The Graduate School, which prepares students to become addiction counselors, underwent a comprehensive self-study and evaluation by the HLC on Nov. 6-8, 2006 and was recommended for accreditation immediately after that review. The HLC Board of Trustees granted final accreditation at its May 7 meeting.

"Affiliation with the Higher Learning Commission attests to the school's commitment to academic excellence, public service, and advancement of institutional effectiveness," said Tim Sheehan, PhD, chief academic officer and dean of the school. "Our school leadership, faculty and students are proud of this achievement."

Sheehan said that while the Hazelden name and Hazelden's long history of educating addiction counselors has provided the Graduate School with credibility since the school opened in fall 1999, accreditation strengthens that integrity and serves to enhance student welfare. For instance, thanks to accreditation efforts, students are now eligible to apply for federal grants and loans to help cover the costs of their education. This will help the school attract a more diverse student.

Accreditation ends a lengthy review process that began with the "eligibility" phase, advanced to "candidacy" status, and culminated with "initial accreditation." The intensive six-year process included self-studies by the school and evaluations by HLC that resulted in the Hazelden Graduate School meeting criteria for accreditation.

The Hazelden Graduate School was evaluated in terms of HLC criteria and the Graduate School's mission. In addition to assessing formal educational activities, the HLC evaluated the school's governance and administration, financial stability, admissions and student services, institutional resources, student learning, institutional effectiveness, and relationships with internal and external constituencies.

"With accreditation, the Graduate School will have the credibility it deserves as an academic institution that prepares counselors for careers in the field of addiction treatment," said Ellen Breyer, president of the school and president and CEO of Hazelden. "During a time when patient issues are increasingly complex, the Graduate School is filling a growing need in the addiction field for professionals who are prepared to meet these challenges."

In addition to helping improve the school's long-term stability, Sheehan noted that graduates will benefit from the accredited status. "Their degrees will have greater acceptance and meaning in the marketplace, and a master's degree will strengthen graduates' chances of furthering their education and stretching their horizons," Sheehan said.

With this year's class of 36 master's degree recipients and seven certificates in Addiction Counseling, the Graduate School has awarded degrees or certificates to 206 students since the first graduating class of 2000. One hundred and sixty-nine master's degrees and 37 certificates have been given.

The school's mission is to educate future leaders in addiction counseling. The school offers a unique allied health model of teaching that integrates theory, science, and clinical practice. "To my knowledge, we're the only school of addiction studies that blends academics and clinical practice from the first semester to graduation" said Sheehan.

Education and training have long been a priority for Hazelden, and through the Graduate School, Hazelden is poised to build on its leadership role in meeting the treatment field's demand for addiction counselors. Counselor training at Hazelden began in the early 1960s with on-the-job training. It grew steadily in sophistication, from workshops for new counselors in 1968 to a formal counselor-training curriculum in 1971. In the 1990s, it became clear to Hazelden leaders that employment and professional trends indicated the need for addiction counselors educated with an even broader base of knowledge and a wide repertoire of skills. As a result, establishing an institution of higher learning became a priority.

For more information on the Graduate School, please contact www.hazelden.org/graduateschool or call 888-257-7800, ext. 4175.

Published in The Voice, Summer 2007