June 2025

From the President

Barry S. Eckert, Ph.D., FASAHP

2023-2025 CAAHEP President

Supporting Stakeholders Through Improved Educational Offerings

Recently, I had the privilege of attending and speaking at the annual ACCREDITCON conference, presented by the Committee on Accreditation of Educational Programs for the EMS Professions (CoAEMSP). The ACCREDITCON agenda featured important discussions that support the efforts of the Committee on Accreditation and the success of Paramedic and Advanced Emergency Medical Technician programs. During this event, I provided an update to nearly 600 attendees about CAAHEP’s mission to provide value to stakeholders by setting standards for quality assurance in health professions education.

Later this year, CAAHEP will participate in similar sessions at ACCREDX, an educator’s conference produced by the Accreditation Review Council on Education in Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (ARC/STSA). Designed to support more than 400 surgical technology and surgical assisting programs, this event will take place from November 5 to 8, 2025, in Louisville, Kentucky.

These profession-specific conferences offer valuable opportunities to share insights about CAAHEP's mission, values, and progress toward its strategic goals with diverse audiences within the accreditation community. A topic of particular interest at ACCREDITCON was the recent Executive Orders and Department of Education interpretations impacting accreditation processes.

Experience shows that conferences like the CAAHEP Accreditation Workshop and Symposium are effective venues for discussion, idea exchange, and education for those who contribute to CAAHEP's success. As part of ongoing strategic planning, the Board of Directors has been examining how to enhance educational offerings and better serve stakeholder needs while maintaining fiscal responsibility.

After careful consideration, the Board has accepted a recommendation from the Planning and Development Committee to consolidate CAAHEP's educational offerings by suspending the January Symposium starting in January 2026 and establishing an enhanced July meeting. This strategic move will enable CAAHEP to provide more comprehensive programming and targeted content that better supports the accreditation community. Additional options under review include targeted virtual sessions throughout the year to complement the expanded July conference. The Planning and Development Committee will continue to oversee this initiative, exploring these and other improvements that support CAAHEP’s mission.

This strategic approach reflects CAAHEP's commitment to delivering enhanced educational value to constituents while meeting the mission and strategic goals efficiently. By consolidating efforts into a more robust format, CAAHEP can provide stakeholders with comprehensive educational opportunities that support excellence in health professions education. I look forward to further discussions and welcome ideas from the CAAHEP community on how to best serve the shared mission through these improved educational offerings.

Barry S. Eckert, Ph.D., FASAHP

President

Karen Burns

Sponsoring Organization Representative

Society for Vascular Ultrasound

Lacie Couzin

Education Representative

National Network for Health Career Programs in Two-Year Colleges

Eliza Homer

Committee on Accreditation Representative

Accreditation Council for Art Therapy Education

Thomas Platt

Sponsoring Organization Representative

National Association of Emergency Medical Services Educators

Karon Walton

Committee on Accreditation Representative

Medical Assisting Education Review Board

Richard Palma

Re-Elected for a 2nd Term

Hospital-Based Program Representative

Barry S. Eckert

President

Jenna LeBlanc

Vice President

Gregory Frazer

Treasurer

Kerry Weinberg

Secretary

By Donald A. Balasa, JD, MBA CEO and General Council, American Association of Medical Assistants

On May 16, 2025, the United States Department of Education (Department) filed a reply in American Association of Cosmetology Schools et al. v. United States Department of Education et al., a federal lawsuit challenging the Department’s October 10, 2023, Gainful Employment (GE) regulations. In its reply, the Trump Administration’s Department of Education expressed unqualified support for the GE regulations promulgated by the Biden Administration’s Department of Education. Some commentators found this surprising because of President Trump’s deregulatory philosophy and his executive order directing the eventual dissolution of the Department of Education.

Gainful Employment Regulations

The following is a summary of the Gainful Employment regulations from my article published in Medical Assisting Today in the July-August 2024 issue:

What Are GE Programs?

The Higher Education Act defines a GE program as one that “[prepares] students for gainful employment in a recognized occupation.”

What two tests must GE programs pass to continue to be eligible for Title IV participation, and for its students to be eligible for participation in financial assistance programs under Title IV?

A program must pass two tests to continue to be eligible for Title IV participation. Note the following from the “Fact Sheet: Biden-Harris Administration Announces Landmark Regulations on Accountability, Transparency, & Financial Value for Postsecondary Students”:

• A debt-to-earnings (D/E) rate that compares the median annual payments on loan debt borrowed for the program to the median earnings of its Federally aided graduates. For a program to pass, its graduates’ debt payments must be no more than 8% of annual earnings or 20% of discretionary earnings, which is defined as annual earnings minus 150% of the Federal poverty guideline for a single individual (about $21,870 in 2023).
• A new earnings premium (EP) test that measures whether the typical graduate from a program that received Federal aid is earning at least as much as a typical high school graduate in the labor force (i.e., either working or unemployed) in their State between the ages of 25 and 34. This is equal to roughly $25,000 nationally but varies across States.

Specifically, what will trigger the loss of Title IV eligibility for GE programs?

The following is an excerpt from the “Dear Colleague Letter (GEN-24-04): Regulatory Requirements for Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment”:

The regulations:

• Provide that a GE program loses Title IV eligibility if it either fails the D/E rates measure in two out of any three consecutive award years for which rates are calculated or the EP measure in two out of any three consecutive award years for which rates are calculated.
• ……
• Establish a three-year period of ineligibility for failing GE programs that have been voluntarily discontinued or withdrawn from Title IV eligibility by an institution, or that lose eligibility as a result of failing the D/E rates or EP metric, during which the Department will not approve a substantially similar program in the same 4-digit CIP code range as the failing program.
• Require institutions to provide warnings to current and prospective students for GE programs that are at risk of a loss of Title IV eligibility due to having failed one of the metrics in one of the two most recent award years for which the program received metrics, content and delivery of which to be specified by the Department, and provide that students must acknowledge having seen these warnings before the institution may enter into an enrollment agreement with the student or disburse any Title IV funds.

Read more...

Time is running out on the opportunity to join CAAHEP at the 2025 Accreditation Workshop, July 18-19, at the Radisson Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota. Explore the agenda packed with educational sessions, breakout workshops, and networking opportunities. You’ll leave inspired with fresh ideas, practical solutions, and best practices to enhance your role in allied health education.

Who Should Attend?

This workshop is strategically designed for a diverse range of individuals involved in higher education allied health programs seeking or maintaining CAAHEP accreditation. This includes:

• Program Directors and Administrators will gain valuable insights into the accreditation standards, self-study reports, and ongoing reporting and compliance requirements.
• Faculty Members will take away real-world strategies and best practices that will contribute to the accreditation success of your program, curriculum development, and assessment.
• Clinical Coordinators will learn the strategies for managing successful affiliates that align with CAAHEP standards.
• Institutional Leaders will understand the value of CAAHEP accreditation and how it contributes to the overall reputation and success of the institution.
• Individuals new to CAAHEP accreditation will gain a foundational understanding of the accreditation process, key requirements, and connections with new colleagues and CAAHEP leaders.

Don't miss this invaluable opportunity to equip yourself and your team with the knowledge and skills necessary to achieve and maintain CAAHEP accreditation. Get all the details on the CAAHEP website and register today!

Thank You to the 2025 Accreditation Workshop Sponsors

In March 2024, the CAAHEP Board of Directors, after careful consideration and review, approved a draft revision of Policy 701. This draft included a ten percent increase in Program Accreditation Fees beginning in 2026. Comments were invited on the draft policy revision during April 2024 via the CAAHEP website, and the Audit and Finance Committee and Board of Directors diligently reviewed and considered all comments received, ensuring a transparent and inclusive decision-making process. 

The final approved revision of the Program Accreditation fee policy supports CAAHEP’s role as an independent organization whose mission is to provide value to stakeholders by setting standards for quality assurance in health professions education. The fee increases are planned to keep pace with the average rate of US inflation based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI), thereby ensuring the continued delivery of high-quality accreditation services.   

In response to the questions received from members of CAAHEP’s communities of interest during the open comment period, CAAHEP has provided the following background information about the fee policy changes. 

1. Why was a rate of 10% chosen? 

To ensure the continuity of our mission and operations, the board has decided on a three-year cyclical Program Accreditation Fee increase, aligning with the average rates of inflation in the United States. Over the past 20 years (2004-2024), the average CPI rate of inflation has been 2.4%, with a range of -0.3 % – 8% ( https://www.bls.gov/cpi/).  

2. Why was a three-year period chosen for the fee changes? 

The board recognizes that institutional budgets are complex and require careful planning. To facilitate this, the board has chosen to implement a longer cycle for changes, opting for a three-year 10% increase rather than a 3.3% increase in a single year. 

3. Why did CAAHEP approve a fee change now? 

Following the restructuring of CAAHEP fees in 2022, we received valuable feedback from our stakeholders. Many of the comments indicated that institutions needed a longer notification period when fee changes are made. In response, the board decided to implement this fee policy change in 2024, providing program sponsors with a two-year notice before the change takes effect. 

4.   What additional services and resources will CAAHEP provide for programs in consideration of these changes in Program Accreditation Fees? 

• New CAAHEP Academy, a learning management system, with live webinars and on-demand content designed to meet educator needs, scheduled for 2025. 
• Expanded content and learning opportunities at the CAAHEP Accreditation Workshop. 
• Improved annual reporting center for programs that use the CAAHEP Annual Report. 
• Enhancements to the program listings and search capabilities in the Find an Accredited Program feature on the CAAHEP website. 

5. What are the Program Accreditation Fees for 2026 and beyond based on the fee change?

Per Program Accreditation Fee: Assessed annually in July

For more information, please visit our website or contact us at mail@caahep.org  

Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs

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