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Delta State Counselor Education Programs Receive CACREP Re-Accreditation

Please join the Delta State University Counselor Education faculty in celebrating some good news for 2020! The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) has granted accreditation to the following programs in the Department of Counselor Education at Delta State University: Clinical Mental Health Counseling (M.Ed.) and School Counseling (M.Ed.). Both specialties are Re-Accredited for Hybrid delivery format through October 31, 2028.

“CACREP accreditation is the international gold standard for the counseling profession. The re-accreditation process takes years of dedicated attention and work to achieve,” stated Dr. Cat Vincent, Counselor Education Program Coordinator. “The re-accreditation news was a welcome surprise this week!”

Dr. Barnes go over notes on the first day of her Counseling Practicum course on Tuesday Jan. 8.

The College of Education and Human Sciences Dean, Dr. Leslie Griffin, noted, “The validation of Counselor Education programs by CACREP is a hallmark of excellence and attests that programs are operating at the highest levels of ethical and academic standards. To receive an 8-year accreditation decision is a significant endorsement of the program. However, at the heart of this recognition is a highly capable and committed faculty team, who function as an expert team in delivering quality teaching and clinical internships—undergirded by a comprehensive evaluation system.”

Program Faculty, Dr. Natasha Barnes, Dr. Stephanie Bell, Dr. Mary Bess Pannel, Dr. Cat Vincent, and Mrs. Charlotte Brunetti McCain, are to be commended for the years of work that led up to this re-accreditation. The faculty are particularly appreciative of their former colleague, Dr. George Beals, for spearheading the self-study while he was on staff at Delta State University.

“Each member plays an important role – it is the faculty who make this process meaningful and real—and they are due the highest commendations for their efforts to develop and deliver quality programming,” observed Dr. Griffin.

A day at the Capitol

The Counselor Education Department has maintained their CACREP accreditation since their first cycle in 1991. The first specialty accredited was in “Community Counseling” which was officially changed to “Clinical Mental Health Counseling” in 2013. The “School Counseling” specialty has been accredited since 1997. The counseling department has a “Counselor-First” approach to both specialties; all students are trained as therapists prior to selecting which specialty they would like to join.

“We are so thrilled to see the Counselor Education Program accredited for a full eight years. This recognition allows our faculty and program to shine nationally as exemplars, and is a true testament to the faculty’s dedication to their profession, the standards, and the students,” shared Dr. Merideth Van Namen, Chair of Counseling and Psychology.

For more about the Counselor Education department, go to https://www.deltastate.edu/education-and-human-sciences/counselor-education-and-psychology/med-counseling/. Follow them on Facebook @ Delta State University Counselor Education Department! Dr. Vincent, Program Coordinator, can be contacted at cvincent@deltastate.edu.