ABSTRACT
Accreditation of counselor preparation programs in the United States is a voluntary process. The accreditation bodies are independent from the federal and state governments. In most cases, the accreditation body was initially established by the professional association. For example, the American Personnel and Guidance Association (now ACA) established CACREP, the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy established COAMFTE, the American Association of Pastoral Counselors established AAPC, and the Council on Rehabilitation Education, Inc. established CORE.
