ACCREDITATION

The International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners (IBLCE) requires that programs whose graduates use Pathway 2 toward certification must be accredited.

The accreditation process includes:

LEAARC evaluating educational programs in relation to their compliance with the published 2018 Standards and Guidelines for Lactation Consultant Educational Programs.

LEAARC formulating an accreditation recommendation following its evaluation of a Self-Study Report and a site visit of the program.

LEAARC providing an accreditation recommendation to CAAHEP for final consideration and action.

Learn More About Applying for Accreditation

Qualifying for CAAHEP Accreditation

A lactation program must meet the following LEAARC Standards to qualify for CAAHEP accreditation:

Be taught in a post-secondary academic institution accredited by an institutional accrediting agency or other acceptable authority to provide a postsecondary program which awards a minimum of a certificate/diploma at the completion of the program.

Have a program director with a graduate degree and appointment in the sponsor’s academic institution.

Have faculty for didactic and supervised clinical practice who are certified lactation consultants.

Have a broad base of support coursework to serve as a foundation for lactation consultant practice.

Meet and adhere to the core competencies for lactation consultant practice.