Fall 2010 CACREP Connection







 

 
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Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs

 CHAIR'S MESSAGE

Martin Ritchie, CACREP Chair  

Come On In, the Water Is Fine!

Did you spend part of your summer vacation at the beach? Remember how cold the ocean water felt when you first dipped a toe into the surf? I find it fascinating to watch how different folks approach the ocean at first. Some of us wade in slowly, cautiously, one step at a time. We shiver and clutch our hands together as each incoming wave washes up a few more inches over our body. Other folks grit their teeth, take a few steps into the water then dive head first into an incoming wave. The rush of cold-feeling water takes their breath away but when they come up they are immersed and adjusting to the temperature change quickly. Often these folks will coax us slow pokes to just “Come on in, the water is fine!”

Similarly counselor education programs have taken different approaches to adopting the 2009 Standards that took effect on July 1st 2009. Some programs have moved forward slowly and cautiously.  Others have jumped right into adopting the new Standards, submitting their Self-Studies using the 2009 Standards before they were required. At CACREP, we have been working hard to assist everyone in making the transition. We have conducted How to Write a CACREP Self-Study workshops, holding presentations and open forums at all national and regional conferences and answering questions by phone.

Did you know that it takes, on average, 40 weeks from the time a program submits their completed Self-Study until the CACREP Board of Directors renders their accreditation decision? And it usually takes about a year to put together a quality Self-Study. So if your program currently is accredited under the 2001 Standards until 2012, you should be planning to submit your Self-Study sometime this academic year. Of course, regardless of when you are due for re-accreditation, you should be adopting the 2009 Standards, as they are the nationally-recognized counselor preparation standards.

At the July 2010 CACREP Board meeting six programs became the first to be accredited under the new Standards. These programs have proven that meeting the new Standards is doable.  Many more programs have submitted Self-Studies and the Board will make accreditation decisions on them at the upcoming January meeting. We have seen that there are many creative ways to meet the Standards, particularly Standard I.AA. on “continuous systematic program evaluation.” There is not one correct or best way to meet the Standards. Of the programs accredited in July, none of them met the Standards in the same way. They found methods and mechanisms that fit neatly with the needs and resources of their institution and program. What their faculty members conveyed to us during the Site Visits was that the important thing was to get started. What seemed to be a daunting task at first became increasingly manageable once they got started. So for those of you who have already made the changes to meet the 2009 Standards, congratulations and well done. For the rest of you, “Come on in, the water is fine!”

Cheers,

Martin Ritchie

CACREP Chair

FALL 2010

 

IN THIS ISSUE…

VA Recognition

News/Events

Accreditation Decisions

Board Interpretations

Policy Updates

IRCEP News

 

 

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VA Recognizes CACREP!

The Department of Veterans Affairs has formally recognized Licensed Professional Counselors to hold positions within the Veterans Health Administration if they are graduates of a CACREP accredited program.

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News

Scholarship News

NBCC Foundation Announces 2010 Military and Rural Scholarships.

The military scholarship provides financial support to service members and veterans who are currently enrolled in counseling programs and who commit to serve military personnel upon graduation.  Similarly, the rural scholarship provides financial support to students who are currently enrolled in counseling programs and who commit to serving rural or underserved areas upon graduation. read more >

 

Research Grant Awarded

Faculty from SUNY Brockport will look at faculty identity

Dr. Summer M. Reiner, Dr. Robert A. Dobmeier, and Dr. Thomas J. Hernandez were awarded the 2010 research grant for their study titled, "Counselor Educator's Perceptions of the Impact of Counselor Identity on Legislative Issues."

 
 
 
Events

Spring 2011 How to Write a CACREP Self-Study Workshop

The next workshop has been scheduled for Monday, April 11 in Alexandria, Virginia . read more >

 
 
 

ACCREDITATION DECISIONS

For a full list of accreditation decisions made at the July 2010 CACREP Board Meeting, click  here.

 
 

Board Provides Interpretation of Standards

The Board has provided some clarification and interpretation of three Standards – Standard I.M as it relates to doctoral students, Standard I.Y.3 on affiliate faculty and Standard III.C.4 on site supervisor training.  read more >

 
 
 
Policy

POLICY UPDATES

Update on Transition from CC and MHC to CMHC

CACREP provides an update on programs making the transition to the new CMHC Standards. read more >

The Impact of Institutional Accreditation Decisions on CACREP Programs

The CACREP Board adopted a policy that details the status of the CACREP accredited program if the institution loses its institutional accreditation or is placed on probation. read the policy >

 

CACREP Board Endorses 20/20 Definition

At its July 2010 Board meeting, the CACREP Board endorsed the following definition of counseling that was adopted by the 20/20 delegates at the March 2010 meeting: 

Counseling is a relationship that empowers diverse individuals, families, and groups to accomplish mental health, wellness, education, and career goals.

 
IRCEP

IRCEP UPDATES

CACREP Board Approves 15 Programs for Listing on the IRCEP Registry – More in Process!

History was made at the July 2010 CACREP Board of Directors meeting when board members voted to approve the applications from 15 counseling programs for listing on the IRCEP Registry. read more >