Standards of Accreditation Revision
The APA is required to undergo periodic review to maintain recognition as an accrediting agency by the United States Department of Education (ED or Department) and the Council of Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). The APA’s scope of recognition includes the accreditation of doctoral programs in health service psychology (i.e., clinical, counseling, and school psychology, combinations of two or more of these practice areas and other developed practice areas in health service psychology), doctoral internship programs in health service psychology, and postdoctoral residency programs in health service psychology. As such, accreditation standards and procedures must align with the recognition criteria of both the ED and the CHEA.
The Standards of Accreditation for Health Service Psychology (SoA) outline education and training requirements for programs at the doctoral, doctoral internship, and postdoctoral levels. This call for comment reflects revisions to the SoA that follow calls made in 2023 and Spring 2024 and are reflective of the comments received. This third round of public comment includes revisions to language related to equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) to clarify the Commission on Accreditation’s (APA-CoA) expectations for the integration of EDI in programs at all levels of training to create a supportive learning environment that maximizes student/trainee success. In addition, these revisions modified language to make clear that all programs are expected to engage in affirmative efforts to foster EDI while recognizing the various considerations that may apply to programs.
In accordance with the APA "Policies for Accreditation Governance" and U.S. Department of Education regulations for notice and comment, the CoA will make the proposed revisions available for a sixty (60) day period of public review and comment. The comment period is scheduled to begin at
5:00 pm Eastern Standard Time on November 22, 2024 and will continue through 5:00pm Eastern Standard Time on January 21, 2025. Information about the proposed standards and public comment is available at
http://apps.apa.org/accredcomment/.
The
Accreditation Operation Procedures (AOP) outline procedures that guide the accreditation process for programs to be accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA). Correspondent to the AOP are Implementing Regulations (IRs), which are official policy documents that “elucidate, interpret and operationally define” the CoA’s policies and procedures. IRs are divided into several different sections (A through E), which are subject to regular review and revision by the CoA. Through this iterative process, opportunities for clarification have arisen regarding IRs in Section D, which relate specifically to the AOP , and an IR in Section E, which addresses Self-Governance and Regulation.
Thresholds for Student Achievement Outcomes in Master’s Programs
Under Master’s Standard II.D.3, the CoA uses its professional judgement to determine if student achievement outcomes of a master’s program demonstrates students’ successful preparation for entry-level practice in health service psychology at the master’s level. The Commission has developed IR D.4-7(d) to outline the thresholds for student achievement outcomes in APA-accredited master's programs.
In accordance with the APA "Policies for Accreditation Governance" and U.S. Department of Education regulations for notice and comment, the CoA will make the proposed revisions available for a ninety (30) day period of public review and comment. The comment period is scheduled to begin at 5:00 pm Eastern Standard Time on December 10, 2024 and will continue through 5:00pm Eastern Standard Time on March 10, 2025. Information about the proposed standards and public comment is available at http://apps.apa.org/accredcomment/.
Monitoring of Programs on “Accredited, Inactive” Status and Voluntary Withdrawal from Accreditation
Section 8.2 at the master’s level of the AOP provides that APA-accredited master’s programs may request “accredited, inactive” status for one year at a time. IR D.4-5 provides details of the inactive process for programs at all levels. Changes to this IR provide clarification to APA-accredited programs at the master’s level that are phasing out.
Section 1.3 at the master’s level of the AOP states that an accredited program may request voluntarily withdraw from accredited status at any time by advising the COA in writing in advance of the requested withdrawal date. IR D.4-11 has been updated to provide APA-accredited master’s programs with clarification regarding AOP-compliant withdrawal procedures for programs that wish to withdraw from accreditation but continue to operate.
In accordance with the APA "Policies for Accreditation Governance" and U.S. Department of Education regulations for notice and comment, the CoA will make the proposed revisions available for a thirty (30) day period of public review and comment. The comment period is scheduled to begin at
5:00 pm Eastern Standard Time on December 10, 2024 and will continue through 5:00pm Eastern Standard Time on January 9, 2025. Information about the proposed standards and public comment is available at
http://apps.apa.org/accredcomment/.
Modifications of Site Visitor Training and Accreditation Quick Reference Guides (Notice)
Site Visitor Training and Re-Training: To decrease the time constraints of being a site visitor or site visit chair, the Commission has decreased the requirement of training frequency to an encouragement.
Use of Quick Reference Guides in Program Review: After merging the information from the “Quick Reference Guide” with other CoA documents, the Commission has decided to delete this IR.
In accordance with the APA “Policies for Accreditation Governance” and the US Department of Education regulations for notice and comment, the CoA is providing additional information and is making the changes available for a thirty (30) day period of public notice starting
December 10, 2024. On behalf of the CoA, thank you in advance for your review.
Standards of Accreditation Revision
The APA is required to undergo periodic review to maintain recognition as an accrediting agency by the United States Department of Education (ED or Department) and the Council of Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). The APA’s scope of recognition includes the accreditation of doctoral programs in health service psychology (i.e., clinical, counseling, and school psychology, combinations of two or more of these practice areas and other developed practice areas in health service psychology), doctoral internship programs in health service psychology, and postdoctoral residency programs in health service psychology. As such, accreditation standards and procedures must align with the recognition criteria of both the ED and the CHEA.
The Standards of Accreditation for Health Service Psychology (SoA) outline education and training requirements for programs at the doctoral, doctoral internship, and postdoctoral levels. This call for comment reflects revisions to the SoA that follow calls made in 2023 and Spring 2024 and are reflective of the comments received. This third round of public comment includes revisions to language related to equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) to clarify the Commission on Accreditation’s (APA-CoA) expectations for the integration of EDI in programs at all levels of training to create a supportive learning environment that maximizes student/trainee success. In addition, these revisions modified language to make clear that all programs are expected to engage in affirmative efforts to foster EDI while recognizing the various considerations that may apply to programs.
In accordance with the APA "Policies for Accreditation Governance" and U.S. Department of Education regulations for notice and comment, the CoA will make the proposed revisions available for a sixty (60) day period of public review and comment. The comment period is scheduled to begin at 5:00 pm Eastern Standard Time on November 22, 2024 and will continue through 5:00pm Eastern Standard Time on January 21, 2025. Information about the proposed standards and public comment is available at http://apps.apa.org/accredcomment/.
The Accreditation Operation Procedures (AOP) outline procedures that guide the accreditation process for programs to be accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA). Correspondent to the AOP are Implementing Regulations (IRs), which are official policy documents that “elucidate, interpret and operationally define” the CoA’s policies and procedures. IRs are divided into several different sections (A through E), which are subject to regular review and revision by the CoA. Through this iterative process, opportunities for clarification have arisen regarding IRs in Section D, which relate specifically to the AOP , and an IR in Section E, which addresses Self-Governance and Regulation.
Thresholds for Student Achievement Outcomes in Master’s Programs
Under Master’s Standard II.D.3, the CoA uses its professional judgement to determine if student achievement outcomes of a master’s program demonstrates students’ successful preparation for entry-level practice in health service psychology at the master’s level. The Commission has developed IR D.4-7(d) to outline the thresholds for student achievement outcomes in APA-accredited master's programs.
In accordance with the APA "Policies for Accreditation Governance" and U.S. Department of Education regulations for notice and comment, the CoA will make the proposed revisions available for a ninety (30) day period of public review and comment. The comment period is scheduled to begin at 5:00 pm Eastern Standard Time on December 10, 2024 and will continue through 5:00pm Eastern Standard Time on March 10, 2025. Information about the proposed standards and public comment is available at http://apps.apa.org/accredcomment/.
Monitoring of Programs on “Accredited, Inactive” Status and Voluntary Withdrawal from Accreditation
Section 8.2 at the master’s level of the AOP provides that APA-accredited master’s programs may request “accredited, inactive” status for one year at a time. IR D.4-5 provides details of the inactive process for programs at all levels. Changes to this IR provide clarification to APA-accredited programs at the master’s level that are phasing out.
Section 1.3 at the master’s level of the AOP states that an accredited program may request voluntarily withdraw from accredited status at any time by advising the COA in writing in advance of the requested withdrawal date. IR D.4-11 has been updated to provide APA-accredited master’s programs with clarification regarding AOP-compliant withdrawal procedures for programs that wish to withdraw from accreditation but continue to operate.
In accordance with the APA "Policies for Accreditation Governance" and U.S. Department of Education regulations for notice and comment, the CoA will make the proposed revisions available for a thirty (30) day period of public review and comment. The comment period is scheduled to begin at 5:00 pm Eastern Standard Time on December 10, 2024 and will continue through 5:00pm Eastern Standard Time on January 9, 2025. Information about the proposed standards and public comment is available at http://apps.apa.org/accredcomment/.
Modifications of Site Visitor Training and Accreditation Quick Reference Guides (Notice)
Site Visitor Training and Re-Training: To decrease the time constraints of being a site visitor or site visit chair, the Commission has decreased the requirement of training frequency to an encouragement.
Use of Quick Reference Guides in Program Review: After merging the information from the “Quick Reference Guide” with other CoA documents, the Commission has decided to delete this IR.
In accordance with the APA “Policies for Accreditation Governance” and the US Department of Education regulations for notice and comment, the CoA is providing additional information and is making the changes available for a thirty (30) day period of public notice starting December 10, 2024. On behalf of the CoA, thank you in advance for your review.