The Academy of Cognitive & Behavioral Therapies, a non-profit organization, was founded in 1998 by a group of leading clinicians, educators, and researchers in the field of cognitive therapy. As part of its mission, the Academy supports continuing education and research in cognitive therapy, provides a valuable resource in cognitive therapy for professionals and the public at large, and actively works towards the identification and certification of clinicians skilled in cognitive therapy. Certification is awarded to those individuals who, based upon an objective evaluation, have demonstrated an advanced level of expertise in cognitive therapy. The Academy includes physicians, psychologists, social workers, and other mental health professionals from around the world. To date, there are over 1000 Members of the Academy. The Academy of Cognitive & Behavioral Therapies is a multidisciplinary certifying organization specifically for cognitive-behavioral therapy that evaluates applicants' knowledge and ability before granting certification. The exacting standards of the Academy are designed to identify clinicians with the necessary training, experience, and knowledge to be effective cognitive therapists. Lack of rigor in certification represents a significant problem for both clinicians and consumers. Certification by the Academy of Cognitive Therapy indicates to the public, potential employers, and other clinicians that the individual is a skilled cognitive therapist. The Board, Officers and Founding Fellows of the Academy are highly experienced cognitive-behavioral therapists who have made major contributions to the development of this treatment approach. They have designed the certification process to identify therapists who are expert clinicians.