The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Counseling and Student Development Center (CSDC) earned a 10-year national reaccreditation from the American Psychological Association.
The 10-year accreditation is the longest assigned by the commission. UH Mānoa is the only university counseling center and one of three doctoral training programs statewide to be accredited for this length of time. The doctoral internship in health service psychology has earned national accreditation through 2028.
“Accreditation has substantial implications on recruitment, retention and successful completion of the UH Mānoa CSDC doctoral internship,” said Allyson Tanouye, CSDC director and interim coordinator of training. “Our long history of accreditation has allowed us to welcome a diverse and talented class of interns into the program each year and help launch them in their professional careers.”
The accreditation site visit report highlighted several of the program’s areas of distinction. The site visitors stated, “The Doctoral Internship’s emphasis on multicultural competency is a particular strength and is consistent with (UH Mānoa’s) commitment to diversity within the context of the state’s unique geographical and cultural setting.”
Training is conducted by a core training faculty of licensed psychologists and supported by clinical and professional staff. The UH Mānoa administration and campus stakeholders have been consistently supportive of the program, its success and longstanding accreditation status. Lori Ideta, interim vice chancellor for students, has been an ardent champion of the program’s growth, stability and sustainability.
“The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa is delighted with the 10-year reaccreditation of the CSDC Internship Program,” Ideta said. “The length of the term speaks to the strong work CSDC is doing in not only providing excellent service to our students, but also shaping future leaders in the mental health field.”
The program has trained nearly 150 psychologists over the past five decades. The CSDC’s doctoral interns go on to become faculty and staff clinicians, providing mental health services to children, young adults and adults in university, community, state, federal and private practice settings. A few have pursued careers in teaching and/or research.
Plans for the CSDC include the continued support and enhancement of the doctoral internship as demand for mental health support services and the need for competent psychologists increase on campuses and in the community at large.
