CAAHEP Communiqué October 2022

CAAHEP Communiqué

October 2022

From the President

Donald A. Balasa, JD, MBA

2022-2023 CAAHEP President

Department of Education May Tighten Requirements for Programs Leading to Licensing/Mandatory Certification

In this article, President Balasa provides information about potential changes proposed by the Department of Education that may alter or tighten requirements for Health Professions educational programs. It is recommended that CAAHEP program sponsors, educators, and professional organizations maintain awareness about these proposed changes and consider their potential impact on institutions of higher education and health science professions.

The United States Department of Education (USDE) issued regulations (effective July 1, 2020) that schools accredited by accrediting bodies recognized by the USDE must make readily available to prospective and current students specific information about educational programs “designed to meet educational requirements for a specific professional license or certification that is required for employment in an occupation.” A school must comply with these USDE regulations to be eligible for federal funding, including financial assistance for students under Title IV of the Higher Education Act.

Note the following from the July 1, 2020, Department of Education regulations:

§668.43 Institutional information.

(a) Institutional information that the institution must make readily available to enrolled and prospective students under this subpart includes, but is not limited to—

…

5. …

(v) If an educational program is designed to meet educational requirements for a specific professional license or certification that is required for em ployment in an occupation, or is advertised as meeting such requirements, information regarding whether completion of that program would be sufficient to meet licensure requirements in a State for that occupation, including—

(A) A list of all States for which the institution has determined that its curriculum meets the State educational requirements for licensure or certification;

(B) A list of all States for which the institution has determined that its curriculum does not meet the State educational requirements for licensure or certification; and

(C) A list of all States for which the institution has not made a determination that its curriculum meets the State educational requirements for licensure or certification;

In its Issue Paper 6: Certification Procedures, Session 3: March 14-18, 2022, the USDE offered the following proposed language to be added to §668.14, Program participation agreement, of its regulations:

(32) In each State in which the institution is located or in which students enrolled by the institution are located, the institution must ensure that each program—

(i) Is programmatically accredited, if such accreditation is required by the State or a Federal agency;

(ii) Satisfies the applicable educational prerequisites for professional licensure or certification requirements in the State so that a student who completes the program and seeks employment in that State qualifies to take any licensure or certification exam that is needed for the student to practice or find employment in an occupation that the program prepares students to enter; and

(iii) Complies with all State consumer protection laws, including both generally applicable State laws and those specific to educational institutions, except where State requirements for obtaining authorization are inapplicable pursuant to a State authorization reciprocity agreement.

In this Issue Paper the Department of Education also proposed significant revisions to §668.43:

§668.43 Institutional and programmatic information.

(a) Institutional information that the institution must make readily available to enrolled and prospective students under this subpart includes, but is not limited to—

…

(5) The academic program of the institution, including—

(i) The current degree programs and other educational and training programs;

(ii) The instructional, laboratory, and other physical facilities which relate to the academic program;

(iii) The institution's faculty and other instructional personnel; and

(iv) Any plans by the institution for improving the academic program of the institution, upon a determination by the institution that such a plan exists; and

(v) If an educational program is designed to meet educational requirements for a specific professional license or certification that is required for employment in an occupation, or is advertised as meeting such requirements, a list of all States where the institution offers the program and where the program does and does not meet such requirements. [emphasis in original]

The proposed language above in this Issue Paper of the United States Department of Education is at the recommendation stage and has not been issued in a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM). The NPRM reflecting these (or similar) amendments to the USDE regulations is expected to be published in the Federal Register in April of 2023.

An analysis of these proposed amendments and additions to the USDE regulations will be presented in the next From the President.

Save the Date for the New CAAHEP Symposium

Join us for the first annual CAAHEP Symposium, January 20-21, 2023, at Renaissance Tampa International Plaza Hotel, in Tampa, Florida.

The CAAHEP Symposium is a forum for accreditation leaders to discuss issues related to health professions accreditation focusing on quality improvement, education outcomes, and societal impact.

CAAHEP is finalizing the agenda and confirming speakers. Watch for an upcoming announcement, including the schedule of events and registration form in your inbox and on the CAAHEP website.

Sponsorship opportunities are also available for this inaugural event. Please save the date!

CAAHEP Launches New Policy Feedback Process to Enhance Public Transparency

At its September meeting, the CAAHEP Board of Directors approved a significant policy change, increasing transparency and engaging with its communities of interest. Starting December 1, 2022, the proposed Policy changes to the CAAHEP Policies and Procedures manual will be posted on the CAAHEP website, where comments on new policies and procedures will be received before the final Board of Directors approval and publication.

The CAAHEP Policies and Procedures will be updated twice per year based on a fixed schedule of the draft, open comment period, and final publication. The calendar of Board meetings, open comment period, and final Policy manual publication is below:

Board Meetings at which policies are approved	Draft Policies & Procedures posted on CAAHEP website	Open comment period	Final publication of CAAHEP Policies & Procedures
July, September, November	December 1	December 1-30	February 1
January, March, May	June 1	June 1-30	July 1

CAAHEP Statement on Recent Changes

in NCCAA Examination Policies

The National Commission for Certification of Anesthesiologist Assistants (NCCAA) recently announced substantial changes to their exam eligibility requirements published in its Certification Examination Handbook (2022) that could negatively impact students and the public. The Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) submitted a letter of concern to the NCCAA, identifying how these policy changes create an additional barrier for entry into practice, affect graduate success, and fail to meet accountability expectations for a national certification body.

To view the complete statement, please visit the CAAHEP website under the News section to find the Position Statement.

If you care to share your comments on the NCCAA policy changes with the NCCAA, please use the mailing address: NCCAA, 8459 US 42 #160, Florence, KY 41042, or email contact@nccaa.org.

October 16-22 is Medical Assistant Week

Celebrating Medical Assistant Professionals and Students

Medical Assistants are the heart of medical practices, hospitals, and other medical offices. In some cases, they are the first contact patients have in medical care. It's CAAHEP's pleasure to shine a light on the vital role these healthcare professionals play. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics,

"Employment of medical assistants is projected to grow 16 percent from 2021 to 2031, much faster than the average for all occupations.

About 123,000 openings for medical assistants are projected each year, on average, over the decade."

There are currently 400 CAAHEP-accredited programs that have been reviewed by the Medical Assisting Education Review Board (MAERB) and have been found to be in compliance with the CAAHEP Standards and Guidelines for the Accreditation of Educational Programs in Medical Assisting. MAERB is one of the largest Committees on Accreditation and is led by volunteer Chair Karon G. Walton, MEd, CMA (AAMA) and staff Executive Director Sarah Marino, PhD, Assistant Director of Accreditation Jim Hardman, and Accreditation Program Manager Bethany Hardman. Kudos to the volunteer members and staff of MAERB for everything they do to help ensure students receive a medical assistant education that meets CAAHEP Standards.

CAAHEP Sponsor Organizations that sponsor the Medical Assisting Education Review Board and endorse the CAAHEP Standards are:

Photo credit: Southern Cresent Technical College Medical Assistant students

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Medical Assistants, at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/medical-assistants.htm

(visited September 08, 2022).

2023 CAAHEP Annual Accreditation Fee Changes

As the leading Allied Health Professions programmatic accreditor in the United States, CAAHEP is committed to sustainability in its operations and services. After conducting an in-depth analysis of CAAHEP resources, the Board of Directors approved changes to its fee structure effective July 1, 2023. Additional revenue from these changes will be used to improve CAAHEP's infrastructure and staffing to realize its strategic goals, including improvements in the Accreditation Management System, data reporting, and Committee on Accreditation services.

The approved 2023-2025 complete schedule of fees is available on the CAAHEP website. CAAHEP recognizes the complexities of program sponsor budgets, so it distributed a Special Bulletin on September 23, 2022, to all stakeholders, including Program Directors, Deans, Institution Presidents, Sponsors, and Committees on Accreditation.

Fee Structure

As a programmatic accreditor, CAAHEP activities occur for each program, regardless of the number of programs within a single institution. Starting with the 2023 Fiscal Year (July 1- June 30), CAAHEP will begin assessing Annual Accreditation Fees for each program it accredits rather than by institution. Invoices for annual accreditation fees will be sent directly to the program director of each CAAHEP-accredited program.

The Annual Accreditation Fees and Administrative Fees approved by the Board of Directors will be published in the draft of the proposed policy changes to be posted on the CAAHEP website on December 1, 2022. Comments on the fee changes as well as other policy changes will be received for thirty (30) days. The Board of Directors will consider the collected comments at their next meeting before a final version of the CAAHEP Policies and Procedures is published on February 1, 2023.

Annual Accreditation Fee FAQs

Since notifying programs of the changes in Annual Accreditation Fees, CAAHEP has received several inquiries about the process and identification of a program. Below are the frequently asked questions (FAQs) about this topic received.

Q: How does CAAHEP identify each program that will receive Annual Accreditation Fees?

A: For the purpose of CAAHEP annual accreditation fees, a program is an identified course of study with specific goals and outcomes that is evaluated under each profession’s CAAHEP Standards. Although CAAHEP programs may be in related disciplines, if they are evaluated under different CAAHEP Standards, they are considered separate CAAHEP programs.

Q: My program is evaluated under a single set of standards but has multiple learning concentrations/add-ons/award levels within one CAAHEP profession. What CAAHEP annual fee will we receive?

A: If a program is evaluated under a single set of CAAHEP Standards and has multiple learning concentrations, add-ons, or award levels for the same profession, it is considered a single program by CAAHEP and will receive one CAAHEP Annual Accreditation fee. For example, if a program sponsor has a Diagnostic Medical Sonography program with multiple learning concentrations, it will be counted as a single program for the assessment of CAAHEP annual accreditation fees.

Q: How does this affect the fee my program pays to the Committee on Accreditation (CoA) for my profession?

A: The CAAHEP annual accreditation fee is separate from the CoA fee for each profession. It is recommended that you contact each Committee on Accreditation for information on its fees.

CAAHEP Annual Accreditation Fees: 2023-2025

2023	2024	2025
$600	$700	$800

The Value of CHEA Recognition

The Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) has developed a brief informational video on the Value of CHEA Recognition. CAAHEP is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.

Accreditation Actions

Each profession in the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) system has a Committee on Accreditation (CoA) that consists of experts in the profession that are responsible for reviewing programs and making appropriate recommendations for accreditation to CAAHEP. CAAHEP reviews recommendations received from its CoAs in each profession, assures due process was followed and takes final action on an accreditation status.

CAAHEP took the following actions at its September 16, 2022, meeting. Actions are identified by profession, the action that was taken, the date of the next comprehensive evaluation, and whether a progress report to improve program compliance is required. In some cases, the concentration and/or degree are also specified. Where available, links to each program's website are provided below. To view a copy of the most recent accreditation award letter for a program, which includes information about the accreditation decision, visit the program’s listing on the Find an Accredited Program section of the CAAHEP Website

The following programs were found to be in compliance with the accreditation Standards and Guidelines and were granted continuing accreditation, with the next comprehensive evaluation to occur no later than 2027. These actions require no progress report and were approved on the consent agenda.

Diagnostic Medical Sonography

Howard Community College, Columbia, MD (Abdominal-Extended)

Howard Community College, Columbia, MD (Obstetrics and Gynecology)

Howard Community College, Columbia, MD (Adult Cardiac)

Howard Community College, Columbia, MD (Vascular)

Emergency Medical Services-Paramedic

Southwest Virginia Community College, Richlands, VA

The following programs were found to be in compliance with the accreditation Standards and Guidelines and were granted continuing accreditation, with the next comprehensive evaluation to occur no later than 2031. These actions require no progress report and were approved on the consent agenda.

Medical Assisting

Berkeley College, Woodland Park, NJ (Certificate)

Central Piedmont Community College, Charlotte, NC (Diploma)

Ensign College, Salt Lake City, UT (Certificate)

Fox Valley Technical College, Appleton, WI (Diploma)

Johnston Community College, Smithfield, NC (Diploma)

Modesto Junior College, Modesto, CA (Certificate)

Pitt Community College, Greenville, NC (Associate)

South College - Knoxville, Knoxville, TN (Certificate)

Southeastern Community College, West Burlington, IA (Diploma)

The following programs were found to be in compliance with the accreditation Standards and Guidelines and were granted continuing accreditation, with the next comprehensive evaluation to occur no later than 2032. These actions require no progress report and were approved on the consent agenda.

Anesthesiologist Assistant

Emory University, Atlanta, GA

Diagnostic Medical Sonography

Columbus Technical College, Columbus, GA (Abdominal-Extended)

Columbus Technical College, Columbus, GA (Obstetrics and Gynecology)

Community Regional Medical Center, Fresno, CA (Abdominal-Extended)

Community Regional Medical Center, Fresno, CA (Obstetrics and Gynecology)

Community Regional Medical Center, Fresno, CA (Adult Cardiac)

Cypress College, Cypress, CA (Abdominal-Extended)

Cypress College, Cypress, CA (Obstetrics and Gynecology)

Exercise Science

East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania, East Stroudsburg, PA

Valdosta State University, Valdosta, GA

York College of the City University of New York, Jamaica, NY

Lactation Consultant

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC

Surgical Technology

College of Eastern Idaho, Idaho Falls, ID (Associate)

Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH (Certificate)

Davidson-Davie Community College, Mocksville, NC (Associate)

Yakima Valley College, Yakima, WA (Associate)

The following programs were found to be in substantial compliance with the accreditation Standards and Guidelines, with one or more Standards requiring a progress report to be submitted to the appropriate Committee on Accreditation (CoA). The programs were granted continuing accreditation, with the next comprehensive evaluation to occur no later than 2027.

Emergency Medical Services-Paramedic

Cleveland Community College, Shelby, NC

Pike-Lincoln Technical Center, Eolia, MO

The following program was found to be in substantial compliance with the accreditation Standards and Guidelines, with one or more Standards requiring a progress report to be submitted to the appropriate Committee on Accreditation (CoA). The program was granted continuing accreditation, with the next comprehensive evaluation to occur no later than 2030.

Medical Assisting

North Shore Community College, Danvers, MA (Certificate)

Medical Assisting

Apollo Career Center, Lima, OH (Certificate)

Butler County Community College, Butler, PA (Certificate)

Clackamas Community College, Milwaukie, OR (Certificate)

Columbus Technical College, Columbus, GA (Diploma)

Everett Community College, Everett, WA (Certificate)

Gateway Technical College-Elkhorn Campus, Elkhorn, WI (Diploma)

International Business College-Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN (Associate)

International Business College-Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN (Diploma)

Ivy Tech Community College-Sellersburg, Sellersburg, IN (Certificate)

Northwestern Health Sciences University, Bloomington, MN (Diploma)

Red Rocks Community College, Arvada, CO (Certificate)

Trident Technical College, North Charleston, SC (Diploma)

Wallace Community College, Dothan, AL (Associate)

Anesthesiologist Assistant

Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH

The following programs were found to be in compliance with the accreditation Standards and Guidelines and were granted initial accreditation with the next evaluation to occur no later than 2027. These actions require no progress report and were approved on the consent agenda.

Anesthesiologist Assistant

Ohio Dominican University, Columbus, OH

Diagnostic Medical Sonography

Cambridge College of Healthcare & Technology- Miami Gardens, Miami Gardens, FL (Abdominal-Extended)

Cambridge College of Healthcare & Technology- Miami Gardens, Miami Gardens, FL (Obstetrics and Gynecology)

Cambridge College of Healthcare & Technology- Miami Gardens, Miami Gardens, FL (Adult Cardiac)

Clark State College, Springfield, OH (Abdominal-Extended)

Clark State College, Springfield, OH (Obstetrics and Gynecology)

Clark State College, Springfield, OH (Vascular)

West Virginia University Hospitals, Morgantown, WV (Adult Cardiac)

Emergency Medical Services-Paramedic

City of Frankfort Fire and EMS Paramedic, Frankfort, KY

Louisville Metro EMS, Louisville, KY

Exercise Science

Hardin-Simmons University, Abilene, TX

Regis University, Denver, CO

Medical Assisting

Del Mar College, Corpus Christi, TX (Certificate)

Neurodiagnostic Technology

Lenoir Community College, Kinston, NC

Surgical Technology

Camden County College, Blackwood, NJ (Associate)

Concorde Career College-Memphis, Memphis, TN (Associate)

The University of Memphis, Memphis, TN (Diploma)

The following programs were found to be in substantial compliance with the accreditation Standards and Guidelines, with one or more Standards requiring a progress report to be submitted to the appropriate Committee on Accreditation (CoA). The programs were granted initial accreditation with the next evaluation to occur no later than 2027.

Anesthesia Technology

Durham Technical Community College, Durham, NC

Medical Assisting

Bay de Noc Community College, Escanaba, MI (Certificate)

Columbia-Greene Community College, Hudson, NY (Associate)

The following programs were found to be in substantial compliance with the accreditation Standards and Guidelines, with one or more Standards requiring a progress report to be submitted to the appropriate Committee on Accreditation (CoA). The programs were granted initial accreditation with the next evaluation to occur no later than 2030.

Art Therapy

School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL

Wayne State University, Detroit, MI

The following programs had a transfer of sponsorship approved with a status of continuing accreditation, with comprehensive evaluations currently in progress. These actions require no progress report and were approved on the consent agenda.

Cardiovascular Technology

Northside Hospital, Atlanta, GA (Adult Echocardiography, Certificate)

Emergency Medical Services-Paramedic

Minnesota North College, Hibbing, MN

Virginia Commonwealth University Health System Authority, Richmond, VA

The following program was placed on probationary accreditation, with one or more Standards requiring critical attention and timely resolution to bring the program into compliance with the Standards and Guidelines, and a progress report required to be submitted to the appropriate Committee on Accreditation (CoA).

Perfusion

Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN

Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs

9355 - 113th St. N, #7709, Seminole, FL 33775-7709

W: www.caahep.org P: 727-210-2350 E: mail@caahep.org

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