In this issue readers will find:
- 4300+ Attend New Orleans Conference, Hear O'Brien and Beck
- Call for Members to Participate in ACA Code of Ethics Revision Announced, Apply by May 15
- Attendees Volunteer to Give Back to the Community Project in New Orleans
- In the News: EEOC Expands Definition of Disability
- Actively Coached College Students Show Greater Signs of Success
- New AAP Report on the Impact of Social Media on Kids
- Advocacy Matters: How Are You Celebrating Counseling Awareness Month?
- Fast Facts: Census Reports Growth in Hispanic, Asian American and Multiracial Populations
- Dissatisfied Worker's Mental Health Comparable to That of Unemployed Person
- ASCA, NCDA and AMHCA Conferences on Summer Schedule
- Calendar: Upcoming State Branch Conferences in ME, CT, and SD
Visit our website:
ACA blogs, written by counselors, for counselors:
4300+ Attend New Orleans Conference, Hear O'Brien and Beck
More than 4,300 counseling professionals and students attended the ACA 2011 Conference & Exposition in New Orleans last month where they heard keynote presentations by Soledad O'Brien and Judith S. Beck, participated in more than 500 educational programs and networking events, and browsed the Exposition where more than 100 companies displayed their products and services.
CNN news anchor and correspondent O'Brien, who heads up the network's "In America" unit, encouraged counselors to "stand with people and refuse to go." In covering news stories, O'Brien stated that she aspires to many of the goals that counselors work toward: trying to capture and restore humanity to people's lives, working to increase understanding, and valuing diversity.
Beck, noted cognitive therapy expert and president of the Beck Institute for Cognitive Therapy and Research, reviewed the basic concepts of the theory and how they can be applied to everyday life situations such as weight loss and she contrasted client successes with those who had been treated with medication. According to research she cited, people treated with cognitive therapy have half the relapse rate of those treated only with medication.
More than 50 individuals and universities received awards during the ACA National Awards Ceremony. Dr. Thelma Thomas Daley and Dr. Howard B. Smith received the 2011 Presidential Award. Dr. Daley, who was president of ACA in 1975-76, was recognized for her outstanding work over the years as a humanitarian, and leader in the counseling profession. Dr. Smith was honored for his efforts in advancing the role of counseling in disaster mental health, including his work that led to the inclusion of professional counseling as a member profession of the Red Cross Disaster Mental Health Partners. Watch for the May issue of Counseling Today for further information on all of the ACA National Awards.
Attendance at this year's conference was the highest in the past 10 years. The 2012 ACA Conference & Expo will be in San Francisco, March 21-25. Online registration at the reduced Summer Rate is now open.
The Call for Proposals for the 2012 Conference is now open. Click on the link below for more information.
Call for Members to Participate in ACA Code of Ethics Revision Announced, Apply by May 15
At the conference in New Orleans, ACA launched the process of revising the ACA Code of Ethics and is now inviting interested members to submit an application to serve on the Ethics Revision Task Force. The deadline for Task Force applications is May 15. The Task Force will be comprised of 8-10 individuals who will spend approximately 3 years revising the code with input from a variety of sources. It is anticipated that the draft will be completed in 2014. The last revision of the Code was completed in 2005.
Applicants must be ACA members in good standing and maintain their membership during the entire revision process. The following qualifications are desired:
- 3+ years of post-graduate experience. Doctoral students enrolled in a Counseling or Counselor Education and Supervision program are eligible to apply for one designated slot reserved for a student member.
- Experience with the application of the ACA Code of Ethics from a practitioner's perspective and/or participation in scholarly activities pertaining to the ACA Code of Ethics (teaching, publications, presentations, etc.)
ACA wishes to develop an Ethics Revision Task Force rich in diversity; as such, we invite individuals represented in the nondiscrimination section of the ACA Code of Ethics (C.5) to apply. In addition, we are seeking practitioners from varied settings and specialties.
Application Procedures: Send an e-mail stating your desire to be considered for the ACA Ethics Revision Task Force to ethics@counseling.org. For the subject line, please put: "Ethics Revision Task Force application" and include the following:
- Your name, mailing address, e-mail address, and work telephone number.
- Your ACA member number, along with a statement verifying that you are an ACA member in good standing and committed to maintaining ACA membership during the entire revision process.
- An attached resume or vita.
- An attached Word document using Times New Roman 12 point type highlighting practitioner-related experience with the ACA Code of Ethics and/or scholarly activities focusing on the ACA Code of Ethics.
- An attached Word document using Times New Roman 12 point type stating why you are interested in serving on the ACA Ethics Revision Task Force.
Applications must be sent to ethics@counseling.org by May 15.
Attendees Volunteer for Give Back to the Community Project in New Orleans
Three busloads of ACA members—approximately 150 individuals—participated in a day-long Give Back to the Community project on March 24 which involved restoration work at the historic Holt Cemetery. The cemetery, which was established in 1879 as a place of interment for the city's impoverished African Americans, was devastated by Hurricane Katrina, with grave markers, borders, and debris scattered everywhere. The restorative work done the at the cemetery throughout the morning was followed in the afternoon by leadership training for counselors committed to promoting social justice in their professional endeavors.
In the News: EEOC Expands Definition of Disability
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has issued final regulations to implement the ADA Amendments Act (ADAAA). Like the law they implement, the regulations are designed to simplify the determination of who has a "disability" and make it easier for people to establish that they are protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
The regulations clarify that the term "major life activities" includes "major bodily functions," such as functions of the immune system, normal cell growth, and brain, neurological, and endocrine functions. The regulations also make clear that not every impairment will constitute a disability. The regulations include examples of impairments that should easily be concluded to be disabilities, such as HIV infection, diabetes, epilepsy, and bipolar disorder. Observers believe the new rules will make it easier for employees to win workplace accommodations.
Actively Coached College Students Show Greater Signs of Success
Students who benefited from active one-on-one coaching stand a greater chance of succeeding academically and graduating from college, according to a Stanford University School of Education study. The findings were derived from a study of 13,500 students from 8 colleges and universities and published on the website of the National Bureau of Economic Research. The students represented a mix of demographics and educational backgrounds.
Examining both coached and non-coached groups at different intervals, the researchers found the former were more likely to remain in school and eventually earn a degree. Coaching took the form of "hands on" mentoring and providing support for students in study skills, time management, and balancing school-family-work issues.
New AAP Report on the Impact of Social Media on Kids
Social media has become as much a part of the lives of children and youth as television was a half century ago, possibly more so. According to a Common Sense Media poll, 22% of teenagers log on to their favorite social media site more than 10 times a day, and more than half of adolescents log on to a social media site more than once a day. Further, 75% of teens now own personal cell phones; 25% use them for social media, 54% for texting, and 24% for instant messaging.
To aid in addressing both the positive and negative effects that social media use has on youth and families, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has released a new clinical report, "The Impact of Social Media Use on Children, Adolescents, and Families" in the Pediatrics journal. Included in the report are recommendations on how youth and parents can successfully use this contemporary form of communication. AAP also has produced a "talking points" guide for parents to use in discussing social media and "sexting" with children and teens.
Advocacy Matters: How Are You Celebrating Counseling Awareness Month?
April is Counseling Awareness Month! In many institutions, organizations, agencies, and communities, counselors are using the observance to call attention to the work they do and clients they serve. If you need some celebration ideas, view the ACA Counseling Awareness Month Celebration Guide
Fast Facts: Census Reports Growth in Hispanic, Asian American and Multiracial Populations
The 2010 census by the Census Bureau is reporting that Hispanics accounted for more than half of the U.S. population increase over the last decade, exceeding estimates in most states. Hispanics now total 50 million, or 1 in 6 Americans. Asian Americans grew 43% and were tied with Hispanics as the fastest growing demographic group.
In another growth category, more than 9 million Americans checked two or more race categories on their 2010 census forms, up 32% from 2000.
Dissatisfied Worker's Mental Health Comparable to That of Unemployed Person
A study of 7,000 Australians reported in the journal, Occupational and Environmental Medicine, has determined that having a bad, short-term, and poorly paid job can do as much harm to one's mental health as not working at all. While unemployed study respondents had poorer mental health than those who were employed, the mental health of those who were unemployed was comparable or superior to those in jobs of the poorest psychosocial quality, specifically low levels of control, demands and complexity, job insecurity, and poor pay. The authors concluded that very demanding jobs that give people little control over their work — and that provide little support or financial reward — are not good for health.
ASCA, NCDA and AMHCA Conferences on Summer Schedule
American School Counselor Association
Theme: Perk Up Your Program
June 25 – 28, 2011
Sheraton Seattle Hotel, Seattle, WA
National Career Development Association
Theme: NCDA: Celebrating Our Past, Achieving Our Dreams
June 30 – July 2, 2011
Grand Hyatt San Antonio, San Antonio, TX
American Mental Health Counselors Association
Theme: The Power of Partnerships
July 14 – 16, 2011
Parc 55 Wyndham San Francisco Union Square, San Francisco, CA
Calendar: Upcoming State Branch Conferences in ME, CT, and SD
Branch: Maine Counseling Association
Dates: April 11-12, 2011
Location: Samoset Resort, Rockport, ME
Branch: Connecticut Counseling Association
Theme: Counseling Connections 2011 ~ Wellness across the Lifespan
Dates: April 28-30, 2011
Location: Westside Campus of Western Connecticut State University, Danbury, CT
Branch: South Dakota Counseling Association
Theme: 50 Years of Counseling Excellence
Dates: April 28-30, 2011
Location: Sioux Falls Conference Center, Sioux Falls, SD
ACA divisions, branches, and regions are valuable sources of learning and professional development. Information on events will be posted approximately 8-10 weeks prior. This information is made available to ACAeNews via the ACA master calendar and the various organization web sites. Send calendar items to dbrown@counseling.org. Please provide the sponsor, dates, theme, site, and contact person information. Information posted here is restricted to that sponsored by ACA divisions, branches, regions and related organizations.
About ACAeNews
ACAeNews is published 24 times annually by the American Counseling Association for the benefit of members across the counseling profession. Any reference to a product, service, activity or listing of a website in ACAeNews does not imply endorsement by ACA. Any views and opinions are those of the sponsoring organization and may or may not be shared by ACA. Past editions can be found
Direct comments, questions, and submissions to fburtnett@counseling.org. All submissions will be subject to review by ACA for accuracy, timeliness and relevance to the readership and may be edited to meet space parameters.
Marcheta P. Evans, Ph.D., President
Marcheta.evans@utsa.edu
Richard Yep, CAE, Executive Director
ryep@counseling.org
Debra Bass, Director of Marketing and Communications
dbass@counseling.org
Frank Burtnett, NCC, NCCC, ACAeNews Editor
fburtnett@counseling.org
Don Kenneally, Internet Development / Production
dkenneally@counseling.org
ACA Web site: www.counseling.org
Copyright 2011, American Counseling Association, 5999 Stevenson Avenue, Alexandria, VA 22304. Telephone: 703/823-9800. Email: fburtnett@counseling.org. Permission is hereby granted to reproduce anything contained in this newsletter as long as the American Counseling Association is identified as the original source of the information.
CONTACT INFORMATION
5999 Stevenson Ave. Alexandria, VA 22304
800.347.6647 | 800.473.2329 (fax)
Copyright 2011, American Counseling Association, All Rights Reserved.