Annual Report on Accreditation Activities and Issues: 1999

The appendix to this report presents a brief profile of the 1999 Committee on Accreditation (CoA) membership. In terms of individual and discipline diversity, 52% of the CoA members in 1999 were women and 14% were of ethnic minority background. Psychologists serving on the CoA represented 24 (47%) of the APA divisions, through which 61% were APA Fellows. Among those eligible, 29% were ABPP Diplomates. Sixteen states from various regions of the country were geographically represented on the CoA.

Accreditation Reviews and Consultation: Annual Summary

During calendar year 1999, the CoA, chaired by Thomas L. Jackson, Ph.D., met on the following dates: April 9-11, July 16-17, and October 22-24, completing the reviews of 77 doctoral, 92 internship, and 4 postdoctoral residency programs for a total of 173 reviews. Of those programs, 169 (98%) either attained initial accredited status or maintained their prior accredited status. In addition, the CoA reviewed complaints filed against accredited programs as well as special reports submitted by programs other than those accounted for in the major reviews noted above. Throughout the year, Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation staff and the Committee also provided consultative guidance to programs.

External Recognition of APA Accreditation: An Update

Just as the CoA reviews for quality and public recognition the education and training programs in professional psychology, the U.S. Secretary of Education (through a national advisory panel) reviews the practices of accrediting agencies. The CoA is recognized by the Secretary as the accrediting body for professional psychology. In May 1999, the CoA submitted a full petition for continued recognition. In the course of that review, a staff member attended a CoA meeting and observed an accreditation site visit. The petition was reviewed by the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity (NACIQI) at its December 1999 meeting. As a result of its review, the NACIQI recommended that the Secretary renew the CoA’s recognition for a period of five years, with an interim report due in December 2000.

The Council on Higher Education (CHEA), a new organization for the advancement of self-regulation through accreditation, has adopted recognition criteria and a initiated its review process in 1999. According to CHEA’s recognition review schedule, the CoA is scheduled for review in 2003. The APA Program Consultation and Accreditation Office continues to monitor developments in CHEA=s recognition process.

Targeted Changes Made to Accreditation Guidelines and Procedures

In order to enable the CoA to come into full compliance with the Secretary of Education’s recognition regulations prior to its December 1999 review, the CoA made targeted changes to the Guidelines and Principles for Accreditation of Programs in Professional Psychology (G&P) and the Accreditation Operating Procedures. Following a 60-day period of public review and comment, the CoA examined and considered all the comments received and made revisions as appropriate prior to its formal acceptance of the changes. The amendments to the G&P/Procedures were reviewed and approved by the APA Board of Directors in August 1999.

Representing Graduate Departments of Psychology

Council of Graduate Departments of Psychology (COGDOP)

• Camilla P. Benbow, Ed.D., Vanderbilt University (Peabody College)., APA Fellow (Div. 15)/Member (Div. 1,5), Ed.D. educational psychology 1981 Johns Hopkins University
• Florence L. Denmark, Ph.D., Pace University, APA Fellow (Div. 1,2,8,9,31,35,44,45,49) and Past President of APA, Ph.D. social psychology 1958 University of Pennsylvania
• Thomas M. DiLorenzo, Ph.D., A&S Coll., Univ. of Missouri/Columbia, APA Member (Div. 2,12,25,38), Ph.D. clinical psychology 1984 West Virginia University
• M. Jeanne Sholl, Ph.D., Boston College, APA member, Ph.D. experimental psychology 1963 Johns Hopkins University

Representing Professional Schools and Training Programs

Council of University Directors of Clinical Psychology (CUDCP)

• Thomas L. Jackson, Ph.D. (Chair), Univ. of Arkansas, APA Fellow (Div. 12,30), Ph.D. clinical psychology 1978 Bowling Green State University
• William J. Ray, Ph.D., Penn State Univ, APA Member (Div. 12,23,30,38), ABPP (clin), Ph.D. clinical psychology 1971 Vanderbilt University

Council of Counseling Psychology Training Programs (CCPTP)

• Michael J. Patton, Ph.D., College of Education, Univ. of Missouri/Columbia; APA Fellow (Div. 17)/Member (Div.39), Ph.D. counseling psychology 1966 Ohio State University
• Susan D. Phillips, Ph.D., SUNY at Albany, APA Fellow (Div. 17), Ph.D. counseling psychology 1979 Columbia University

Council of Directors of School Psychology Programs (CDSPP)

• Cindy I. Carlson, Ph.D., Univ. of Texas, APA Fellow (Div. 16)/Member (Divs. 15,37,43), Ph.D. school psychology 1982 Indiana University
• Ena Vazquez-Nuttal, Ed.D., Northeastern University, APA Fellow (Div. 16,17,35), Ed.D. counseling and school psychology 1969 Boston University

National Council of Schools of Professional Psychology (NCSPP)

• Maryka Biaggio, Ph.D., Pacific University, APA Fellow (Div. 35)/Member (Div. 12,44,45), Ph.D. personality psychology 1977 Utah State University
• Roger Peterson, Ph.D., Antioch New England Graduate School, APA Member (Div. 2,12,29), Ph.D. clinical psychology 1971 Purdue University

Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers (APPIC)

• Martha Dennis Christiansen, Ph.D., College of William and Mary Counseling Center, APA Member (Div. 17), Ph.D. counseling psychology 1985 Indiana State University
• Robert K. Klepac, Ph.D., Wilford Hall Air Force Med. Ctr., APA Member (Div. 12, 38), Ph.D. clinical psychology 1969 Kent State University

Representing Professional Practice

APA Board of Professional Affairs and Committee for Advancement of Professional Practice

Institutional Practice

• Elizabeth Davis-Russell, Ed.D., Ph.D., CSPP/Fresno, APA Fellow (Div. 45)/Member (Div. 12, 42), Ph.D. clinical psychology 1987 New York University
• Joseph C. Kobos, Ph.D., Univ. Texas Health Science Ctr, APA Fellow (Divs. 12,29,49); ABPP (clin), Ph.D. clinical psychology 1970 Ohio University

Independent Practice

• Michael J. Murphy, Ph.D., Terre Haute, IN, APA Fellow (Div. 12,29,31,42), ABPP (clin), Ph.D. clinical psychology 1974 Kent State University
• Wade H. Silverman, Ph.D., Coconut Grove, FL, APA Fellow (Div. 12,29,38,42)/Member (Div. 47), ABPP (clin), Ph.D. clinical psychology 1969 Kent State University.

Representing the General Public

• Claire Griffin Francell, M.S., R.N., nursing consultant living in Georgia, M.S. nursing Rutgers University
• Michael Mezey, PhD, Dean, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, DePaul University, Chicago, IL, Ph.D. political science 1969 Syracuse University

Representing Graduate Students

American Psychological Association of Graduate Students (APAGS)

• Marcia Moody, doctoral candidate in counseling psychology, Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison

The terms of service for Camilla Benbow, Ed.D. (COGDOP), Thomas DiLorenzo, Ph.D. (COGDOP), Marcia Moody (APAGS), and Michael Patton, PhD. (CCPTP) will end in December 1999. Replacing them on the Committee, respectively, are Vicki Green, Ph.D., David S. Hargrove, Ph.D., Marcus Patterson, and Ralph Packard, Ph.D.

Accredited Doctoral Programs in Professional Psychology
(As of December 1999)

Accredited Internship Programs in Professional Psychology
(As of December 1999)

 Number of Accredited Programs by Decade*

*End of year public listing used as base.