1. How important is it that Fordham is not CACREP accredited? It seems like it's a pretty reputable program but how can it be if it's not accredited?
Depends on where you want to work eventually and if you imagine yourself changing states. SW has national licensure that allows their licenses to be valid nationally. For mental health counselors - each and every state has a different requirement. So it can be super easy to get licensed in some states - and super hard in others states. If you get licensed in one of those "easy" states and then want to work at the Veterans Administration or transfer to another state - you may not be able to be licensed/hired.
CACREP is frustrating at some levels - it locks out small schools, schools that don't want to go through the hassle of accreditation, or schools with too few faculty or schools that are rebels and don't want to pay the $$$ for the recognition.
BUT! If we as counselors - ever want to have a national identity - and license transferability (is that a word?) then we have to accept some sort of national oversight.
2. Why is the program through their graduate school of education (you would be getting an Masters of Science in Education, not an MA or MS)? That makes me think it's somehow related to education/teaching some way.
Counseling came out of the Education Departments - we used to be Guidance Counselors and School Counselors and Career Counselors - and those programs aligned with Education.
I have a MA and an EdS - Educational Specialist from the PSYCHOLOGY department and all of my classes are upper level PSYCH - the same credentials that a school psychologist get - but less than a clinical psychologist (Psy.D./Ph.D). It is craziness isn't it? And yet my degree is in Clinical Mental Health Counseling - the word "psychology" can't appear in my degree because the ACA is wanting to separate Counselors and Counselor Educators from Clinical Psychologists.
To add mayhem to chaos - in the future it is likely that clinical psychologists will not be "qualified" to teach in CACREP programs. You will have to have a PhD/PsyD in COUNSELING or Counselor Education from a CACREP program to teach counselors. Seems a bit like a "guild" mentality.
LPCs can get supervision from both LPCs but also LCSWs, Psychiatrists etc for licensure while the other professions only allow supervision toward licensure to only come from a similar professional.
Social workers - correct me if I am wrong - but I think that you can't count an LPC supervisor toward your LCSW credential. For me - I need 100 hours of LPC supervision and then 100 of "other" supervision (group, clinical psych, psychiatry, etc.)
Would love to hear from other LPCs (or other professionals) about their experiences with this.
Vasa Lisa
