Great News for Licensed Professional Counselors! HHS Extends the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency

On Thursday, July 23, 2020, Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar signed a continuation of the COVID-19 public health emergency, ensuring that critical resources to fight the COVID-19 pandemic can continue as the nation continues to battle an unprecedented health crisis. Public health emergencies last for 90 days, so without another extension this latest renewal will expire in late October.

The public health emergency declaration has helped the emergency approval of new drugs and tests, flexibility for government-run health insurance programs and the deployment of federally funded personnel to focus on the virus. The declaration has also allowed licensed professional counselors to provide quality mental health services and greater access to care, while waiving certain telebehavioral health restrictions.

Changes like this start with you! If you would like to become a change agent and get involved in ACA’s advocacy efforts, please email the ACA Government Affairs and Public Policy team at advocacy@counseling.org.