ACA Launches NIU Pro Bono Initiative

Responding once again to a traumatic incident on a college campus, the American Counseling Association, in collaboration with the Illinois Counseling Association, has organized an effort to provide free counseling sessions for students of Northern Illinois University who will be away from school for the summer. This past February, a gunman killed five NIU students and wounded 18 others when he opened fire in a geology class and then took his own life.

Aware that ACA had launched a pro bono counseling initiative for Virginia Tech students in the wake of the tragic shootings that took place in Blacksburg in April 2007, NIU asked ACA if it could provide similar counseling coverage to its students this summer. More than 1,000 ACA and Virginia Counselors Association members responded to the call to provide free counseling to Virginia Tech students. More than 200 free counseling sessions were provided to students in 18 states, including as far away as California.

In May, at the request of NIU, ACA once again sent out a call via e-mail to its members nationwide to provide free counseling services this summer. While most of the students live in relatively close proximity to NIU, others are scattered across the country. Participants in the pro bono counseling initiative had to be current ACA members, willing to provide as many as five free sessions to one or more NIU students and licensed to diagnose and treat mental disorders.

NIU is publicizing the free counseling services to students on its website, explaining that ACA has established a list of licensed counselors so that students can find a provider near their homes. Students are directed to bring their NIU photo ID to the counseling sessions to receive free services.

Through its efforts after Hurricane Katrina, the shootings at Virginia Tech and now NIU, among others, ACA is establishing a name for itself as a partner that can provide quality disaster mental health services by tapping into the professionalism and generosity of its membership, said ACA Chief Professional Officer David Kaplan.

Visit the Pro Bono section of our website.