Published on : July 16, 2024
This week, CSWE accreditation leadership and the Board of Accreditation (BOA) chair, Dr. Tom Gregoire, attended a recognition hearing at the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) in Washington, D.C. The BOA is recognized by CHEA to accredit baccalaureate and master's social work education programs in the United States.
Recognition is granted in 7-year increments, and the process includes an application, self-study, in-person hearing, and interim reports. CSWE will learn the outcome of the recognition process by October 2024.
In his opening statement, Dr. Gregoire said, "We describe our approach to accreditation as a peer-review process of supportive accountability. The beneficiaries of that accountability process include a broad range of constituents: faculty, staff, and administrators of social work programs; students preparing for practice; and, most importantly, the client systems they will work with. Those accessing professional social workers are often among the most vulnerable and oppressed in our society. It is essential that programs be held accountable to an accreditation process that promotes the safety and well-being of the many communities where social workers change lives.
"With the understanding that the lived experience of those we serve is a function of the complex interactions of the multiple environments in which we all live, work, learn, and play, programs are accountable to prepare students to practice with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities."
CSWE is proud of the educational programs preparing the next generation of social workers, and grateful to our volunteer BOA and site visitors who invest their time and talents in the peer-review accreditation process.