SCASA is one of two accrediting agencies now operating and available to receive applications from chiropractic colleges. It is a relatively young agency, conceived and originated in 1977, at a time when the need for an accrediting agency to serve colleges of straight chiropractic became acutely evident, but it has matured rapidly. In October 1987, SCASA filed a petition for recognition by the U.S. Department of Education. This petition was reviewed by AAEB staff, the National Advisory Committee and the Secretary of Education who, in August of 1988, granted federal recognition to the agency. SCASA is a reliable authority for the accreditation and pre-accreditation of educational programs or institutions of straight chiropractic nationally leading to the Doctor of Chiropractic degree.
The factors considered in SCASA's being considered and ultimately recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education are quite important to the issues that face our profession even today. Besides an examination of whether SCASA was a qualified agency, which it was found to be, the review process included a rigorous analysis of the need for another accrediting agency in the field of chiropractic. It is readily obvious that there are two schools of thought within the profession. It was apparent that CCE was meeting the accreditation needs of only one of those schools of thought. CCE had (and still has) no standards appropriate to colleges wishing to provide a straight chiropractic program.
The Department of Education asked the straight colleges and CCE to meet to see if there could be a resolution to this problem. These meetings further demonstrated that CCE was not able or willing to accommodate the straight colleges. There was no federally recognized agency at the time that was covering the full turf of chiropractic. It was, in fact, a suggestion previously made by attorneys for CCE that colleges and supporters of straight chiropractic should form and sponsor their own accrediting body. And, so, with these and other events the need for SCASA was established. The Secretary of Education recognized SCASA on its merits and necessity to the profession.
We now have two agencies with federal recognition, but for different segments of the profession. SCASA, as it has always maintained, serves the straight chiropractic colleges. CCE, though it seems reluctant to say so, serves the non-straight chiropractic colleges. CCE did not meet the needs of all facets of the profession. SCASA is not meant to do so either. SCASA is not meant to be a replacement for CCE; it is more of a complement which fills the void that had existed in chiropractic accreditation.
SCASA's recognition has perhaps been one of the potentially most productive opportunities for benefit to the profession, for both straight and mixer chiropractors. Why? Because the politics of accreditation should be able to be laid to rest. Because there is no longer a need to fight about accreditation issues and consume our resources and energies. Because state boards should be quite able to recognize both CCE and SCASA as worthy agencies and allow graduates of colleges accredited by either agency to sit for examination. Because the state examinations should now be able to be used to fulfill their purposes of determining who is a qualified candidate for licensure instead of accreditation. Two agencies are necessary.
This has been done in some states, but I'm sorry to say, not all. Waste continues. I cannot say that I know a sound logical reason why; I can only guess that the politics continue in what appears to be a very emotional issue over the years. I challenge each and every chiropractor to put an end to this problem. We have two agencies that need to do their jobs. Pitting CCE against SCASA results in a loss for us all. Make a commitment to do what it takes to assure equal standing in your state for these agencies and help stop the fighting by taking a sensible position. Have your board respresentatives know that you would like to see them take a step closer to peace in the profession.
James W. Healey, D.C.
President, SCASA
Princeton, New Jersey
When I graduated from chiropractic college in 1981 and started practice, I heard it all, and very little was positive. “You are a quack; you do not know what a subluxation is; you couldn’t get into a real health care program, so you chose the one that is slightly above a mail-order degree; you have no proof that chiropractic works; Are you really licensed?”, and so much more.
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