COVID-19 Information

The health and safety of the students and faculty of all CAAHEP-accredited programs is CAAHEP’s primary concern in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. As individual institutions make decisions on how they plan to conduct classes and assist students with meeting internship and clinical rotation requirements, CAAHEP and its Committees on Accreditation (CoAs) are working with and supporting programs and students affected by these necessary changes.  If ever there was a time for innovation, it is the present!

When determining how best to proceed at your institution, consider the following resources:

• The World Health Organization
• The Center for Disease Control
• US Department of Education
• Federal Student Aid
• Local public health authority for your county and state
• Your local and state regulatory institutions

To assist in safe opening and operation of institutions in Fall 2020, the Council for Higher Education Accreditation has  launched a new website with highly specific resournces to assist instutions. CHEA has been working with Tuscany Strategy Consulting and the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security (JHCHS) to create tools designed to assist higher education institutions with operations while the COVID-19 pandemic persists. Its goal is to assure that institutions offer a high-quality education in a safe environment for all stakeholders, whether faculty, staff, or students. Visit Open Smart Education for the details.
 
Programs should be sure to maintain documentation of all modifications made to the program as a result of COVID-19.  This may include modifications to delivery of didactic and laboratory content, as well as changes or modifications to clinical or internship experiences.  In addition, programs should maintain appropriate documentation for each affected student, including modifications made to the academic plan.

Many Committees on Accreditation (CoAs) have additional guidance and reporting requirements, and have made determinations regarding site visits and other program evaluations. The CAAHEP Board supports the work of the CoAs, as outlined in its support statement.  Below is a link to the CoA website for each profession that has a statement available.  Please visit the link for your profession so you are aware of any requirements affecting your accredited programs. Please check back to this page often, as information is continually being updated.
 
Advanced Cardiovascular Sonography
Anesthesia Technology
Anesthesiologist Assistant
Art Therapy
Assistive Technology
Cardiovascular Technology
Clinical Research
Cytotechnology
Diagnostic Medical Sonography
Emergency Medical Services-Paramedic
Exercise Physiology/Exercise Science/Personal Fitness Trainer
Inclusive Rehabilitation Sciences
Kinesiotherapy
Lactation Consultant
Medical Assisting
Medical Illustrator
Neurodiagnostic Technology/Intraoperative Neurophysiology Monitoring
Orthoptics
Orthotics and Prosthetics/Orthotic and Prosthetic Technician/Orthotist and Prosthetist Assistant/Pedorthic
Perfusion
Polysomnographic Technology
Recreational Therapy
Respiratory Care
Specialist in Blood Bank Technology/Transfusion Medicine
Surgical Assisting/Surgical Technology
 
 
Complaints filed during the COVID-19 pandemic:
Due to COVID-19, many programs and institutions are temporarily closed. If you are considering submitting a complaint about a program, please make sure to review the guidelines below:
 
1. Have you made reasonable efforts to resolve your complaint directly with the program and institution? Every program should have a student grievance policy that should be followed before any complaints are submitted.
 
2. CAAHEP cannot intervene in matters of admission or dismissal, or act as a court of appeals.  We review the program to see if it is in compliance with the standards and guidelines, and can investigate only if it is determined that a standard may have been violated.
 
3. Please realize if you are having issues getting in touch with an institution, CAAHEP will most likely as well, until institutions begin re-opening.
 
4. Please allow additional time for the processing of complaints.  As you are aware, the current situation has led to school closures, so processing and investigating of complaint allegations may take longer.