What Is CACREP Accreditation?

Accreditation is one of the most important factors in ensuring you receive a quality education that can lead to a satisfying counseling career. Employers respect accredited degrees and are generally hesitant, if not unwilling, to hire those who’ve only attended unaccredited counseling programs.

If you plan to apply to a counseling program or are just interested in the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) accreditation, then this guide may be of help to you. Explore the importance of CACREP programmatic accreditation for master’s and doctoral counseling programs.

The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs, often shortened to CACREP, provides programmatic accreditation to graduate counseling programs.

Founded in 1981, the CACREP ensures counseling programs meet the standards of the counseling profession. This means that master’s and doctoral counseling programs must prove they have the qualifications and resources to train proficient counselors.

Once accredited, these programs must commit to continuous assessment by CACREP to maintain accreditation and improve the quality of their programs.

Currently, the CACREP accredits over 983 master’s and doctoral counseling programs across 472 U.S. colleges and universities.

The organization’s mission is to develop professional counselors and related practitioners by accrediting counseling programs, developing preparation standards, and encouraging excellence in program development.

You must hold a degree from a CACREP-accredited program to apply for the National Certified Counselor (NCC) credential. This voluntary certification shows that you have met the highest counseling practice standards.

According to Rayelle Davis, licensed clinical professional counselor (LCPC), “in order to practice therapy, you need a state license. Most states align their licensure standards with CACREP even if they don’t specifically require it, so it might offer some reassurance that you are attending a quality program.”

Accreditation is valuable for employment as well. Counseling employers may look for CACREP accreditation when they see your counseling program on your resume.

When colleges and universities apply for this accreditation, the CACREP evaluates their counseling programs to determine their quality. The goal is to ensure that the curriculum can prepare students to pass the state licensing examinations required to practice as counselors.

CACREP accreditation offers many benefits, including quality assurance and comprehensive training. CACREP-accredited programs can help qualify you for counseling positions.

Many counseling programs only accept transfer credits from CACREP-accredited institutions, and you can easily transfer credits when you enroll in a CACREP-accredited program.

Overall, graduates of CACREP-accredited programs perform better on the National Counselor

Examination (NCE), and passing this exam is a requirement for licensure in many states.

Additionally, CACREP-accredited programs must continuously update their curriculum to reflect current research and the realities of the counseling industry. This has the added benefit of helping ensure that your education incorporates updates within the field as they happen.

Moreover, according to the CACREP, you must graduate from a CACREP-accredited program to work as a counselor in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

Graduate counseling programs must meet the CACREP’s accreditation standards regarding program mission, objectives, and content, among other requirements. The other requirements are:

Accreditation is voluntary. Graduate counseling programs can submit to a peer-reviewed study by counselors and counseling educators. During this process, counseling programs must prove they comply with CACREP standards.

When you enroll in a CACREP-accredited counseling program, you can feel secure knowing that your program will give you the knowledge and skills you need to succeed as a professional counselor.

Davis says to use “the CACREP directory or [ask] your prospective university” to learn if a program is accredited. She suggests that you “remember that licensure standards are determined by the state you plan to work in, not where your school is located.”