In this issue readers will find:
- Summer Learning: New Frontier for Educational Reform
- National Discussion and Congressional Hearing on the Definition of a Credit Hour
- 90 New Articles for "Members Only" in ACA Online Library
- New Study Revives Test Bias Claims
- New Corey DVD Focuses On Lessons Learned
- ACA New Orleans Conference Attracts 1,276 Program Proposals
- On the Lighter Side: Survey Reveals Happy Marriages Linked to Equal Housework Division
- ACA People to People Program to Visit India to Address Disaster Mental Health
- New ACA Podcast Features Allen E. Ivey and Mary Bradford Ivey
- Fast Fact: Suicide Leading Cause of Violent Death in America
- Worth Reading: Sexual Harassment of Males Increasing
- Relevant Research: Senior Drug Use Climbing to New Levels
- MetLife Oral Health History Available to ACA Members
- Calendar: ACA Summer Institute for Leadership Training and Division Conferences
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Summer Learning: New Frontier for Educational Reform
A number of educational reformers are pointing to the time away from learning as one of the culprits in the U.S. achievement divide, suggesting that two-thirds of the gap in reading is directly related to unequal summer learning opportunities. At the center of the discussion is the National Summer Learning Association (NSLA), an advocacy organization committed to connecting and equipping schools and community organizations to deliver quality summer learning programs to the nation's youth.
NSLA serves as a network hub for thousands of summer learning program providers and stakeholders, providing tools, resources, and expertise to improve program quality, generate support, and increase youth access and participation.
National Discussion and Congressional Hearing on the Definition of a Credit Hour
The U.S. Department of Education and the House of Representative's Education and Labor Committee are looking at the definition of a credit hour in an attempt to create a definition that will be understood by the education consumer and lead to a consistent application of the term. Proponents of a standard definition want accrediting agencies to use the definition in judging academic quality and rigor in the institutions they accredit.
After study, the Education Department has put forth a proposal defining a credit hour as one hour of collegiate classroom instruction and two hours of student work outside the classroom over a 15-week semester or a 10-12-week quarter. While accepted and used by most institutions, this definition, according to critics, has been the subject of manipulation by others, leading to consumer confusion and distrust regarding accreditation. The bottom line concern expressed at a June Congressional hearing was that all consumers should be getting the same value for the dollars they spend.
90 New Articles for "Members Only" in ACA Online Library
VISTAS Online is an innovative online professional information collection that captures the ideas, information, and experiences generated by the ACA Annual Conference & Exposition. Assembling the articles for VISTAS Online is a comprehensive process conducted by Counseling Outfitters, under the leadership of Garry Walz and Jeanne Bleuer. This unique collection is the cornerstone of the ACA Online Library.
The process, from collection to dissemination, works in the following manner:
- Counseling Outfitters solicits and processes professional articles annually. Practitioners who have developed a practice or program that works for a particular population or have conducted research that has practical implications for any aspect of professional counseling or any targeted client group are encouraged to submit a VISTAS paper. The lead author of each paper must be an ACA member.
- Papers must be recommended by members of a peer review panel composed of nationally recognized counseling leaders and subject matter specialists. Counseling Outfitters recruits and supervises the peer review panel. This year witnessed 119 submissions and 90 new articles, bringing the total collection to 488 articles.
- Individuals whose articles are accepted for inclusion participate in an invitation-only reception held at the ACA Conference to share experiences with other VISTAS Online contributors and interact with ACA and Counseling Outfitters leaders.
- Members can access the VISTAS Online database by going to
www.counseling.org and scrolling to the "Library" link. Then, scroll down to "Other links" and click on VISTAS Online. The collection currently contains the full text of all articles published since 2004. The articles are organized by year, but can also be sorted by title, author, and subject.
New Study Revives Test Bias Claims
An article featured in the Harvard Educational Review this spring has rekindled old fires that the SAT, administered annually to 1.5 million college-bound students by the College Board, may discriminate against black students. The findings question the validity of the test and any decisions that are based on its results.
College Board has acknowledged that racial patterns have existed over time and that these differences are the effects of economic disadvantages. The study, conducted by Marian Veronica Santelices and Mark Wilson, focused on "differential item functioning" (DIF) in the test questions and determined that notable differences between black and white test takers could be found in the verbal section. The DIF differences, according to the researchers, favored the white students.
The findings support an earlier study in 2003 and are being used by critics of testing to leverage colleges and universities to eliminate or make optional the use of the SAT as an admission requirement. Calling the study "deeply flawed," College Board has posted a response on the organization's website.
New Corey DVD Focuses On Lessons Learned
The Counselor as Person and Professional
presented by Gerald Corey
Renowned counselor Gerald Corey shares insights and advice on the intersection between counselors' personal and professional lives in this inspirational keynote presentation from the 2010 ACA Annual Conference & Exposition.
Topics discussed
- Personal characteristics of effective counselors
- The importance of mentoring and being mentored
- Becoming culturally competent—a lifelong endeavor
- The counselor as an ethical person
- Managing personal and professional boundaries
- Values and the counseling process
- Personal therapy for counselors
- Dealing with stress and finding life balance through self-care
For an expansion of the themes explored in this presentation, see Dr. Corey's new book
Sponsored by the ACA Foundation
2010 | 82 minutes
Order #79819
List Price: $49.95
ACA Member Price $29.95
ACA New Orleans Conference Attracts 1,276 Program Proposals
The clock ticked down and the proposals for the ACA Conference & Exposition program, March 23-27, 2011 in New Orleans kept coming. When counted, more than 1,276 proposals had been submitted by members marking the fourth consecutive year that 1,000+ proposals were received.
While those programs are being reviewed and a fantastic schedule of professional development experiences is being created, members should take the opportunity to register at the discounted conference registration rates. Visit
On the Lighter Side: Survey Reveals Happy Marriages Linked to Equal Housework Division
A recent www.manofthehouse.com study, generated to coincide with the celebration of Father's Day, has found that men are feeling good about their ever-expanding roles in the home, a shift that is having a positive impact on their relationships with their spouse or significant other. In a survey of more than 1000 fathers, a whopping nine out of ten (91%) agree that when they share household chores equally with their significant other, they get along better.
ACA People to People Program to Visit India to Address Disaster Mental Health
The next ACA sponsored People to People Citizen Ambassador program will involve a delegation visiting India in November and focusing on disaster mental health issues. Developed by Cirecie A. West-Olatunji, delegation leader, and the planning team in India, the mission statement and program topics that follow will be further refined as the delegation is formed to incorporate delegates' specialized areas of interest and expertise.
- Culture-centered disaster mental health counseling
- Crisis intervention in schools
- Trauma and resilience in the wake of disaster
- Families in crisis
- Social justice, advocacy, and disaster counseling
Participants in the 8-day trip departing November 14, 2010 will also qualify for 15 ACA continuing education credit hours. To learn more and register, visit the
New ACA Podcast Features Allen E. Ivey and Mary Bradford Ivey
Allen E. Ivey and Mary Bradford Ivey are the most recent distinguished counselors and educators to be featured in the ACA Podcast series. Their topic, "Microcounseling, Multiculturalism, Social Justice, and the Brain" is among the newest titles in this popular "valued added" feature of ACA membership. The Iveys’ answer the following questions in the one-hour program:
- What is microcounseling? Is it being used in other countries?
- What was the road like towards ACA and APA approval of the multicultural competencies? What was your role in the effort?
- Mary, what can you say about your work in the schools and Rogerian vs. microcounseling frameworks?
- Where does social justice come into your work? What is occurring today in the field of social justice that pleases you, that concerns you?
- Neuroscience has come a long way toward fitting in with traditional counseling theories and practices. How do you view current research on the brain?
Fast Fact: Suicide Leading Cause of Violent Death in America
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide was the leading cause of violent death in 2007, followed by homicide. The data gathered in 16 states found that most suicides were among people 45 to 54 years of age. That represents a demographic shift; people over 80 typically have the highest suicide rates. The study said the change might be related to mental health conditions, joblessness, finances, or relationships. Most suicides were among American Indians/Alaska Natives and non-Hispanic whites.
Worth Reading: Sexual Harassment of Males Increasing
Since 1990, the percentage of sexual harassment claims filed by men has doubled to more than 16%, according to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. This percentage, according to a June story on the Workforce Management website, has continued to rise even as the overall number of sexual harassment complaints has declined. From 2006 to 2009, sexual harassment claims filed by men jumped to 16.4% from 15.4% of all sexual harassment claims. Last year, the percentage of sexual harassment lawsuits filed by the EEOC filed on behalf of male plaintiffs reached 14%, marking an all-time high.
Relevant Research: Senior Drug Use Climbing to New levels
A government report released in June shows a rise in the number of older Americans who are struggling with cocaine, heroin and marijuana. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) found that the proportion of people aged 50 or over who were admitted to treatment for drug abuse nearly doubled between 1992 and 2008. The data was gathered from treatment centers across the country. According to the report, the share of people treated for substance abuse who were 50 and over:
- More than doubled, from 7.2% to 16.0%, for heroin.
- For cocaine abuse, nearly quadrupled from 2.9% to 11.4%. More than a quarter of these had begun use of the drug within the last five years.
- Rose from 0.7% to 3.5% for prescription drug abuse.
- For marijuana abuse increased from 0.6% to 2.9%
While alcohol abuse is still the leading cause for admissions, the study also shows a sharp rise in the proportion of older Americans who were admitted to treatment centers because they were struggling with illegal drugs.
MetLife Oral Health History Available to ACA Members
Understanding how to maintain or improve your oral health just got easier. MetLife has developed an easy-to-navigate, web-based Oral Health Library to help individuals take a more proactive role in understanding and making better choices about their oral health. It contains information and tools to help people ask their dentist informed questions about their dental benefits, dental care and their risk for dental disease. Whether one participates in MetLife's Dental Program or not, the library can be accessed by visiting http://c9.go2dental.com/ml_content/. For more information on MetLife's Dental insurance offering for ACA members, call 800-821-7303.
Calendar: ACA Summer Institute for Leadership Training and Division Conferences
The 2nd Annual ACA Summer Institute for Leadership Training will be held July 21-25 in Alexandria, Virginia. This training activity will include the Council of Presidents and Region Chairs (COPARC) and COPARC-Elects, representing ACA leaders from the national, division, regional and branch levels. Sessions will focus on organizational and management issues, information dissemination, and networking.
Questions about the Institute should be directed to Denise Brown at 800-347-6647, ext. 303. Participants requiring assistance with travel or accommodations should contact Robin Hayes at 800-347-6647, ext. 296.
American Mental Health Counselors Association
July 15-17, 2010
Westin Waterfront Hotel, Boston, MA
Association for Adult Development and Aging
July 30, 2010
Roosevelt Hotel, New York, NY
Association for Spiritual, Ethical and Religious Values in Counseling
August 1-3, 2010
Springmaid Beach Retreat and Resort, Myrtle Beach, SC
Association for Assessment in Counseling and Education
September 9-10, 2010
Holiday Inn Select, Memphis, TN
Association for Creativity in Counseling
September 18-19, 2010
Portland Doubletree Hotel, Portland, OR
American College Counseling Association
October 6-9, 2010
Hyatt Regency St. Louis – Riverfront, St. Louis, MO
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, 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 web site 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.
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.
Lynn E. Linde, President
llinde@loyola.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 Website: www.counseling.org
Copyright 2010, 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.
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