CANVAS

A semi-annual newsletter brought to you by the ACATE Council

VOL. 3, ISSUE 2

July 2023

The Accreditation Council for Art Therapy Education (ACATE) provides the semi-annual ACATE Canvas newsletter to inform its many stakeholders of the progress of art therapy program accreditation generally and the actions of the Council more specifically.

ACATE Thanks Three Members Completing Terms

ACATE expresses its sincere appreciation to three volunteers who have provided many years of dedicated service to the Council, art therapy accreditation, art therapy education, and the art therapy profession.

Janet Kempf, practitioner, Ohio: Founding Council Member 2016-2023, Chair 2019-2021, Past Chair, 2021-2023.
Craig Belfany, educator, Adler Graduate School, Minnesota: Council Member 2017-2023, Vice Chair, 2019-2021, Treasurer 2022-2023.
Laura Thompson, public member, Georgia: Council Member 2020-2023.

ACATE Welcomes Two New Council Members

On July 1, 2023, ACATE welcomes two new members to the Council.

Eileen Misluk, educator, Herron School, IUPUI
Haley Fox, practitioner, Missouri

ACATE’s Newly Elected Officers Begin Their Terms

ACATE officers serve two-year elected terms, with the term beginning on July 1. Each year, ACATE elects some members to new officer positions, while other members continue to a second year.

Eliza Homer, Chair 2023-2025

Michelle Itczak, Vice Chair 2023-2025

Ron Hunt, Past Chair 2023-2025

Mary Roberts, Secretary 2022-2024

Ron Hunt, Treasurer, 2023-2024 (completing an unexpired term)

Sara Miller, Commissioner to CAAHEP 2022-2025

ACATE Members

Some of ACATE's committee members posing for a picture together at the last in-person meeting. They worked hard and liked enjoying time with each other, as well.

CAAHEP Art Therapy Standards Revision Update

In March 2023, ACATE completed its review of the work of the five Standards Revision Review Committees and collected public stakeholder and AATA Education Committee comments on the proposed revisions. In April, the Council approved additional changes to the proposed revisions, based on the public comments. The proposed revisions have been submitted to the CAAHEP Standards Committee, whose review is expected in Summer 2023. ACATE’s goal is to have the CAAHEP Board approve the revisions by Fally 2023, with implementation by Summer 2024.

ACATE Provides Webinar Series for Art Therapy Program Directors

ACATE recently provided a series of webinars to help art therapy program directors and their faculty comply with Art Therapy Standards and complete their annual reports to ACATE. Links to recordings of the following webinars are listed on the ACATE webpage.

Using SLOs as Summative Outcomes Measures
Graduate, Employment, and Employer Surveys
Frequently Cited Annual Report Concerns
Structure and Role of Advisory Committees

Recent Accreditation Actions

In the past six months, ACATE completed reviews of five art therapy degree programs, leading to accreditation approval for eight years by the Council on Accreditation of Allied Health Educations Programs (CAAHEP). CAAHEP is the parent accrediting body for ACATE and dozens of other accreditation

councils and committees. The latest accredited master’s degree programs is:

University of Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Indiana

Congratulations to the UIndy program. It joins 30 previously accredited art therapy programs already listed on the CAAHEP website. Four additional programs are in various stages in

their review for their initial accreditation and have site visits scheduled in winter or spring 2023.

Thank you to our Sponsoring Organization