ACA Engages 119th Congress on Mental Health Priorities

The American Counseling Association (ACA) proudly participated in January welcome receptions for the 119th Congress. ACA met with lawmakers to address America’s growing mental health crisis and advocate for Licensed Professional Counselors (LPCs)—the second-largest group in the U.S. behavioral health workforce.

Key Priorities:

• Workforce Expansion: Addressing shortages by investing in grants, loan repayment programs, and cross-state licensure through ACA’s Counseling Compact.
• Access to Care: Enforcing parity laws, expanding telehealth, and improving reimbursement rates to reduce barriers.
• Innovation & Safety: Supporting AI and telehealth advancements with safeguards for clients.

Legislative Highlights:

ACA met with key lawmakers, including Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT), a strong advocate for mental health parity, and Rep.-Elect Herb Conaway (D-NJ), a physician and former chair of New Jersey’s Health Committee. Discussions also included Sen.-Elect Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), a champion for maternal mental health, Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), a supporter of LGBTQIA+ mental health who led the creation of the 9-8-8 hotline, and Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS), an advocate for expanding telehealth services.

Building on Success:

ACA celebrated its leading role in the passage of the Mental Health Access Improvement Act, which expanded Medicare mental health coverage to include LPCs, and emphasized the need to continue that success in 2025 by: growing the workforce pipeline, expanding telehealth access and enforcing parity laws.

With 47% of Americans in shortage areas, ACA is committed to advancing bipartisan solutions that put mental health first and ensure access to affordable, high-quality care for all Americans.