultimate term of their program of study, but not before.

For a new doctoral degree program, students must be, at a minimum, likely to complete their programs within a two-year timeframe. This means that it is typically appropriate to include a new doctoral degree program in an SSR and application for accreditation when students are likely to complete their program within two years plus one term, but not before.

If the timing is not appropriate for you to include a new degree program in your SSR and application for reaffirmation of already-accredited degree programs, then it would be appropriate to wait and apply for accreditation of the new degree program after the reaffirmation process is complete. Policy A.2.k, in the new Policy Document, addresses the criteria and timelines for adding a degree program during an accreditation cycle.

*Do you anticipate conflict between CACREP DEI expectations and states in which the legislature has forbidden public institutions from engaging in DEI initiatives, having DEI offices and programming, etc? What consideration is being given about how laws impact DEI for certain programs?

The Counseling profession values the constructs of DEI and this is reflected throughout the 2024 CACREP Standards. The laws that have been passed in various states have specific language and are applicable in specific contexts and unique to that state. Your institution will have guidelines for how the institution is responding to state law. Policy A.2.i, in the new Policy Document, addresses the action programs should take when CACREP Standards conflict with state/local laws. Since each state law is unique, please reach out to your CACREP staff for further guidance.