[036]MTSU PSYCHOLOGY PROGRAMS EARN HIGHEST LEVEL OF ACCREDITATION

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Aug. 15, 2008
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Lisa L. Rollins, lrollins@mtsu.edu or 615-898-2919

MTSU PSYCHOLOGY PROGRAMS EARN HIGHEST LEVEL OF ACCREDITATION
Mental Health Counseling, School Counseling Areas Ranked Tops, Faculty Report

(MURFREESBORO)—Two concentrations within the Department of Psychology at MTSU recently were accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs, or CACREP, making them two of only a handful of such programs in the state to be designated as such.
“We are delighted to announce that we recently received word that both the mental health counseling and the school counseling areas of study … are now accredited by the CACREP,” Quarto said.
The newly acquired accreditation “is the highest level of accreditation for counseling programs in the United States” and can provide a number of benefits for those who complete such a CACREP-accredited programs,” reported Dr. Christopher J. Quarto, MTSU psychology professor and a licensed psychologist.
Dr. Virginia Dansby, coordinator for MTSU Professional Counseling, said, “With this accreditation decision, MTSU now has one of two CACREP mental health programs in Tennessee and one of six CACREP school counseling programs throughout the state.
As the sole national accreditation body for mental health and school counseling programs, the CACREP designation is noteworthy, agreed Dansby and Quarto.
“While the accreditation is an honor for the university and for the faculty, it is even more important for the students, as graduation from a CACREP program provides multiple benefits, including special consideration in hiring decisions throughout the country,” observed psychologist Dansby.
The psychology department currently offers a Master of Education degree in professional counseling, with concentrations in school counseling and mental health counseling. The school counseling concentration prepares students to work in elementary and secondary schools with the potential for recommendation for licensure as a school counselor. The mental health-counseling program prepares students to work with children/adolescents in community mental-health centers, family services agencies and private-practice settings.
Quarto said MTSU's school counseling concentration originally was accredited in 2000 and mental health counseling, a new concentration that began in 2005, has received its first accredited status from CACREP.
“Many individuals helped us through this rigorous evaluation process, and we greatly appreciate everyone for their assistance,” Quarto noted. “A special thanks goes to our site supervisors who make such an important contribution during practicum and internship and to our excellent students, who have helped us earn this honor, and who make the hard work worthwhile.”
The psychology department at MTSU, under the direction of Dr. Dennis Papini, chairman, is part of the university’s College of Education and Behavioral Science, which is led by Dr. Terry Whiteside, interim dean. At present, the mental health concentration has 11 students and school counseling has 54 enrollees, Dansby confirmed.
For more information about CACREP, please access www.cacrep.org.
For more information these MTSU programs, please contact the psychology department at 615-898-2706.
###