CHAIR'S MESSAGE
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 |