To find a program for which you may be eligible for federal financial aid, search the database of the Office of Post Secondary Education in the Department of Education. Search under the "Specialized or Programmatic Accrediting Agencies" for your field of interest, or for institutional accreditation. A school or its specialized programs may be accredited under more than one agency.
The ACCSC, which has been recognized continuously by the Department of Education since 1967, as of 2011 accredited almost 800 institutions across the United States that provided post-secondary vocational education in 21 broad fields and awarded 18 different credentials.
A search of the ABHES directory in 2011 listed 123 institutions or programs (including multiple campuses of the same institution) in 31 states as accredited to award certificates in such fields as cardiac sonography, medical coding, and holistic health. An additional school, Goodwin College in East Hartford, Connecticut, is accredited by ABHES---as well as the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP), which is not recognized by the Department of Education---to award a "collegiate certificate" and an associates degree in medical assisting.
Some schools award only certificates, in one field or a number of them. Perry Technical Institute of Yakima, Washington, for example, was accredited by ACCSC in November 2006 to award certificates for completion of two programs each in building and industrial trades, allied health, and information technology, as well as programs for art, automotive technology, paralegal training, and electronics. Perry's accreditation is due for review again in November 2011.