ACA President Advocates for School Counselors on Capitol Hill

ACA President Dr. Lynn E. Linde recently held multiple high-level congressional meetings on the important role of credentialed school counselors in helping all students succeed in school and life. Dr. Linde met with expert staff of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee and the House Education and Labor Committee to discuss improving students' access to school counselors and explaining the essential services and supports school counselors deliver. Specifically, Dr. Linde met with staff for Senate HELP Chairman Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Ranking Member Michael Enzi (R-WY), among others.

These meetings come on the heels of a May 12 Congressional briefing ACA secured for the National Alliance of Pupil Services Organizations (NAPSO), which ACA co-chairs with the School Social Work Association of America and the National Association of School Psychologists. The briefing highlighted the coalition's Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) recommendations, which are very similar to ACA's. Eight practicing specialized instructional support personnel, including a professional school counselor, shared their insights and concerns directly with congressional staff working on revising, or reauthorizing, ESEA.

One Fourth of the Class of 2010 Has Found Employment

The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), has found that nearly one-fourth (24.4%) of the college class of 2010 applying for employment have a position waiting for them after graduation. One year ago, only 19.7% were that fortunate. The NACE 2010 Student Survey was conducted between February and April of this year. More than 31,470 students at 400+ colleges and universities nationwide took part; more than 13,000 of those were graduating seniors.

The graduates most likely to have received offers of employment were those with majors in accounting, business administration, computer science, engineering, and mathematics. Salary and job location were cited as the principal factors driving acceptances. A final report for the Class of 2010 will be released later in the year.

American Moms Now Older, Better Educated

Using data from the National Center for Health Statistics and the U.S. Census Bureau, the Pew Research Center is reporting that the demography of motherhood in the U. S. has shifted significantly in the past 2 decades. Compared with mothers of newborns in 1990, today's mothers of newborns are older and better educated. They are less likely to be white and not as likely to be married.

In 1990, there were more births to teenagers than to women ages 35 and older. By 2008, that had reversed — 14% of births were to older women and 10% were to teens. Births to women ages 35 and older grew 64% between 1990 and 2008, increasing in all major race and ethnic groups.

Another notable change during this period was the rise in births to unmarried women. In 2008, a record 41% of births in the U. S. were to unmarried women, up from 28% in 1990. The study also examined the attitudinal changes influencing behavior during the period of change.

Worth Reading: Summer School As a Positive, Not a Punishment

In a recent commentary in Education Week, Ron Fairchild and Jeff Smink suggest that summer school might take on an entirely new meaning–one offering an innovative and enriching educational experience for students who would otherwise be caught up in the "summer slide." Summer study is too often seen as the "prison" where students are sent to repeat failed or unsatisfactory academic experiences. The authors challenge policy makers and school administrators to use the summer months to provide unique experiences that could result in closing the achievement and performance gaps that have been widening in recent years.

Relevant Research: 15% of Young Adults Have STDs, But Many Don't
Acknowledge It

Fifteen percent of young adults in the U. S. between the ages of 18 and 26 have had a sexually transmitted disease (STD) within the past year, but nearly three-quarters of them did not believe that they were at risk, according to a new Child Trends brief. "Sexually Transmitted Diseases among Young Adults: Prevalence, Perceived Risk, and Risk-Taking Behaviors" analyzes recent data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health to provide estimates on the prevalence of and attitudes toward STDs among young adults, as well as on the behaviors that may put them at risk for contracting an STD.

Among the major findings:

• STD prevalence differs by gender and race/ethnicity, with higher rates among women and blacks.
• Young adults who have an STD often aren't aware of it–most didn't think they had any chance of having an STD, few experienced any symptoms, and only one in four said they would call in to get their test results.
• Many young adults, including those who didn't test positive for an STD, were engaging in sexual behaviors that could place them at risk of getting an STD.

New From ACA: Corey and Colleagues on Supervision

Clinical Supervision in the Helping Professions: A Practical Guide
Second Edition
by Gerald Corey, Robert Haynes, Patrice Moulton, Michelle Muratori

Long overlooked, the field of supervision is a rapidly emerging specialty area in the helping professions. Until recently, few professional standards specifically addressed supervision practices, and separate courses in supervision were rare. Today, state licensing and certification boards are requiring formal training in supervision and it is becoming mandatory to show evidence of competence not only in skills and techniques, but also in supervisory processes and procedures. This straightforward guide for new and practicing supervisors emphasizes the skills necessary to effectively supervise others in a variety of settings.

From the roles and responsibilities of supervisors, to models and methods of supervision, and the often dreaded topic of evaluation, the authors cover all the essential aspects of supervision. After reading this book, you will be well on your way to having a solid foundation in supervision. This text is appropriate for use in clinical psychology, counseling psychology, counselor education, marriage and family therapy, school counseling, mental health counseling, human services, and social work courses, as well as a resource for practicum, fieldwork, and internship seminars.

2010 | 312 pgs
Order #72898
ISBN 978-1-55620-303-9
List Price: $62.95
ACA Member Price: $43.95

ACA Now Offers Health/Dental Plans for Private Practitioners, Small Group Practices

Sign of the Times: Social Media Extremely Popular with College Professors

If you're a college professor and don't have at least two social media accounts, you are in the minority. Data reported in early May by the Babson Survey Research Group, in collaboration with Web Marketing Lab and Pearson, revealed that 80% of professors manage at least one account, 59% had two, and 25% have four. Over half or the respondents (52%) said they use social media as a teaching tool.

The most popular of these electronic exchanges are Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Skype, Linked In, MySpace, Slideshare, and Google Wave. The studies further revealed that professors came from across the instructional and institutional spectrum, although teaching online courses influenced greatly one's participation in social networking.

Reliable Resource: ARC Coping with Shelter-in-Place Emergencies Guide Available

As a part of its Be Red Cross Ready series, the American Red Cross (ARC) has created a useful resource, "Coping with Shelter-in-Place Emergencies." This one-page guide offers guidance for individuals who may be asked to shelter-in-place during time of certain emergencies. ACA played a lead role in the development of the guide and is identified by ARC as one of its partners in calling public attention to this important aspect of disaster and emergency preparedness.

ACA 2011 Conference Proposal Deadline: June 2

Want to Review Proposals for the ACA 2011 Conference & Exposition?

Fast Fact: Number of Mental Health Professionals in U. S.

The ACA Public Policy office has put together a report of the number of professionals in the U.S. offering mental health services (by state), including licensed professional counselors (115,578), licensed marriage and family therapists (53,389), and licensed clinical social workers (197,217). At the link below, click on Statistics on Mental Health Professions (2010) to review the details.

Calendar Reporting Time: Send Division, Branch and Region Conference Information to ACA