ACA News

ACA Applauds Strategy for National Mental Health

The American Counseling Association commends the Biden Administration for raising awareness of and making commitments to remedy the challenges to mental health access and equity through policies and resources.

ACA Opposes TX Definition of Child Abuse to Include Gender-Affirming Care

The American Counseling Association stands in solidarity with the Texas Counseling Association in opposition to any attempt to redefine ?child abuse? to include gender-affirming care, as referenced in the Texas Attorney General?s non-binding opinion ...

ACA Statement on Conflict in Ukraine

As advocates of the emotional needs of all people, along with our commitment to social justice, ACA stands with people and organizations of conscience around the world in condemning the ongoing, unprovoked Russian incursion into Ukraine.

Edil Torres Rivera, PhD Elected as 72nd President of the American Counseling Association

Dr. Edil Torres Rivera, professor and Director of the Latinx Studies at Wichita State University, Kansas, has been elected to serve as the American Counseling Association (ACA) President-elect beginning July 1, 2022. Dr. Rivera will begin serving as ...

Statement on the Removal of The Voice of Counseling Podcast from Spotify

The American Counseling Association has a long history embracing multiculturalism, diversity, equity and inclusion. Racist commentary and slurs do not reflect the values of ACA. We are aware that talk show personality Joe Rogan’s podcast has ...

Winter 2022 American Counseling Association Foundation Grant Cycle is Now Open

The American Counseling Association Foundation is seeking proposals from ACA members for grants of up to $500.

Public Health Emergency Extended Until April

On January 16, Xavier Becerra, Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), announced the current COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) has been extended until April 16, 2022. The PHE was originally set to expire on January 16, 2022. The extension ...

ACA CEO Search Begins

Koya Partners | Diversified Search Group, the executive search firm that specializes in mission-driven search, has been exclusively retained by the American Counseling Association to lead the search for its next Chief Executive Officer.

Senate Finance Committee Receives 321 Public Responses to Barriers to Mental Health Care Initiative

On December 20, the Senate Finance Committee issued a press release highlighting a bipartisan initiative to address barriers to mental health care. The release, titled “Wyden, Crapo Welcome Input on Addressing the Mental Health Care ...

New No Surprise Billing Regulations for Behavioral Health Care Providers

The No Surprises Act aims to increase price transparency and reduce the likelihood that clients receive a ?surprise? medical bill by requiring that providers inform clients of an expected charge for a service before the service is provided.

American Counseling Association Statement on Publicly Diagnosing the Mental State of an Individual

  The American Counseling Association (ACA) Code of Ethics, Section E, requires counselors to take special care in providing the proper diagnosis of mental disorders in the proper manner. The public association of any individual with any term ...

NOW ACCEPTING: 2022 ACA National Awards Nominations

It's ACA Awards season again! Nominations are officially open for the next round of ACA National Awards. The Awards winners will be recognized at the upcoming 2022 ACA Conference & Expo in Atlanta, Georgia and the ACA 2022 Virtual Conference ...

?Caring for America: Legislation to Support Patients, Caregivers, and Providers? Health Subcommittee Hearing Features Discussion of Key Bipartisan Bills

This week, Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) provided opening remarks at a Health Subcommittee legislative hearing titled, “Caring for America: Legislation to Support Patients, Caregivers, and Providers.” He highlighted that a legislative ...

Biden Administration Releases Report on Improving Mental Health Access for Children & Students

On October 19, the White House published a fact sheet announcing the release of a new report entitled “Supporting Child and Student Social, Emotional, Behavioral and Mental Health,” which will serve as a resource for improving the overall ...

Public Service Loan Forgiveness Gets an Overhaul

The Department of Education just announced an overhaul of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program with the goal of making the program live up to its stated intention: relieving the student loan debt burden of public servants. As part of the ...

President Biden?s COVID-19 Action Plan

On September 9, the Biden administration announced a six-pronged, comprehensive national strategy to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, entitled ?Path out of the Pandemic.?

ACA Tracks Progress of the Resettlement of Refugees; Identifies Resources for Counselors

ACA would like to update counselors on the federal government?s support for the refugees settling in the United States.

Biden Administration Invests in Pediatric Mental Health Access

This announcement is a part of the Biden administration?s larger push to increase the accessibility of mental and behavioral health care services for children.

American Counseling Association CEO Richard Yep to Depart Organization After More Than Three Decades of Service

Alexandria, VA — The American Counseling Association (ACA) CEO Richard Yep, CAE, FASAE has announced that he will leave the association when his current contract expires on June 30, 2022.  Yep informed the ACA Governing Council in early ...

Dr. S. Kent Butler Begins Term as 70th President of the American Counseling Association

Dr. Butler will begin serving as the American Counseling Association?s 70th president on July 1, 2021, after serving as ACA President-Elect for the last year.