2008 EPAS Handbook

Release Date06/30/2009

March 12, 2010

Foreword

The CSWE Handbook of Social Work Accreditation Policies and Procedures (Handbook) for the 2008 Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS) is designed to be user friendly and provide more information about accreditation policies and procedures.

The Handbook is divided into five sections: Overview, Reaffirmation, Alternative Reaffirmation, Candidacy, and Initial Accreditation. The Overview contains policies and procedures of the Commission on Accreditation (COA) and Office of Social Work Accreditation (OSWA). Details on candidacy, initial accreditation, reaffirmation, alternative reaffirmation are provided in subsequent sections.

The Handbook was created as an online document so that updates, based on feedback from programs, COA quality assurance measures, and COA policy changes could be made in a more timely manner. Programs will be notified via e-mail of any substantive changes to polices and procedures. Editorial changes will not be reported; the date on the bottom of each page will indicate the last date that a section was revised.

COA and OSWA are interested in feedback and ideas concerning the Handbook. If you would like to submit an idea, please send an e-mail to accreditation@cswe.org.

Judith Bremner
Director of Social Work Accreditation and Educational Excellence

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Table of Contents

2008 EPAS Handbook (Index)
- 1. Overview
- - 1.1. Social Work Accreditation
  - - 1.1.1. Commission on Accreditation
    - 1.1.2. 2008 EPAS
    - 1.1.3. Compliance, Concern, and Noncompliance Statements
    - 1.1.4. Candidacy Benchmarks
    - 1.1.5. Reaffirmation of Accreditation
    - 1.1.6. COA Decision Making
    - 1.1.7. COA Executive Committee
    - 1.1.8. Office of Social Work Accreditation (OSWA)
    - 1.1.9. Whom to Contact About What
    - 1.1.10. Mailing Instructions for Programs
  - 1.2. COA Polices and Procedures
  - - 1.2.1. Complaints Regarding Program Compliance
    - 1.2.2. Postponement of Reaffirmation Review
    - 1.2.3. Agenda Adjustments
    - 1.2.4. Program Changes
    - 1.2.5. Waivers to Accreditation Standards
    - 1.2.6. Appeals of COA Decisions
    - 1.2.7. Information Sharing and Release of COA Decision Letter
    - 1.2.8. Accreditation Fees and Related Policies
    - 1.2.9. Program Closure and Withdrawal of Accredited Status
    - 1.2.10. Dissolution of Collaborative Programs
    - 1.2.11. Failure to Submit Materials by the Due Date
    - 1.2.12. Programs Found Out of Compliance Between Reviews
    - 1.2.13. Use of Consultants
- 2. Reaffirmation
- - 2.1. REAFFIRMATION TIMETABLES AND POLICIES
  - - 2.1.1. Timetable for Reaffirmation
    - 2.1.2. Failure to Submit Reaffirmation Materials by the Due Date
  - 2.2. REAFFIRMATION ELIGIBILITY
  - - 2.2.1. Reaffirmation Eligibility Application
    - 2.2.2. Baccalaureate Reaffirmation Eligibility Standards
    - 2.2.3. Master's Reaffirmation Eligibility Standards
    - 2.2.4. Permission to Use Data for Research
  - 2.3. LETTER OF INSTRUCTIONS, SITE VISIT PLANNING, AND SITE VISIT HOSTING
  - - 2.3.1. Purpose and Overview of the Site Visit
    - 2.3.2. Site Visit Planning Form
    - 2.3.3. Site Visitor Qualifications and Selection
    - 2.3.4. Program Preparation for the Site Visit
    - 2.3.5. Letter of Instructions and the Site Visit Schedule
    - 2.3.6. Emergencies or Questions During the Site Visit
    - 2.3.7. Site Visitor Ethical Guidelines
  - 2.4. THE SELF-STUDY
  - - 2.4.1. Purpose of the Self-Study
    - 2.4.2. COA Guidelines for Writing the Self-Study
    - 2.4.3. Submitting Electronic and Paper Versions of the Self-Study
    - 2.4.4. Accreditation Review Brief
  - 2.5. SITE VISIT REPORT AND PROGRAM RESPONSE
  - - 2.5.1. Site Visit Report
    - 2.5.2. Program Response to the Site Visit Report
  - 2.6. COA REAFFIRMATION DETERMINATION AND DECISIONS
  - - 2.6.1. Reaffirmation Determination Decisions
    - 2.6.2. First Progress Report Decisions
    - 2.6.3. Second Progress Report Decisions
    - 2.6.4. Restoration Report Decisions
- 3. Alternative to the Traditional Self-Study
- - 3.1. ALTERNATIVE REAFFIRMATION PROPOSAL
  - - 3.1.1. Guidelines for Alternative Reaffirmation Project Proposal
    - 3.1.2. COA Review of the Alternative Reaffirmation Proposal
  - 3.2. REAFFIRMATION TIMETABLES AND POLICIES
  - - 3.2.1. Timetable for Alternative Reaffirmation
    - 3.2.2. Failure to Submit Materials by the Due Date
  - 3.3. REAFFIRMATION ELIGIBILITY
  - - 3.3.1. Reaffirmation Eligibility Application
    - 3.3.2. Baccalaureate Reaffirmation Eligibility Standards
    - 3.3.3. Master's Reaffirmation Eligibility Standards
    - 3.3.4. Permission to Use Data for Research
  - 3.4. SITE VISIT PLANNING AND HOSTING
  - - 3.4.1. Purpose and Overview of the Site Visit
    - 3.4.2. Site Visit Planning Form
    - 3.4.3. Site Visitor Qualifications and Selection
    - 3.4.4. Program Preparation for the Site Visit
    - 3.4.5. Letter of Instructions and the Site Visit Schedule
    - 3.4.6. Emergencies or Questions During the Site Visit
    - 3.4.7. Site Visitors Ethical Guidelines
  - 3.5. REAFFIRMATION COMPLIANCE AUDIT
  - - 3.5.1. Purpose of the Reaffirmation Compliance Audit
    - 3.5.2. Reaffirmation Compliance Audit Requirements
    - 3.5.3. Reaffirmation Compliance Audit Review Brief
  - 3.6. SITE VISIT REPORT AND PROGRAM RESPONSE
  - - 3.6.1. Site Visit Report
    - 3.6.2. Program Response to the Site Visit Report
  - 3.7. COA REAFFIRMATION DETERMINATION AND DECISIONS
  - - 3.7.1. Alternative Reaffirmation Determination Decisions
    - 3.7.2. First Progress Report Decisions
    - 3.7.3. Second Progress Report Decisions
    - 3.7.4. Restoration Report Decisions
- 4. Candidacy
- - 4.1. INTRODUCTION TO CANDIDACY
  - - 4.1.1. Benchmark Model
    - 4.1.2. Benchmark Model Chart
    - 4.1.3. Compliance, Concern, and Noncompliance Statements
    - 4.1.4. Timetable for Candidacy
    - 4.1.5. Candidacy Policies
  - 4.2. BENCHMARK I—OBTAINING CANDIDACY STATUS
  - - 4.2.1. Overview of Applying for Candidacy Status
    - 4.2.2. Letter of Institutional Intent
    - 4.2.3. Candidacy Eligibility Application
    - 4.2.4. Progressing to Benchmark I
    - 4.2.5. Writing the Benchmark I Document
    - 4.2.6. Program Completion of the Benchmark I Review Brief
    - 4.2.7. Benchmark I
    - 4.2.8. Commissioner Visit I
    - 4.2.9. Commission Visitor Completion of the Benchmark I Review Brief
    - 4.2.10. Program Response to the Benchmark I Review Brief
    - 4.2.11. COA Decisions for Commissioner Visit I
  - 4.3. BENCHMARK II - CANDIDACY
  - - 4.3.1. Writing the Benchmark II Document
    - 4.3.2. Program Completion of the Benchmark II Review Brief
    - 4.3.3. Benchmark II
    - 4.3.4. Commissioner Visit II
    - 4.3.5. Commission Visitor Completion of the Benchmark II Review Brief
    - 4.3.6. Program Response to the Benchmark II Review Brief
    - 4.3.7. COA Decisions for Commissioner Visit II
  - 4.4. BENCHMARK III - CANDIDACY
  - - 4.4.1. Writing the Benchmark III Document
    - 4.4.2. Program Completion of the Benchmark III Review Brief
    - 4.4.3. Benchmark III
    - 4.4.4. Commissioner Visit III
    - 4.4.5. Commission Visitor Completion of the Benchmark III Review Brief
    - 4.4.6. Program Response to the Benchmark III Review Brief
    - 4.4.7. COA Decisions for Commissioner Visit III
- 5. Initial Accreditation
- - 5.1. INTRODUCTION
  - - 5.1.1. Benchmark Model and Initial Accreditation Overview
    - 5.1.2. Compliance, Concern, and Noncompliance Statements
    - 5.1.3. Timetable for Candidacy
    - 5.1.4. Candidacy Policies
  - 5.2. INITIAL ACCREDITATION ELIGIBILITY
  - - 5.2.1. Initial Accreditation Eligibility Application
    - 5.2.2. Baccalaureate Initial Accreditation Eligibility Standards
    - 5.2.3. Master's Initial Accreditation Eligibility Standards
  - 5.3. BENCHMARK IV
  - - 5.3.1. Writing the Benchmark IV Document
    - 5.3.2. Program Completion of the Benchmark IV Review Brief
    - 5.3.3. Benchmark IV
  - 5.4. COMMISSIONER VISIT IV
  - - 5.4.1. Commission Visitor Qualifications and Selection
    - 5.4.2. Program Preparation for the Commissioner Visit
    - 5.4.3. Commissioner Visit Schedule
    - 5.4.4. Emergencies or Questions During the Visit
  - 5.5. BENCHMARK IV REVIEW BRIEF AND PROGRAM RESPONSE
  - - 5.5.1. Commission Visitor Completion of the Benchmark IV Review Brief
    - 5.5.2. Program Response to the Benchmark IV Review Brief
  - 5.6. COA DECISIONS FOR COMMISSIONER VISIT IV
  - - 5.6.1. Initial Accreditation Decisions
    - 5.6.2. First Progress Report Decisions
    - 5.6.3. Second Progress Report Decisions
    - 5.6.4. Restoration Report Decisions

Document Date: June 30, 2009

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