Note to Readers: In keeping with our 24 edition per year schedule, the next edition of ACAeNews will be August 23, 2011.
In this issue readers will find:
- New Report Offers State-by-State Breakdown of Substance Abuse and Mental Illness Problems
- ACA Ethics Revision Task Force Named
- Undocumented, Educated Youth Find Tough Going in Job Placement
- Counseling Today Now Featuring Daily Content
- In the News: Recession Impact on College Enrollment Results in a Reshuffling
- ACA Unveils Official Facebook Page
- Fast Facts: Male Drug-Related Suicide Attempts Increase
- Free "Counselors Care" T-Shirt for Donation to ACA Foundation
- Last Chance to Tell ACAeNews What Professional Titles You're Reading this Summer
- Reliable Resources: Five Internet Safety and Cyberbullying Resources
- Announce Your Book in Counseling Today
- Division and Branch Conferences on Early Fall Professional Development Calendar
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ACA blogs, written by counselors, for counselors:
New Report Offers State-by-State Breakdown of Substance Abuse and Mental Illness Problems
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) released a report this summer providing state-by-state analyses of a wide range of behavioral health issues. It reveals that despite some wide variations among the states in the types and levels of problems they confront, every state faces a significant challenge dealing with these issues. The report provides insight to state public health authorities and service providers, including professional counselors, on the scope and nature of behavioral health issues affecting their states.
The findings came from the combined 2008 and 2009 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). Using data drawn from interviews with 137,436 persons from throughout the country the report provides a state-by-state breakdown along 25 different measures of substance abuse and mental health problems including illicit drug use, binge drinking, alcohol and illicit drug dependence, tobacco use, serious mental illness, and major depressive episode.
ACA Ethics Revision Task Force Named
ACA immediate past president, Marcheta Evans, selected from among 63 extremely well qualified applicants and recently appointed the task force that will promulgate the 2014 ACA Code of Ethics. Current president Don W. Locke will see the committee through the phases that occur during his tenure.
Eleven experts in counseling ethics will work together over the next three years to revise the code that provides the basis for ethical behavior for ACA members and serves as an important resource for the counseling profession.
The members of the Ethics Revision Task force are:
- Jeannette Baca, an independent practitioner in New Mexico. Jeannette is a past ethics chair for the New Mexico Counseling Association.
- Janelle Disney, a professor in the counseling department at Argosy University, Atlanta. Janelle has served as ethics chair for the Louisiana Counseling Association.
- Perry Francis (Chair), a professor in the department of leadership and counseling at Eastern Michigan University. Perry has over 24 juried presentations on counseling ethics.
- Gary Goodnough, a professor of counselor education at Plymouth State University. Gary is the immediate past co-chair of the ACA ethics committee.
- Mary Hermann, an associate professor & chair of the department of counselor education at Virginia Commonwealth University. Mary is a co-author of the book Ethical and Legal Issues in School Counseling (3rd ed.).
- Shannon Hodges, an associate professor of clinical mental health counseling & director of clinical training at Antioch University. Shannon has extensive ethics forensic experience.
- Lynn Linde, a clinical assistant professor & director of clinical programs for the School Counseling Program at Loyola University Maryland. Lynn has authored seven book chapters on ethics and has an ethics text under contract.
- Linda Shaw, a professor & department head in the department of disability and psychoeducational studies at the University of Arizona. Linda has served as chair of the ethics committee for the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification.
- Shawn Spurgeon, an assistant professor in the mental health counseling program at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. Shawn has served as co-chair of the ACA ethics committee.
- Richard Watts, a professor in the department of educational leadership and Counseling and director of the center for research and doctoral studies at Sam Houston State University. Richard served on the committee that promulgated the initial code of ethics for the International Association of Marriage and Family Counselors.
- Michelle Wade (student member), a mental health therapist at Lantern Therapeutic Services and doctoral student at Argosy University, DC. Michelle has an article in press on the ethical and legal issues surrounding the use of social media in counseling.
ACA members will have their first opportunity to provide input into the revised code this coming fall.
Undocumented, Educated Youth Find Tough Going in Job Placement
A study published recently in the American Sociological Review finds that young adults who were brought to the United States as immigrants without the legal authority to reside in the country do pursue an education, but rarely are able to use that education to get good jobs. In this respect, it appears they face the same job finding and keeping challenges experienced by their parents. The study also found that many undocumented young adults tasted the first real impact of their immigration status when they applied to college and were denied financial aid.
Counseling Today Now Featuring Daily Content
Counseling Today is now posting daily content at our newly redesigned CT Online website. By visiting
Counseling Today has also created a twitter page, which can be found at
In the News: Recession Impact on College Enrollment Results in a Reshuffling
Some are calling it the "great reshuffling." A study released mid-summer by the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center of first-time college students under the age of 21 indicates that students are going different directions in postsecondary education, but any fear that the recession and economic downturn would affect enrollment negatively have not materialized. The study did find that more recent high school graduates were opting for community college, but the more expensive private, four-year colleges did not experience the enrollment losses that some had projected. See the Chronicle of Higher Education article and interactive college enrollment instrument to track enrollment changes by type of institution and region of the country.
ACA Unveils Official Facebook Page
ACA's presence in the social media networks was enhanced recently with the unveiling of the official ACA Facebook page. Thanks to the developmental efforts of Erin Martz, Director of Ethics and Professional Standards, an earlier ACA page was refurbished and opened
Fast Facts: Male Drug-Related Suicide Attempts Increase
According to a new report from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services (SAMHSA) emergency room visits by men ages 21 to 34 involving drug-related suicide attempts increased 55% from 2005 to 2009. SAMHSA found that in 2009, men aged 21 to 34 made more than 29,000 emergency room visits for medication-related suicide attempts compared to just over 19,000 visits in 2005. Drug-related suicide attempts by males of all ages accounted for almost 78,000 emergency room visits nationwide in 2009.
Free "Counselors Care" T-Shirt for Donation to ACA Foundation
We know that "counselors care." In fact, our professional partner, the ACA Foundation has just announced that anyone making a donation of at least $25 during August and September will also receive a "Counselors Care" T-shirt as a thank you. This was a very popular T-shirt from a few years ago that the Foundation is bringing back. Many counselors wore these shirts when they volunteered to provide service in situations such as the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. I hope you will go to
Last Chance to Tell ACAeNews What Professional Titles You're Reading this Summer
ACAeNews is conducting an informal, unscientific survey of what members are reading for their personal professional development while on vacation or when their summer-break allows them to do some reading. Send an email to fburtnett@counseling.org with the title and author(s) of the books you are working into your vacation and leisure time reading. The August 23rd edition of ACAeNews will post a list of the reader selections.
Reliable Resources: Five Internet Safety and Cyberbullying Resources
The following list of websites has been identified by educators as valuable in helping children, youth, and parents learn about Internet etiquette and cyberbullying. ACAeNews discovered the list on a national librarian/media specialist listserv and posts them here for counselor review and consideration:
Announce Your Book in Counseling Today
Counseling Today will be publishing its latest installment of "Recent books by ACA members" in the magazine's October issue. If you are an ACA member who has had a book published in 2011, send the following information to Jonathan Rollins (jrollins@counseling.org) no later than August 22: Title of book, name of author/editor and ACA membership number, name of publisher, date book was published and a two-sentence description of the book
Division and Branch Conference on Early Fall Professional Development Calendar
Fall is fast upon us and a number of state branch conferences are beginning to populate the professional development calendar.
Association for Assessment in Counseling and Education
Theme: Assess. Advocate. Create. Empower.
September 8 – 10, 2011
Radisson Fort Worth Fossil Creek, Fort Worth, TX
Louisiana Counseling Association
September 18-20, 2011 (Pre-conference workshops on September 17th)
Baton Rouge Hilton Capitol, Baton Rouge, LA
Kentucky Counseling Association
Theme: Kentucky Counselors: Inspiring Resiliency Every Day
October 11-13, 2011
Galt House & Suites, Louisville, KY
Florida Counseling Association
Theme: Our Foundation, Our Future
October 13-16, 2011
Embassy Suites, Orlando Lake Buena Vista (Kissimmee), Orlando, FL
Montana Counseling Association
Theme: Improving Professional Resiliency
October 14-16, 2011
Fairmont Hot Springs Resort, Fairmont, MT
Pennsylvania Counseling Association
Theme: Creativity in Counseling
October 21-23, 2011
Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel, State College, PA
Association for Counselor Education and Supervision
Theme: Leading the Leaders, Helping the Helpers, Shaping the Future
October 26 – 30, 2011
Gaylord Resort and Convention Center, Nashville, TN
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 hclubb@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.
Don W. Locke, President
locke@mc.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 s-ource of the information.
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