This module is designed to orient recreational therapy practitioners and educators to accreditation under the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) and the Committee on Accreditation of Recreational Therapy Education (CARTE). Participants will receive a general overview of the importance of academic accreditation and the history of CAAHEP-CARTE. They will be introduced to the specific standards and guidelines that are utilized to evaluate recreational therapy programs and the procedures academic programs follow when seeking and maintaining accreditation. The second half of the module will focus on the practical application of CARTE procedures for evaluating programs. Emphasis will be placed on the site visit and the role of the site visitors. Interested participants will gain knowledge and resources needed to apply to be an accreditation site visitor for CAAHEP/CARTE.

Upon completion of the module, participants will be able to:
1. Describe the rationale for accreditation and at least three benefits of academic accreditation
2. Identify 3 basic procedures required when applying for CAAHEP/CARTE accreditation and 4 key elements used to determine compliance with CARTE Standards and Guidelines
3. Name 3 roles and responsibilities of CARTE site visitors, and 3 steps in the process of becoming a CARTE accreditation site visitor