CACREP Accreditation

Accreditation is a review by experts of the quality of an institution's program. In the United States, accreditation is the primary method that informs the public about whether a program is meeting standards set forth by its profession and providing a high quality education.

CACREP

The Clinical Mental Health Counseling program is fully accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). CACREP is the premiere accrediting body for graduate counseling programs.

As a leader in counselor preparation, we hold the distinction of being the first CACREP-accredited institution in Seattle and one of the first accredited institutions in Washington state. There are over 600 CACREP-accredited programs in the United States.

Benefits of Accreditation

Accreditation provides recognition that the content and quality of a program has been evaluated and meets standards set by the profession. The benefits of graduating from an accredited program include:

For students:

• Provides assurance that appropriate knowledge and skills are included in the program
• Increases marketability for employment
• Prepares students to sit for state licensure
• Ensures fluidity in the licensure process
• Eases the licensure process between states
• Provides a foundation for future doctoral studies

For employers:

• Indicates that candidates for employment graduated from a rigorous program
• Signifies that graduates achieved high quality standards and competencies
• Ensures that graduates possess minimal knowledge and skills for success
• Denotes that graduates are knowledgeable of current trends and best practices
• Ensures that candidates for employment have potential for achieving success