Archive of ACA News Items

The 2013 ACA Graduate Student Essay competition has come to a close and the 32 winning essayists have been chosen.

ACA President Bradley T. Erford has sent a letter on behalf of the association to the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs providing feedback on the first draft of the 2016 CACREP accreditation standards.

American Counseling Association members have consulted ACA staff and leaders regarding the practice of conversion therapy and the 2005 Code of Ethics. For this reason, the ACA Ethics Committee is sharing its formal interpretation of specific sections of the ACA Code of Ethics concerning the practice of conversion therapy and the ethics of referring clients for this practice.

To capitalize on clients’ interest in goal setting at the start of the new year (and throughout) here is a small list of apps that may be useful.

As reported by NBC News, the number of soldiers who died from suicide (at least 177) was higher than the number of soldiers who died in combat (176) over the past year.

As reported by Rolling Stone magazine, Lady Gaga has employed mental health professionals to offer free counseling services to teens who attend her Born This Way Ball tour.

A recent study published in Psychological Science described an easy technique to rid oneself of negative thoughts: write them down and throw them away.

Tell us your story, or about a school counselor you know, who has had a positive impact on the community. Several advocacy stories will be selected and written about in Counseling Today, others will be posted online. Submission deadline is September 15th.

ACA President-Elect Cirecie West-Olatunji is seeking nominations for American Counseling Association committee appointments.

ACA is happy to announce that through the legislative advocacy of our North Carolina members, we have another federal lawmaker stepping up to the plate for counselors!

ACA would like to thank Congressman Michaud for standing with us in our fight to establish more mental health clinician positions for licensed professional counselors within the VA health care system.

Latest update from American Red Cross on disaster mental health assistance re Hurricane Isaac: All ARC certified disaster mental health volunteers who are able to respond to Hurricane Isaac are asked to contact their local Red Cross chapter immediately.

ACA is happy to announce that it has gained a champion in our effort to establish more mental health clinician positions for licensed professional counselors within the VA health care system.

In the wake of yet another tragic shooting, this time at Sikh temple in Oak Creek, Milwaukee, we at ACA extend our condolences to the community of Oak Creek and everyone who has been affected by this event.

It is with great sadness that we acknowledge the death of Alexander Teves -- a member of the ACA family who was a victim of the Colorado movie theater shooting on July 19th.

In the wake of last night's tragic shooting at a suburban movie theater, we at ACA extend our condolences to the community of Aurora, CO and everyone who has been affected by this event.

A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by a former Augusta State University (ASU) student who challenged the right of the counselor education program to require counselors-in-training to learn how to serve gay clients in a supportive nonjudgmental manner.

Submission deadline has expired. Submission results will be emailed August 8, 2012.

Following a critical report by the Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General (OIG) regarding severe delays in providing mental health evaluations and treatment for veterans, ACA has launched an initiative to shed light on this urgent matter, and highlight the need for the VA to hire more counselors.

American Counseling Association President Don W. Locke has sent a letter providing feedback on the draft revision of the ASCA National Model.