Congressman Pushes VA on Hiring Counselors

ACA is happy to announce that it has gained a champion in our effort to establish more mental health clinician positions for licensed professional counselors within the VA health care system.

In June, Congressman Mike Michaud (D-ME), the ranking member on the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Health, submitted a letter to the Secretary for Veterans Affairs, Eric Shinseki, that calls on the Secretary and the VA as a whole to begin to hire counselors in the VA medical system.

The letter points out that the VA has been empowered by Congress to hire LPCs for almost six years. Congressman Michaud asks several specific questions about the steps the VA is taking toward hiring counselors in clinics and hospitals, and how it intends to fill the 1600 new mental health clinician positions it created in April of this year.

ACA is grateful for Congressman Michaud's leadership on this issue. We look forward to working with him on this important issue and to hearing the response from the VA.