Important Message from ACA Executive Director

Dear ACA Member:

Thank you for your continued support of the American Counseling Association (ACA). As a valued member, I wanted to share with you some news about our organization and how it will benefit you as a professional counselor. Thanks to you, our members, we have made some great strides over the past several years in regard to licensure, reimbursement, ethical practice, and ensuring that the counseling profession can continue to advocate, help, and make a positive difference in the lives of your students, your clients, and your communities.

The ACA Governing Council has shaped a vision for taking ACA to the next level. As ACA continues to grow and position itself to provide even more opportunities, services and resources for you, the expense to provide such opportunities, services and resources continues to rise. To keep pace with the evolving needs of our members and the economy, the Council realized that a dues increase would be necessary, but I am pleased to report that the increase has been capped at $4.00 effective July 1, 2008.

This means that this increase of less than two cents per day will help strengthen the role of ACA in advancing the counseling profession, and add to the value of your ACA membership. In addition to your current member benefits, the increase will allow for the following new benefits to be launched and/or revamped:

• After hearing from many of you, ACA's monthly periodical, Counseling Today, will launch as a magazine for our members beginning in July.
• The ACA-ACES Syllabus Clearinghouse will provide an incredible collection of sample syllabi for use by counselor educators, researchers, and those interested in counseling curricula.
• Also, after many requests, our quarterly journal of counseling research and practical articles, Journal of Counseling & Development will be accessible online through the ACA library website in the coming months.
• The ACA Online Learning Center will launch shortly and include a one-stop way to submit learning institute and education sessions, and the recording of education sessions during the ACA Annual Conference & Exposition.
• Continue public policy advocacy to protect counselor practice, increase reimbursement opportunities, and complete our 50 state licensed professional counselor campaign.
• ACA podcasts.

New Membership Rates Effective July 1, 2008:

The strength of ACA is derived from the collective resources of the membership, and we understand the use of the dues revenue requires our fiscal prudence and your trust. It is a time of change, and a time for growth as we look forward to the future of the counseling profession. ACA relies on the participation and support of its members, and without that participation and support, we cease to exist.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions or thoughts you may have either by e-mailing me at: RYep@counseling.org, or via phone at 1-800-347-6647, ext. 231.

Thanks and be well.

Sincerely,

Richard Yep, CAE
Executive Director