The CCPPP CPA-Only Accreditation
Movement
Background
Two motions were passed at the AGM of CCPPP in Hamilton
in June 2003, directing the executive to work towards CPA-only
accreditation for those CCPPP member programs interested in
voluntarily making this move.
The first stated that CCPPP support Canadian training
programs in professional psychology moving on a voluntary
basis toward the concept that CPA accreditation alone is enough.
As a “voluntary” movement, those not interested will not in
any way be obliged or pressured to do so.
On the success of that motion, the second motion stated
that programs wishing to move toward CPA accreditation
alone may express their interest to the CCPPP executive who
will develop a memorandum of agreement on joint movement on
a specified date to be determined in consultation with the
membership.
The December 2003 edition of
the CCPPP newsletter (pages 3-4) contains a summary of
the motions and executive plans.
Historical publications & evidence
These motions at the 2003 AGM followed a series of public
discussions in Psynopsis and the CCPPP Newsletter.
First, in the Fall
2002 Psynopsis (pp. 6-7), Dr. Keith Dobson (University
of Calgary) and Dr. Janel Gauthier (Université Laval) submitted
an article regarding concurrent accreditation, entitled “Accreditation
of Professional Psychology Programs in Canada: An Open Letter
about the Future”.
A series of articles followed in the December
2002 CCPPP newsletter, reviewing different opinions and
evidence on this topic. Beginning on page 2, Dr. Karen Cohen,
Associate Executive Director and Registrar for CPA (pp. 2-8)
provides a comprehensive review of concurrent accreditation
and alternatives, titled “Psychology Accreditation 2002: The
CPA/APA Odyssey”. This article is followed by additional commentary
by Dr. Janel Gauthier (Université Laval; p. 8) “Concurrent
Accreditation and the Future of Education and Training in
Canada” and Dr. Bill Koch (University of British Columbia
Hospital; p. 9) “Concurrent Accreditation: The Debate Should
be about Our Customers, Our Students”.
In Winter 2003, Dr. Cohen’s article was reprinted in Psynopsis
(pp. 20-21).
In March 2003, following this series of discussions on the
topic of maintaining concurrent accreditation, Dr. Carl von
Baeyer (University of Saskatchewan) conducted a CCPPP listserv-survey
of the membership regarding their interest in pursuing CPA
accreditation alone. Nineteen of twenty-two respondents answered
"definitely yes" or "probably yes" to the question, "Are you
in favour of Canadian programs moving on a voluntary basis
towards accreditation by CPA only?" Strong majorities of both
internship programs (8/12) and doctoral programs (8/10) answered
in the affirmative. Detailed analyses and all written comments
received are included in the report on this 2003 survey which
is available here.
In June 2003 CCPPP Newsletter (pages 12-13), a column by Dr. Laurene Wilson
(Royal University Hospital, Saskatoon) comments on December
2002’s articles.
CCPPP Survey on Accreditation
Following the passing of motions at the 2003 AGM, the Executive
undertook a survey of all CCPPP member programs regarding
their interest in participating in an agreement regarding
CPA only accreditation. In the May
2004 CCPPP Newsletter (page 3), Dr. Patricia Minnes CCPPP
President (Queens University) presented the results of the
CCPPP programs’ survey.
Draft MOA
A draft memorandum of agreement was circulated to membership
with the December 2004 newsletter. The membership was asked
to review the document with their training committees and
provide feedback prior to the mid-Winter meeting of the Executive
in January 2005.
March 2005
Feedback has been received from some member programs and
the draft Memorandum of Agreement has been revised accordingly.
June 2005
Report on the CCPPP CPA-only Movement
CCPPP AGM 2005
Laurene Wilson
A great deal of activity was undertaken in this area, following
the 2004 AGM and membership's desire for this process to continue
to move forward: 1) webpage tracing the "history" of this
movement and linking previous articles published in Psynopsis,
as well as CCPPP newsletters; 2) article for Psynopsis reviewing
this history and indicating why the executive was pursuing
this action; 3) Memorandum of Agreement drafted concerning
the movement towards CPA-only accreditation. This was posted
on the website and circulated to membership with the fall
2004 newsletter, then revised following two rounds of surveying
membership. Revisions included changes to proposed dates and
addition of a statement about APA, CPA, and CPA's accreditation.
In having reviewed the proposed Memorandum of Agreement,
Dr. Karen Cohen sent a message to report that CPA continues
to advocate for the currency of CPA accreditation among members
of APPIC and ASPPB and is committed to continuing this work.
At the request of CCPPP respondents to our survey, Dr. Ted
Packard and Dr. Susan Zlotlow were consulted on two questions.
First, in regard to some CCPPP members' concerns about possible
repercussions of the CCPPP movement, they indicated that there
would be no animosity or negative effects towards this movement
or its participants from APA. Second, in discussing their
inability to act upon "mutual recognition", they indicated
that they have been advised against it by their legal department
due to such things as "anti-trust" implications. Thus, this
situation is unlikely to change.
Additional efforts were made in Spring 2005 to gain responses
from non-responding internship and academic programs. Additionally,
programs already indicating interest were asked to indicate
their interest in "going public". A larger proportion of internship
programs appears to continue to edge towards support for the
movement. In comparison, academic programs have a substantial
proportion not sharing an opinion. One complication seems
to be the APA survey launched in spring 2005 (regarding its
proposal to withdraw from accreditation in Canada). Many programs
simply wait to see what happens with APA.
As of June, 2005 (revised following the AGM), results of
the survey responses are:
| Program type |
No/
probably not |
Yes/
probably/
"eventually" |
Can't say, "stuck" right now |
No response to survey |
Quebec |
Total* CCPPP members |
| Internship |
4 |
19 |
5 |
5 |
6 |
39 |
| Academic |
11 |
7 |
1 |
13 |
|
32 |
(*At time of survey, prior to addition of recent new members)
"Interested in going public right away?": Only two academic
and seven internship programs were prepared to consider this
step at the time of the survey, immediately or in the near
future. Others want to wait & see, ride out the next accreditation
term, etc. Many did not say.
June 2006
Report on the CCPPP CPA-only Movement
CCPPP AGM 2005
Laurene Wilson
CCPPP’s initiative towards CPA-only accreditation stalled,
following APA’s circulation of its proposal to stop
accrediting in Canada. That is, our efforts met with reactions
to “wait and see” what APA does.
Post-lunch discussion at the 2005 AGM included consideration
of whether CCPPP executive should post a position on the APA
website concerning APA’s proposal to stop accrediting
in Canada, based on the former endorsement of the CPA-only
accreditation movement. However, efforts to draft a “CCPPP
submission” might have been divisive and potentially
damaging to our collegial organization, which clearly has
members on both ends of a continuum. Therefore, the executive
discouraged such an approach and adopted the action of encouraging
individual program members to make their beliefs known to
APA. This was done through the listserv in fall.
The recommendation from the post-lunch discussion that CPA
enhance its “brand” recognition in the U.S. by
advertising in publications, such as APA resource Graduate
Studies in Psychology was forwarded to Karen Cohen.
With respect to APA’s decision, based on public comments
last fall, CoA has recommended phasing out accrediting programs
in Canada. The recommendation was to be taken forward to the
BEA in consolidated meetings following CCTC in April. Ultimately
the Board of Directors and Council of Representatives will
have to approve this, which might occur by August at APA’s
annual convention. CoA will participate in an international
accrediting symposium to be held this summer.
In the mean time, some Canadian programs have elected to not
renew APA accreditation. A few of them have made their decision
public (e.g., Queen’s, University of Western Ontario,
Pre-Doctoral Residency in Pediatric and Child Clinical Psychology
at Alberta Children's Hospital ).
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