NBCC is committed to maintaining high standards for the education of counselors. In line with this commitment, beginning January 1, 2024, NBCC will require NCC applicants to have a master’s degree (or higher) from a CACREP-accredited program. In 2014, NBCC also made the commitment to support programs in obtaining this important accreditation by awarding grants to assist with the associated costs of pursuing accreditation.

Funds are awarded in three phases: $2,500 for the preapplication phase, $2,500 for the application phase, and $4,000 for the site visit phase.

This year’s grant award recipients are: Stockton University in Galloway Township, New Jersey; Touro College in New York City, New York; and the University of Mary in Bismarck, North Dakota.

Sara M. Martino, PhD, NCC, LPC, a professor of psychology in the School of Social and Behavioral Sciences at Stockton University, says, “We are so thrilled to be receiving the NBCC grant to assist in our application process with CACREP. Our small, liberal arts university waited a very long time to get a master’s in counseling program, and our students are already making an impact in New Jersey, serving communities across Southern New Jersey. Especially now, with so many cuts happening due to COVID-19, it is so wonderful for organizations like NBCC to be helping the counseling community to be prepared for the field! We hope this grant will help our students graduate from a program that soon will be CACREP accredited!”

Becky Meidinger, PhD, NCC, the chair for the graduate counseling program at the University of Mary, is grateful to NBCC for this opportunity.

“As a small program that is trying to grow to serve the needs of students and future clients,” Meidinger says, “we are so thankful for the CACREP Grant from NBCC. We have been blessed to have a supportive administration for our goal to achieve CACREP accreditation, but to also have an entity like NBCC support our program is a demonstration of what this program can accomplish. With the additional stress of COVID-19 felt on all university campuses, the additional funds are greatly appreciated during this time of uncertainty. Thank you NBCC for your support and belief in our program.”

Faye Walkenfeld, PhD, chair and associate professor in the Touro College Department of Behavioral Science, is excited for the opportunities this grant will provide to their counseling students to work in underserved communities.

“We are so thankful to NBCC for making this grant available as we at the Touro College School of Health Sciences Clinical Mental Health Counseling program work to become CACREP accredited,” Walkenfeld says. “This grant helps Touro College promote the development of professional counselors coming from and returning to underserved communities in the NYC Metropolitan area. Being CACREP accredited would give us and our graduates the recognition of the quality and professional standards of their degree!”

Applications for the 2021–2022 grant will be accepted from March 1–April 16, 2021. Additional information regarding the grant can be found on our website: nbcc.org/resources/applicants/cacrepgrant.