ACA News

ACA Seeks Member Comments Regarding the DSM-5 Draft

We want to hear your voice! February 10, 2010 marked the release of the proposed diagnostic criteria and content changes for the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). ACA is seeking member comments regarding ...

Health Reform Legislation Moves Toward House Floor, Without Counselor Medicare Provision

On Thursday, March 18, House leaders unveiled a package of legislative changes to the Senate-passed health insurance reform bill. Unfortunately, the package does not include language to establish Medicare reimbursement of licensed professional counselors.

Dr. Don W. Locke Elected 60th ACA President

ACA Nominations and Elections Chair Colleen Logan has announced that Dr. Don W. Locke has been elected to serve as the Association's 60th President. Dr. Locke has served as a volunteer leader at the branch, division, and national levels.

2011 Conference & Exposition: Call for Proposals - Reviewer Information

2011 Conference & Exposition: Call for Proposals

2011 Learning Institutes Submission Information

2011 Call for Proposals - Pre-Conference Learning Institutes

2011 Education Session Submission Information

2011 Call for Proposals - Education Sessions

Resources for Dealing with Natural Disasters

ACA has compiled resources to assist the public and professional counselors dealing with natural disasters.

Government-Commissioned Study Recommends TRICARE Independent Practice for Counselors

The long-awaited Institute of Medicine (IOM) TRICARE study was released on Friday, February 12th. ACA is pleased that the study unequivocally recommends independent practice authority for professional counselors.

ACA represents counseling at special NIMH meeting

On January 22, ACA represented the counseling profession at a special National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) small group discussion. Called for by the NIMH Director, Dr. Thomas Insel, the focus of the meeting was on innovative ways for NIMH to ...

Haiti Earthquake

ACA expresses our concern for those affected by the catastrophic earthquake in Haiti. We are monitoring the need for ACA members who are certified Red Cross Disaster Mental Health Volunteers and will put out a call for deployment if requested to do so ...

Department of Education Announces ESSCP, Mental Health Integration Grants

Below are grant announcements released today by the U.S. Department of Education, for grants under both the Elementary and Secondary School Counseling Program (ESSCP) and Grants for the Integration of Schools and Mental Health Systems.

Happy New Year & 2009 Highlights

President Lynn Linde, the Governing Council, staff, and volunteers of the American Counseling Association (ACA) would like to take a moment to express our sincere gratitude for your membership, support, and the trust you have bestowed upon us, your ...

ACA Helps Welcome New SAMHSA Head

The American Counseling Association was invited as representatives of the counseling profession to meet and welcome Pamela Hyde, the new Administrator of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), on the evening of ...

Senate Health Care Bill Fails to Cover Counselors Under Medicare

The Senate?s health care reform bill, unveiled November 18th by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, fails to establish Medicare coverage of licensed professional counselors.? This despite the fact that the Senate has twice approved Medicare coverage of ...

House Passes Major Health Care Reform Bill, Including Medicare Coverage of Counselors!

The House of Representatives took an historic step forward on Saturday, November 7th with the passage of major health insurance reform legislation, H.R.3962, the Affordable Health Care for America Act.?

Deadline Fast Approaching for ACAF Grad Student Essay Competitions

With two Grand Prize Awards for $2,500 Scholarship Grants, plus eight $500 runner-up scholarship grants, current graduate students don't want to miss the coming deadline for either the ACA Foundation Graduate Student Essay competition, or the Ross ...

2010 Conference Scholarships Program Now Open

The ACA Foundation is now accepting accepting applications for Scholarship Awards for the ACA 2010 Annual Conference. The Awards cover?Conference registration fees for counseling grad students, with one Grand Prize Scholarship also providing 3 nights ...

6th Annual Graduate Student Ethics Competition

The American Counseling Association is pleased to announce the opening of the 6th Annual Graduate Student Ethics Competition. This program is designed to offer Graduate Students an opportunity to work in teams to compete in how to handle the ...

Important Victory---California Becomes 50th State to License Professional Counselors

On October 11, 2009, the counseling profession achieved a historic goal with California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's signing into law of California Senate Bill 788, establishing licensure of professional clinical counselors in the state.

California Counselor Licensure Bill on Governor Schwarzenegger?s Desk

The counseling profession?s long-standing goal of achieving recognition in all 50 states is a major step closer to completion. In the final hours of its legislative session, the California legislature approved a bill establishing licensure of ...