Critical Clinical Professional Counseling Degree Receives Accreditation

NORMAN, OKLA. – The University of Oklahoma Jeannine Rainbolt College of Education, Professional Counseling Program’s Clinical Professional Counseling specialty recently received a unique eight-year accreditation from the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). This timeframe is unusual for newly accredited programs like OU’s, with a typical period being two or four years. This accreditation also allows the program to assist in addressing a documented mental health professional shortage in Oklahoma.

“CACREP accreditation status is a reliable indicator of the value and quality of our program in that the program includes established standards for finances, educational and support resources, and curricula,” said Delini Fernando, Ph.D., LPC-S, NCC. Fernando is an associate professor and program area coordinator for the Professional Counseling Program of the Jeannine Rainbolt College of Education.

According to the Healthy Minds Policy Initiative, a nonprofit focused on ending untreated mental illness and addiction in Oklahoma, the federal government designates all 77 counties in Oklahoma as mental health professional shortage areas. CACREP accreditation will allow OU’s program to help meet this important workforce need and elevate the reputation of the degree as it allows for more seamless applications for counseling licensure.  

“As a former international student, the advice I was given was to choose a CACREP-accredited program, guaranteeing a systematic and quality training,” said Byeolbee Um, Ph.D., assistant professor. “The program faculty received several inquiries from prospective students about the CACREP accreditation status. I believe graduate students know the value and importance of CACREP accreditation.”

“Based upon my education and training from CACREP accredited programs in Texas and Arkansas, I can speak comfortably to the quality of preparation I received to address the mental health needs of the populations I served,” says Cian Brown, Ph.D., LPC-S (OK, AR), NCC, CCAT, BCN-Fellow and assistant professor. “Additionally, it provided me with the flexibility of moving across states from Texas to Arkansas and now Oklahoma through licensure portability.”

This accreditation decision is based on an extensive self-study submitted by the program’s counseling faculty, as well as a site visit by a site review team from CACREP and responses to questions posed by the site review team. The time and effort required to complete the accreditation materials is extensive. Continuous reaccreditation plans are on the horizon as well.

G. Michael Russo, Ph.D., LPC (OK), NCC, BCN- Fellow and assistant professor describes it this way: “CACREP accreditation highlights that our faculty, program, and practicum and internship site partners are in line with the standards of excellence associated with training counselors of the highest quality.”