Virginia Regulatory Town Hall
Agency
Department of Health Professions
 
Board
Board of Counseling
 
chapter
Regulations Governing the Practice of Professional Counseling [18 VAC 115 ‑ 20]
Action Requirement for CACREP accreditation for educational programs
Stage Proposed
Comment Period Ended on 7/14/2017
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6/18/17  7:57 pm
Commenter: Alissa G, federal healthcare center

CACREP only is a bad idea
 

I am a graduate of a CACREP master's program and APA doctoral program. I do not agree with CACREP attempting to be the only accrediting body for master's programs. The American Psychological Association was at the forefront of designing, implementing, and evaluating counseling training programs. CACREP stepped in to focus on master's programs while APA stayed focused on doctoral programs. With CACREP trying to monopolize accreditation of master's programs, they are causing problems for departments that would like to faciliate both master's and doctoral counseling psychology programs. Professors in CACREP programs frequently use publications and interventions written and developed by APA-affiliated researchers. It is unwise of CACREP to attempt to distance themselves from APA. It is my opinion that doctoral level psychologists have better training from APA programs than do doctoral level counselors in CACREP programs in many areas, including research methods, evidence-based practice, cognitive/affective and biological bases of behavior. Therefore, CACREP should find a way to work in conjunction with APA in order to produce the best counseling practitioners possible. At the very least, CACREP should allow psychologists from APA-accredited programs to instruct master's students in CACREP programs.

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