PCSAS accreditation requires that programs demonstrate a commitment to the integration of diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice into all aspects of the program. Programs must attend to the demonstrable role played in mental and physical health by dimensions of human diversity, including but not limited to race, color, ethnicity, age, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, marital status, national origin, ability status, beliefs, religion, physical appearance, and culture, as well as how these identities and others may intersect. Programmatic activity should acknowledge and reflect how dimensions of diversity have historically and persistently been shown to meet with prejudicial, stigmatizing, and discriminatory experiences that result in negative health impacts and disparities. Programs should promote the principles of social justice by recognizing and attending to the broader social, economic, and political forces and structures that contribute to health and mental health disparities. The specific mechanisms by which programs meet these requirements may vary, but the values of DEIJ should be incorporated into the scholarly content of instruction and program requirements (e.g., research and application training; required coursework/experiences, presentations, and milestones, etc.); recruitment and retention of faculty and students; client populations; and the inclusiveness of the climate and student well-being within the program.
