ACA News

National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health Announces New Funding Opportunity for Research on Fostering Behavioral Health Among Children in School

Developing effective school-based interventions is one important way to promote better mental, emotional, and behavioral health in children and youth.It is often stated that the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated children and youth’s struggle ...

ACA Meets with White House Administration on Protecting Counselor Rights

Following the United States Supreme Court ruling to overturn Roe v. Wade (via Dobbs v. Jackson), the American Counseling Association (ACA) issued a statement in opposition of the ruling. This statement focused on the need to protect Licensed ...

The ACA Submit Comments To CMS Regarding Impact On Medicare and Medicaid Programs: CY 2023 Payment Policies Under the Physician Fee Schedule and Other Changes to Part B Payment Policies; Medicare Shared Savings Program; et al.

The American Counseling Association (ACA), in addition to other mental health organizations, submitted comments to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on how the 2023 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule’s ...

The White House Issues Student Loan Relief for Federal Borrowers

On Wednesday, August 24th, President Biden released a three-part delivery plan to cancel up to $20,000 for low-to middle-income federal borrowers. Currently, the national cumulative federal student loan debt is at $1.6 trillion, accounting for nearly ...

Delaware Becomes Seventeenth State to Sign Interstate Counseling Compact into Law

The American Counseling Association and licensed professional counselors nationwide are celebrating the signing of Delaware Senate Bill 257 in support of the Counseling Compact, which will authorize counselors to practice across state lines once enacted.

ACA Member Update on CareDash

We have been informed that the health care provider review website CareDash.com has created thousands of profiles for mental health providers, including professional counselors, that are not associated with their platform without their consent or ...

Biden Administration to Address Mental Health Crisis in Youth

On July 29th, the Biden Administration announced actions to address the decline in youth mental health by awarding funds to increase access to comprehensive mental health services in schools and encouraging governors to take advantage of these funds. ...

988 Suicide Prevention Hotline Operational

Beginning on July 16th, 2022, the 988 Hotline began rolling out, connecting individuals experiencing a mental health crisis to trained mental health professionals. In 2020, Congress passed the National Suicide Hotline Designation Act of 2020 (S.2661) ...

CMS Proposed Rule Endorses Licensed Professional Counselors as Medicare Providers

Yesterday (July 7), the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued the Calendar Year 2023 Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) proposed rule. The rule contains several proposals intended to expand access to behavioral health services, including ...

North Carolina Becomes Sixteenth State to Sign Interstate Counseling Compact into Law

The American Counseling Association and licensed professional counselors nationwide are celebrating the signing of North Carolina House Bill 791 in support of the Counseling Compact, which will authorize counselors to practice across state lines once ...

The White House Signs the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act

On June 25th, the White House signed the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (S.2938), ending the thirty-year deadlock on gun reform legislation. In an effort to reduce mass casualties as a result of recent gun misuse, the Senate introduced a bipartisan ...

Dr. Kimberly N. Frazier Begins Term as 71st President of the American Counseling Association

Dr. Frazier will begin serving as the American Counseling Association?s 71st president on July 1, 2022, after serving as ACA President-Elect for the last year.

New Hampshire Becomes Fifteenth State to Sign Interstate Counseling Compact into Law

The American Counseling Association and licensed professional counselors nationwide are celebrating the signing of New Hampshire Senate Bill 397 in support of the Counseling Compact, which will authorize counselors to practice across state lines once ...

HHS Offers Guidance of Audio-Only Telehealth

On  Tuesday, June 14th, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through its Office for Civil Rights (OCR), issued guidance on how covered healthcare providers and health plans can use remote communication technologies to ...

American Counseling Association Expresses Opposition to Overturn of Roe v. Wade

The Supreme Court decision striking down Roe v. Wade abolishes women’s constitutional right to choose to have an abortion without the undue influence of government. This decision will trigger some state regulations, which will make abortions ...

Colorado, Louisiana and Ohio Signs Interstate Counseling Compact into Law

The American Counseling Association and licensed professional counselors nationwide are celebrating the latest signings in support of the Counseling Compact, which will authorize counselors to practice across state lines once enacted.

Joint Statement on Gun Violence Crisis from 60 National Organizations

While mental health conditions are common across the globe, the U.S. is the only country where mass shootings are disturbingly commonplace. The American Counseling Association joined 59 orgs to express our deep concerns about false & harmful attempts ...

Statement on Gun Violence Crisis from 60 National Organizations

Our organizations write to express our deep concerns about false and harmful attempts to link mental illness and gun violence. The horrific school shooting in Uvalde, Texas that killed 19 children and two adults on May 24th is just one in a long ...

U.S. Senate Holds Hearing on Mental Health Care for Older Adults

On May 19, 2022, the U.S Senate Special Committee on Aging held a hearing titled, “Mental Health Care for Older Adults: Raising Awareness, Addressing Stigma, and Providing Support.” During this hearing, Committee Chairman Bob Casey and ...

Tennessee Becomes Eleventh State to Sign Interstate Counseling Compact into Law

The American Counseling Association and licensed professional counselors nationwide are celebrating the signing of Tennessee State Bill 1027 in support of the Counseling Compact, which will authorize counselors to practice across state lines once enacted.