Accreditation Council for Art Therapy Education
Ron Hunt, DDS, MS, Chair
For questions, contact: Dana Elmendorf, MA, ATR-BC, LPC, Coordinator
4875 Eisenhower Avenue, Suite 240
Alexandria, VA 22304
Phone: 724-830-1140
Email: acatecouncil@gmail.com
To then find the directory of accredited art therapy programs:
BE SURE TO SELECT "ART THERAPY" and "ACCREDITED" TO VIEW A FULL LIST (Including face-to-face, hybrid, low residency and fully online )
Click on the link above or image below to be taken to the Directory
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ART THERAPY PROGRAM STUDENTS: HAVE YOU BEEN HEARING ABOUT THE TRANSITION OF ART THERAPY PROGRAMS FROM BEING APPROVED TO BEING ACCREDITED AND HAVE QUESTIONS? REVIEW THIS PAMPHLET ON THESE IMPORTANT CHANGES OCCURING AND TO UNDERSTAND THIS TIME OF TRANSITION.
FOR PROGRAM DIRECTORS AND FACULTY: How do I get started?
See Accreditation Documents (to right) for material related to the accreditation process and ACATE policies and procedures. Art Therapy programs interested in applying for accreditation will wish to start with a review of the:
1) Standards and Guidelines for the Accreditation of Educational Programs in Art Therapy
2) Initial Self-Study Report Handbook
3) Initial Self-Study Report Template
* To be eligible to submit a
full Initial Self-Study Report (ISSR) for accreditation review, programs must have at least one graduating class and have provided graduate-level instruction in art therapy on a continuous basis for at least three academic years. Programs may, however, submit a
preliminary Request for Accreditation Services (RAS) at the end of the second academic year of instruction as long as they have achieved one graduating class by that time.
Sponsors for Art Therapy 
The Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) and the Accreditation Council for Art Therapy Education (ACATE) cooperate with the American Art Therapy Association (AATA) to establish, maintain and promote appropriate standards of quality for educational programs that meet or exceed the minimum standards.
Benefits of Accreditation
CAAHEP accreditation attests to the quality of an educational program that prepares for entry into the art therapy profession.
- For the public, accreditation promotes the health, safety and welfare of the public by assuring competent mental health professionals
- For prospective students, accreditation serves a consumer protection purpose. It provides assurance the program has been evaluated and has met accepted standards established by and with the art therapy profession.
- For prospective employers, it provides assurance that the curriculum covers essential skills, knowledge and attitudes needed for today's job market in mental health care.
- For graduates, it offers assurance to employers of competency in the essential knowledge, skills and attitudes needed for entry level art therapy practice.
- For art therapists, it involves practitioners in the establishment of standards and assures that educational requirements reflect the current training needs of the profession.
- For the profession, it advances the field by promoting standards of practice and advocating rigorous preparation.
- For public and private finding sources, it represents a highly desirable indicator of a program's quality and viability.
- For the faculty and administrators, it promotes ongoing self-evaluation and continuous improvement and provides an effective system for accountability.
- For the school or program, accreditation represents peer recognition.