ACAeNews is a biweekly electronic newsletter of the American Counseling Association.
In this edition readers will find:
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~ Virginia Tech Tragedy Prompts SAMSHA to Create Mental Illness Awareness Site ~
Questions raised following the tragic shootings on the campus of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University have motivated the Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration of the US Department of Health and Human Services to post a series of informative public information pieces on its web site. Go to: http://www.samhsa.gov/MentalHealth/understanding_Mentalllness.aspx to access this information.
~ Counselors Provide Mental Health Services in Southern Africa ~
On June 16th, 2007, a group of 16 counselor educators, practitioners, and students will travel to southern Africa for a 23-day outreach trip co-sponsored by the Association for Multicultural Counseling and Development (AMCD) and the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (ACES). The team will provide mental health counseling and training services to AIDS survivors in both South Africa and Botswana. As an extension of a disaster relief outreach trip to New Orleans in August 2006, this outreach will continue to promote culturally competent mental health disaster outreach in order to help meet the increasing need both nationally and internationally. Overall, the group has raised more than $20,000 in donations to support the trip. Of this amount, approximately $7,000 worth of books was donated to augment the counseling/psychology library at the University of Botswana. For more information, visit: http://education.ufl.edu/Faculty/WestOlatunji/amcd_tour.html
~ ACA Legal and Ethical Best Seller Coming in Late June ~
The fifth edition of the classic ACA publication, The Counselor and the Law: A Guide to Legal and Ethical Practicewill be available in late June. Authors Nancy Wheeler, an attorney in private practice who has advised counselors on legal and ethical issues for more than 20 years and who manages the ACA Insurance Trust's Risk Management Helpline, and Burt Bertram, a counselor, consultant, and counselor educator, combine their extensive experience to provide a broad overview of the law and the potential areas of liability that counselors may encounter in their day-to-day practice.
This edition is revised in accordance with the 2005 ACACode of Ethics and contains information on current federal and state law to guide counselors in making crucial legal and ethical decisions. Not only do the authors answer questions on how the law affects counseling practice, they also provide concrete answers for counselors trying to act in clients' best interests. Topics addressed include: civil malpractice liability, licensure board complaints, confidentiality, HIPAA, duty to warn, suicide and threats of harm to self, professional boundaries, records and documentation and managing your counseling practice.
Order #72857. List Price: $40.95. ACA Member Price: $29.95. Watch for this new release at www.counseling.org/Publications
~ Fast Fact - US Annual Pupil Spending Nears $9,000 ~
The US Census Bureau reported in late May that the nation's public school districts spent an average of $8,701 per student on elementary and secondary education in fiscal year 2005, up 5 percent from $8,287 the previous year. Seven of the top ten spenders were Northeastern states with New York ($14,119 per student) leading the way. Utah ($5,257) spent the least. To review all of the state figures, go to: http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/education/010125.html
~ Relevant Research - Students Engaged in More Challenging Studies ~
High school students in the United States are taking more courses in mathematics and science, as well as social studies, the arts and foreign languages, according to The Condition of Education 2007 report by the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). The general increases in credits earned since the early 1980s are, in large part, a product of more graduates taking more advanced courses.
The congressionally mandated report examines 48 indicators covering all aspects of education, from student achievement to school environment and from early childhood through postsecondary education. The report shows that enrollment in U.S. public schools is becoming increasingly diverse as evidenced by minority students comprising 42 percent of public school enrollment; twenty percent of school-age children speak a language other than English at home. The full report can be found at: http://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/
~ FYI - Arresting the Cyberbullies ~
McGruff the Crime Dog and the National Crime Prevention Council have added cyberbullying to the list of things they would like to see arrested. Online bullying, called cyberbullying, happens when individuals use the Internet, cell phones or other devices to send or post text or images intended to hurt or embarrass another person. Go to: http://www.ncpc.org/media/cyberbullying.php and learn what children and teens can do to stop this growing problem.
~ Grants - Innovative Programs for Children ~
The American Legion Child Welfare Foundation is accepting proposals for projects that contribute to the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual welfare of children through innovative organizations and/or their programs designed to benefit youth. Maximum award: $70,000 to eligible nonprofit organizations. Application deadline: July 15, 2007. For additional information, go to: http://www.legion.org/cwf/docs/?section=grantseekers
~ Reliable Resource - Web Site Provides Information on Myriad Family Matters ~
The Family Support America web site contains good information for families and those serving them. Whether you have questions about child abuse, alcoholism, disciplining children, divorce, or other topics related to families, ACAeNews readers are likely to find informative links at the FSA Learning Center. Go to: http://www.familysupportamerica.org/familysupportamericalearningcenter.html
~ Events - ASCA, NCDA and AMHCA Summer Conferences Just Ahead ~
June 23-26, 2007
American School Counselor Association
Theme: Reaching New Heights
Location: Hyatt Regency Denver at the Colorado Convention Center, Denver, CO
Information: http://www.schoolcounselor.org/content.asp?pl=325&sl=129&contentid=182
July 6-8, 2007
National Career Development Association
Focus: Integration and Collaboration in a Multicultural World
Location: Sheraton Seattle Hotel & Towers, Seattle, WA
Information: http://209.235.208.145/cgi-bin/WebSuite/tcsAssnWebSuite.pl?
AssnID=NCDA&DBCode=130285&Action=DisplayTemplate
&Page=AWS_NCDA2_conference_info.html
July 26-28, 2007
American Mental Health Counselors Association
Theme: Growth Out of Adversity
July 26-28, 2007
Hotel Monteleone, New Orleans
Information: http://www.amhca.org/pdf/AMHCAFebPNad-flyer.pdf
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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. Additions to that calendar should be directed to JMacdonald@counseling.org and fburtnett@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.
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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.
Marie A. Wakefield, President
mawakefield@counseling.org
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.