ACAeNews is a biweekly electronic newsletter of the American Counseling Association.
In this edition readers will find:
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~ Before Iowa, New Hampshire, Etc. - ACA Election is Approaching ~
The U.S. presidential caucuses and primaries don't happen until 2008. The actual election won't take place for nearly another year, but the time is almost here to choose the individuals who will be leading the counseling profession into the future. As such, ACA strongly encourages all of its members to vote in the ACA elections. To help members make more informed decisions, the December issue of Counseling Today will include a special section of election information on the four candidates running for ACA president-elect as well as all those running for office for ACA divisions and regions.
Readers of Counseling Today can also look for feature articles on how recent tragic events at Virginia Tech have led to increased counseling outreach and better coordination of mental health services, and what counselors should know about Deaf culture. Counseling leaders also weigh in on the state of race relations in America and what role counselors can play in improving them.
~ ACA to Launch Three Special Focus Editions of ACAeNews ~
The popularity of ACAeNews, the biweekly electronic newsletter to ACA members and the counseling profession, has spawned three new special focus, quarterly newsletters that will start rolling out in early 2008. These "members only" editions of ACAeNews will have the following titles:
- ACAeNews for Mental Health, Private Practice and Community Agency Counselors
- ACAeNews for School Counselors
- ACAeNews for Counselor Educators
Each newsletter will be distributed three times per volume year and delve deeper into practice issues and identify resources and tools that will help the target audience become more effective with their client audience. ACAeNews, the biweekly, generic, electronic newsletter, will continue as it has since it was first introduced.
Have a special strategy or tip you would like to offer to your professional peers? Know of a web site or guidebook or related resources that is worthy of sharing across your counseling setting? Got a practice suggestion you believe is good for the profession? Now is your opportunity to contribute. Deadlines and submission information for the newsletters is as follows:
ACA eNews for Mental Health, Private Practice and Community Agencies
Deadline: December 15, 2007
Submit articles to: mhppcanews@counseling.org
ACA eNews for School Counseling
Deadline: January 1, 2008
Submit articles to: scnews@counseling.org
ACA eNews for Counselor Educators
Deadline: January 15, 2008
Submit articles to: cenews@counseling.org
The test for inclusion in one or more of the ACAeNews special focus editions is a simple one. Will the tip, resource or strategy improve or extend the effectiveness of counselors or counseling? All contributions must pass this test!
~ Relevant Research - ADHD Delayed Brain Maturation Results in Growing Out of Disorder ~
In youth with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), the brain matures in a normal pattern but is delayed three years in some regions, on average, compared to youth without the disorder, a just-released imaging study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health's (NIH) National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) has revealed. Finding a normal pattern of cortex maturation, albeit delayed, in children with ADHD should be reassuring to families and could help to explain why many youth eventually seem to grow out of the disorder," explained Philip Shaw, MD, NIMH Child Psychiatry Branch, who led research team.
To access the press release, go to: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/science-news/2007/brain-matures-a-few-years-late-in-adhd-but-follows-normal-pattern.shtml
~ ACA Participation in Terror Simulation A Success According to Red Cross ~
ACA recently participated in a simulated terrorism response exercise developed by the Department of Homeland Security and the Red Cross. The TOPOFF 4 ("TOP OFFicials") exercise simulated a "dirty bomb" going off in Mesa, Arizona, Portland, Oregon and on Guam. This is the first time that the Red Cross has had mental health counseling as the largest element of its service delivery strategy, and the subsequent success prompted the Red Cross to re-draw the boundaries of service delivery beyond the affected areas. The simulation allowed for situational awareness in real time, using nationwide data, and provided a realistic simulation for resource deployment. Robin Yin, MSW, LISW - Manager of Disaster Health and Mental Health at the Red Cross - said three major developments came from the latest TOPOFF exercise: 1) Red Cross is training lay relief operation workers in psychological first aid ala a CPR model; this will allow ACA and other organizations to focus on high risk cases and crisis intervention, 2) The "Facing Fear" curriculum for kids is being extended for adults with a mock group of SMEs for training relief operation, and 3) The PsySTART Mental Health Triage system was used with simulated victims in Portland, OR. ACA's simulated response involved deployment of 500 counselors to the stricken sites. ACA is a member of the Red Cross PEER (Partners for Effective Emergency Response) program and represents the counseling profession. For more information about TOPOFF, visit http://www.dhs.gov/xnews/releases/press_release_0932.shtm.
~ Boomers Will Place Increased Demands on Substance Abuse Treatment Systems ~
A statistic well known to counselors is that the proportion of the U.S. population aged 50 or older is increasing as the large numbers in the "baby boom" cohort (persons born between 1946 and 1964) reach age 50. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services expects this to place increasing demands on the substance abuse treatment system in the next two decades.
Estimates suggest that the number of substance-dependent and abusing adults aged 50 or older will climb from approximately 1.7 million in 2001 to 4.4 million by 2020.This pattern of growth is echoed in admissions to substance abuse treatment, where adult admissions aged 50 or older increased from 143,900 to 184,400 (from 8 to 10 percent of all admissions) between 2001 and 2005. Consequently, counseling services and related treatment for substance abuse may soon need to adapt to address the needs of this growing population.
The SAMHSA findings can be found at: http://oas.samhsa.gov/2k7/older/older.htm
~ Conference Clipping # 1 - Conference Super Saver Deadline is November 30 - Register Now and Save! ~
ACAeNews readers are reminded that you can save $45--$130 on registration rates by registering for the ACA Conference & Exposition (March 26-30, 2008) before midnight November 30. The Honolulu conference keynote speakers are John Gottman, PhD, well known for his studies on marital stability and divorce prediction and Bradford P. Keeney, PhD, an internationally renowned scholar, therapist, and shaman who has studied global shamanism, the Japanese tradition of Seiko Jutsu, and other cultural healing traditions and practices.
You can register online at www.counseling.org/conference or by phone at 800/347-6647, Ext. 222, Monday-Friday, 8 am to 7 pm ET. The 35 page Advance Registration Brochure (2.84 MB) is also available online. Register and join the counselors of the world at this important professional development and networking event.
~ Fast Fact - 1.6 million Americans Have Served in Iraq and Afghanistan ~
The Fund for Veterans' Education has been established to provide scholarships to veterans from all branches of the United States Armed Forces who served in Afghanistan or Iraq since September 11, 2001 and who are now enrolled in college or vocational-technical school. That number has reached now 1.6 million Americans with 375,000 troops separating from the military each year to resume their civilian lives.
While the GI Bill of WWII offered educational assistance to many and had a remarkable impact on the education of the "greatest generation," limited programs and services are available to the men and women separating from the armed services today. To learn more about the Fund for Veteran's Education and how a veteran you may know or serve might be aided, go to: http://www.veteransfund.org/veteran_scholarships.php
~ Superbill - Cost Effective Insurance Billing Strategy ~
"Superbill" is a term for a billing format for the professional counselor who wants to handle billing in a simplified manner. Using this strategy allows the client to submit the bill directly to the insurance company. The superbill form is all the client needs to file their own insurance; it removes the clinician from the billing loop and saves money on computer billing software and even postage. It is particularly good for the new provider starting on a 'shoestring'.
With the superbill, the professional counselor can ask for payment at the time of the session and save money by not purchasing billing software. An example of a receipt form is located at http://www.counseling.org/Counselors. Click on Private Practice Pointers and download bulletin number 10 (Note: This is a members-only section of the ACA web site).
~ Worth Reading - Understanding the Nation's Report Card ~
Testing has taken center stage in today's era of increased accountability in public education. But only one test promises to measure student achievement across the country, across demographic groups, and across decades: the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), often referred to as the "Nation's Report Card."
NAEP is a series of assessments in math, reading, and other subjects. It is given regularly to national samples of fourth, eighth, and 12th-grade students to determine both what they do know and what they should know.
To help interested parties better understand the NAEP, the Education Sector, an independent education policy think tank, has created the Explainer to discuss NAEP's origin and its expanding role, describe how the test is designed, how its scores are calculated and what those scores mean. It examines the controversies and challenges brought forth in a climate of relentless demands for more information on student achievement. TheEducation Sector Explainer can be accessed via: http://www.educationsector.org/media/media_show.htm?doc_id=560609
~ ACA Legislative Institute - Deadline Extended for Reduced-Price Registration ~
ACA is extending the deadline for advanced registration for the 2008 Legislative Institute through November 30, 2007. Until the end of the month, the registration fee will remain at $239 ($199 for students). On December 1st, the fee increases to $339. The final deadline for registering is January, 15, 2008.
The 2008 Institute will be held in Alexandria, Virginia, February 23-26, 2008. The three day, intensive training---offered exclusively to ACA members---will help participants understand the policy making process and prepare them to become effective legislative advocates for the counseling profession and its clients at the state and federal level. After being thoroughly briefed and prepared on relevant and timely issues, the Institute will culminate in attendees making lobbying visits to their Senators and Representatives at the US Capitol. Continuing education credits will be awarded to the members completing the training.
For more information, visit the ACA web site at: http://www.counseling.org/PublicPolicy/LI or contact the ACA Public Policy staff via email at publicpolicy@counseling.org
~ Conference Clipping # 2 - Graduate Student Volunteers Needed in Hawaii ~
For an opportunity to meet and interact with counseling professionals, learn about cutting edge research and find information regarding future career choices, graduate students can become a part of ACA's volunteer staff at the 2008 annual convention in Hawaii (March 26-30).
ACA is seeking 120 graduate student volunteers willing to work a minimum of 12 hours during the convention. In exchange for this commitment, ACA will reimburse volunteers for one-half of the conference registration fee. ACA is also pleased to offer graduate students who have previously volunteered in this program full reimbursement for their registration fee. For more information about this program, please go to www.counseling.org/Students/GetInvolved or contact Janice Macdonald at 800/347-6647, Ext. 204. Email:jmacdonald@counseling.org.
~ Nearly Half of All Teens Have Television Watching Restrictions ~
Parents are taking a more active role in the lives of their children than they did 10 years ago, according to data released in late October by the U.S. Census Bureau. For example, in 2004, 47 percent of teenagers had restrictions on what they watched on television, when they watched, and for how long, up from 40 percent in 1994.
The television restriction finding is just one of many contained in A Child's Day: 2004, an extensive report on the well-being of children younger than 18 and details on how youth spend their days. Also included are facts about children's living arrangements, family characteristics, time spent in child care, academic experience, extracurricular activities and more.
ACAeNews readers can access the full report at: http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/children/010850.html
~ Interest Networks Offer Nine Networking Opportunities ~
ACA offers nine opportunities for counselors to connect with one or more Interest Networks that address your extended professional interests or a client group you represent. The current roster of Interest Networks includes:
- Children's Counseling Interest Network
- Grief and Bereavement Internet Network
- Historical Issues in Counseling Network
- Multiracial/Multiethnic Counseling Concerns Interest Network
- Network of Jewish Interests
- Sports Counseling Interest Network
- Traumatology Interest Network
- Women's Interest Network
If you are interested in joining one or more of these networks, contact Holly Club at hclubb@counseling.org with the following information: Name, Email address, SIN(s) you wish to join and individual Member/Nonmember status.
~ Events - Plan for Youth Service Day and Counseling Awareness Week Today ~
Begin now to join the millions of youths participate in Global Youth Service Day (April 25-27, 2008), the largest service event in the world. YSA advocates tutor young children, engage in disaster relief, register new voters, educate their communities about good nutrition, distribute HIV/AIDs prevention materials and meet many more community needs through their service through America and the globe. To learn more about YS Day, including how to achieve grants that promote involvement, go to: http://ysa.org/NatlGYSD/tabid/59/Default.aspx
The entire month of April is Counseling Awareness Month and today is the best time to initiate the quality planning that is necessary to call attention to the role of counselors and counseling in our society and the needs of the clients that are served by the profession. To review a series of events and strategies that can be employed to celebrate Counseling Awareness Month, go to: http://www.counseling.org/PressRoom/NewsReleases.aspx?AGuid=429e0a19-242a-4cff-acdd-63672729f811
ACA divisions and branches are valuable sources of learning and professional development and ACAeNews readers will find relevant future meetings and conferences posted here regularly. Information of this nature will be posted approximately 8-10 weeks before the conference is held. This information is made available to ACAeNews via the ACA master calendar and the various organization web sites. Calendar additions should be directed to jmacdonald@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.
~ Tell a Professional Colleague or Counseling Student About ACAeNews ~
ACAeNews is disseminated by subscription only. If you believe a colleague would like to receive this electronic newsletter, they can send an email to listserv@listserv.counseling.org and leave the subject blank. In the body of the email, type the following: Subscribe aca-enews First Name Last Name. Counseling students can also keep abreast of important professional information by reading ACAeNews regularly and grow more knowledgeable about the important worked being performed by ACA.
~ About ACAeNews ~
ACAeNews is published biweekly by the American Counseling Association for the benefit of members and the counseling profession. Any reference to a product, service or 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 to meet space parameters.
Brian Canfield, President
canfield@sandiego.edu
Richard Yep, Executive Director
ryep@counseling.org
Brandt Heatherington, Director of Marketing
bheatherington@counseling.org
Frank Burtnett, ACAeNews Editor
fburtnett@counseling.org
ACA Web site: www.counseling.org
© 2007, 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.