In this issue readers will find:
- FY11 Done, House Shows Priorities in FY12 Budget
- Women Make Major Wage Gains, Stagnation May be Looming
- ACA Receives National Institute of Mental Health Update
- Study Shows High Level of Stress in the Workplace, Identifies Sources
- 2012 San Francisco Conference Proposals Due June 8
- Most Adult Alcohol Abusers Don't Think They Need Treatment
- ACA Releases New Activities Book for Infusing Multicultural Competence in the Classroom
- Fast Facts: Demographic Report Projects Gay Community at 3.5% of Population
- ACA Provides Updates to the Occupational Outlook Handbook on Counseling Careers
- New Jobs Listed on ACA Blog
- Applications for Task Force Revising ACA Code of Ethics Due May 15
- New Orleans Attendees: Did You Get Your CEs Yet?
- ACA Member Benefit Brief: MetLife's Dental Benefits Plan
- Calendar: Counseling Awareness Month Continues, Summer Conferences for ACA Divisions
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FY '11 Done, House Shows Its Priorities In FY '12 Budget
Congress and the President agreed to a spending plan for the rest of fiscal year 2011 on April 8, averting a government shutdown. According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the 2011 plan would reduce government outlays (actual spending) by $20 to $25 billion over the next 10 years. For FY 2011, the plan cuts the Elementary and Secondary School Counseling Program by $2.5 million, career and technical education by $138 million, and TRIO and GEAR-UP by the $25 million and $20 million. Total budget authority for federal education programs is cut by more than $2 billion under the agreement, and another $10 billion is cut from programs within the Departments of Health and Human Services, and Labor.
Having just completed work on FY 2011 spending, the House of Representatives is voting on Friday on a budget resolution for FY 2012 which would exact deep cuts in federal spending on education and health programs, including Pell Grants, Medicare and Medicaid. At the same time, the House budget proposal would allocate hundreds of billions of dollars to reducing taxes for the highest income households, and for corporations.
For Americans under the age of 55, Medicare would change to a system of vouchers individuals would use to buy health care coverage through the private insurance market. According to CBO, average 65-year-olds in 2030 would have to pay about 68% of their health care costs through premiums and copayments, compared with 25% under current Medicare rules. The budget would turn Medicaid into a block grant program, and cut spending by about $1.4 trillion over the next 10 years. The budget proposal would also repeal the Affordable Care Act, taking away tax credits for families to use in purchasing insurance.
ACA is continuing to work with other national advocacy organizations to protect federal investments in education and healthcare programs from being inordinately targeted for cuts in deficit reduction, and recently joined other members of the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (http://www.c-c-d.org) in writing Congress in opposition to turning Medicaid into a block grant program.
ACA's Public Policy Staff will host a conference call Tuesday, May 3 from 1:00p.m–2:00p.m. (ET). The federal budget and other issues on the ACA legislative agenda will be discussed. To participate, call 559-546-1000 and enter the participant access code 518740#. Please note that long-distance charges will apply.
Questions about the federal budget should be directed to Scott Barstow at 703-823-9800, x234 or sbarstow@counseling.org. For questions about the conference call, contact Christie Lum at clum@counseling.org, x354.
Women Make Major Wage Gains, Stagnation May be Looming
A study released recently by the Hamilton Project of the Brookings Institute has found that the significant strides made by American women in education attainment and career positioning over the past half century have led to meaningful gains in earnings. Inflation-adjusted earnings of the median full-time female worker have increased almost 56% from 1963 to today and the annual earnings of the median female have increased by roughly $20,000. This increase is attributed to a greater presence of women in the workforce and rising wages for working women.
Correspondingly, the recent economic downturn has been kinder to women as the employment to population ratio of women declined only by 4.7% during the recession, compared to a 7% decline for men. Some analysts, however, believe the long-term effect of the recession could lead to stagnation or decline in the wages of women, a result already found for men.
ACA Receives National Institute of Mental Health Update
ACA represented the counseling profession at the 7th annual meeting of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Professional Coalition for Research Progress held on April 13. NIMH is the primary agency of the U. S. government responsible for mental health research. It is the largest research organization in the world specializing in mental illness, with a $1.5 billion annual budget.
A focus of the meeting was on research indicating that the suicide rate in the U. S. has been climbing for the past half-dozen years. NIMH officials reported that a goal has been set to reduce the suicide mortality rate by 20% over the next 5 years. Also noted was the doubling of the suicide rates for Army personnel over the past 6 years. To address this epidemic, NIMH is conducting a major study (Army Study to Assess Risk and Resilience in Servicemembers) to identify stressors and resilience factors related to suicides in the Armed Services.
NIMH also announced the formation of the Mental Health Research Network. This network will consist of a consortium of 10 major private research centers that will develop a standardized mental health research infrastructure throughout the U.S. Finally, it was noted that the budget for publically funded mental health research for this year is "worrisome" and that the budget for next year likely will be worse. NIMH has reduced its funded projects from 550 to 425 this year and anticipates deeper cuts next year.
Visit the NIMH website at
Study Shows High Level of Stress in the Workplace, Identifies Sources
A national study of stress in the workplace, conducted by Harris Interactive on behalf of Everest College, is reporting that a large majority of Americans (77%) has found at least one thing associated with their work that is anxiety producing. Unlike other recent stress in the workplace studies, the 2011 Work Stress Survey sought to determine the sources of the stress. The nearly 1,000 working adults broke down their stressors into the following areas:
- Low pay – 14%
- Commuting – 11%
- Unreasonable workload – 9%
- Fear of being laid off – 9%
- Annoying coworkers – 8%
- Boss – 5%
- Poor work-life balance – 5%
- Lack of opportunity for advancement – 4%
While more than 3 in 4 found something stressful, 25% said nothing stresses them out about their job and married workers reported less stress than singles. Low pay was found to be the most stressful aspect of jobs in every region of the nation with the exception of the Midwest, where fear of being laid off or fired ranked number one.
2012 San Francisco Call for Proposals Due by June 8
Online registration is now open for the 2012 ACA Conference & Exposition in San Francisco, CA slated for March 21-25. Members wishing to submit proposals for pre-conference Learning Institutes (March 21-22) or Education Sessions (March 23-25) can do so by following the instructions and using the online forms located
Topics of specific interest include disaster mental health, social media, military members and their families, and the revised DSM-V. ACA is also seeking advanced level programs in all areas.
Individuals needing technical support in completing the proposal forms should contact Precis Abstract Management, Monday through Friday, 9:00a.m –5:00p.m. (ET) at 866-273-8855, x2. Questions of a non-technical nature about the program proposal process should be directed to Crystal Turner at cturner@counseling.org or 703-823-9800, x229. All proposals must be submitted by 5:00p.m.on June 8.
Most Adult Alcohol Abusers Don't Think They Need Treatment
According to a new report released by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), American adults who abuse alcohol don't believe they need treatment for their abuse. Of the more than 7.4 million American adults ages 21 to 64 with alcohol dependency, only 1.2% said they would benefit from treatment. Among those with untreated alcohol dependence disorder, a more severe condition, only 7.8% recognized they needed treatment.
The finding shows the need for greater public awareness about adult problem drinking, how to identify people with an alcohol problem, how to raise the issue with a problem drinker, and how to get counseling and other forms of assistance.
ACA Releases New Activities Book for Infusing Multicultural Competence in the Classroom
Experiential Activities for Teaching Multicultural Competence in Counseling
edited by Mark Pope, Joseph S. Pangelinan, and Angela D. Coker
This practical resource is for faculty teaching beginning and advanced multicultural counseling courses or other core classes who want to infuse issues of cultural diversity into the classroom. It contains 121 engaging and thought-provoking activities on a wide variety of multicultural topics. All activities are tied to the core content areas of the 2009 CACREP Standards, making this a perfect tool for the clinical training of counseling students. A CD-ROM with exercise handouts accompanies the book for ease of copying and distribution in the classroom.
2011 | 372 pages
Order # 72904
ISBN 978-1-55260-284-1
List Price: $54.95
ACA Member Price: $40.95
Fast Facts: Report Projects Gay Community at 3.5% of Population
Drawing on demographic information from six recent surveys, Gary J. Gates of the Williams Institute of the UCLA School of Law, recently reported there are more than 8 million adults in the U.S. who are lesbian, gay, or bisexual, comprising 3.5% of the adult population. There are also nearly 700,000 transgender individuals in the U.S. bringing the total number of Americans who identify as LGBT to approximately 9 million.
In related findings, Gates states that an estimated 19 million Americans (8.2%) report that they have engaged in same-sex sexual behavior and nearly 25.6 million (11%) acknowledge at least some same-sex sexual attraction.
ACA Provides Updates to Occupational Outlook Handbook on Counseling Careers
The Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor has once again asked ACA to provide updates for the counselor profiles in the Occupational Outlook Handbook. The 2012-13 edition of the OOH will contain ACA recommended updates for school and career counselors, mental health counselors, rehabilitation counselors, addictions counselors, and marriage and family therapists. The new edition will be released in December 2011. The current edition of the Occupational Outlook Handbook is available online at
New Jobs Listed on ACA Blog
Have you checked out the
There is a brand new listing for LPC openings in OH, TN, and PA...apply today.
And while you're there check out the blog page, find out what our member bloggers are thinking!
Applications for Task Force Revising ACA Code of Ethics Due May 15
Members wishing to be considered for a special task force revising the ACA Code of Ethics have until May 15 to apply. The Ethics Revision 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.
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.
New Orleans Attendees: Did You Get Your CEs Yet?
ACA New Orleans Conference attendees who wish to receive CE credit should complete the online evaluation process by December 31. The traditional CE evaluation forms have been replaced with an online CE evaluation process which can be found
ACA Member Benefit Brief: MetLife's Dental Benefits Plan
As you may already know, ACA Insurance Trust has partnered with MetLife to offer our members dental benefits. During the week of April 25, 2011, you will receive an e-mail message that will provide you with details about this valuable benefit. You will also be provided with a web page that will allow you to learn about the many features including two flexible plan options of the ACA Dental Program. You will have access to plan information and costs. You will also be able to enroll online!
As always, ACA is mindful of our Member's privacy. We would like to assure you that MetLife adheres to the same high standards that we employ when it comes to Privacy and maintains physical, electronic and procedural safeguards to guard your nonpublic personal information.
If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact: ACA Insurance Trust 800-347-6647, ext. 284.
Calendar: Counseling Awareness Month Continues, Summer Conferences for ACA Divisions
April is recognized as Counseling Awareness Month and ACA members are using the observance to engage in advocacy practices that call attention to the counseling needs of their clients and the manner in which those needs are being addressed by professional counselors. There is still time to engage in some of the celebration activities contained in the Counseling Awareness Month Celebration Guide which can be found
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
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
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Copyright 2011, American Counseling Association, All Rights Reserved.