US Panel Recommends Suspending Accreditation for Psychologists Amid Antisemitism Claims

An advisory committee to the U.S. Department of Education has recommended a one-year suspension of government recognition for the accrediting body of major psychology training programs in the United States. This highly unusual step follows over two years of complaints from Jewish and Israeli psychologists alleging antisemitism, exclusion, and the normalization of anti-Israel sentiment within professional discourse.

The committee, NACIQI, determined that the accrediting arm of the American Psychological Association (APA) failed to meet several federal requirements and, crucially, "failed to address the pervasive culture of antisemitism within the programs it accredits." The final decision rests with the Department of Education.

The APA, a large and influential organization with over 190,000 members, accredits hundreds of doctoral, internship, and postdoctoral programs. The recommendation, if approved, would not immediately revoke degrees or shut down programs but could affect their eligibility for federal funding and graduates' licensing abilities, potentially worsening existing shortages of mental health professionals.

Complaints detailed in testimony included Jewish trainees reporting classmates saying "October 7th deserved them" and instructors labeling their Jewish identity as privilege. Jewish organizations also reported instances where diversity training framed Jews as "white colonial oppressors" and described Zionism as a mental illness. The APA acknowledged some of these incidents, including a message on a division's mailing list that read "Kudos to Hamas."

Further scrutiny came from a congressional investigation launched in December 2025, citing allegations of harassment against Jewish members and the justification of violence against Jews and Israelis at conferences. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services also issued new guidance clarifying that discrimination against Jews or Israelis can violate civil rights laws for institutions receiving federal funding.

The APA has stated it is cooperating with federal investigations and has taken steps to address the issue, including updating its guidelines to explicitly prohibit antisemitic content and dedicating a special issue of its journal to the topic. However, the committee's recommendation specifically highlighted the failure to address antisemitism as a key reason for its decision, posing a critical question about how the profession handles such allegations within its own ranks.