Action | Requirement for CACREP accreditation for educational programs |
Stage | NOIRA |
Comment Period | Ended on 7/1/2015 |
As a professional with a master's degree from a CACREP-accredited counseling program, a PhD from an APA-accredited counseling psychology program, and Board Certification in Couple and Family Psychology, I recognize the importance and relevance of cross-disciplinary training to effective mental health practice in diverse settings. I strongly oppose the limitation of licensure as professional counselor to CACREP-only graduates, as this would restrict students' exposure to non-counselor educators with diverse understandings of mental health. As a result, this would also limit students' ability to develop skills for inter-professional collaboration--a requirement for working in today's clinical settings. As an educator in a Marriage and Family Therapy Program of the East Coast, I have directly experienced the value of interdisciplinary collaboration. The students in the MFT program are trained by a variety of professionals, including MFTs, Counselors, and Counseling Psychologists. Student's exposure to a variety of educators has supported the development of a strong MFT identity, rather than weakened it; it has also helped them to build skills in interprofessional communication and expanded their understanding of mental health.