Federal Legislative Service Award

ELIGIBILITY, RULES AND CRITERIA
The efforts of the nominee:

• Must have resulted in public policy changes at the national level (through either legislative or administrative action) that have had a significant, positive impact on the counseling profession or individuals served by the profession. These include expanding the breadth of services professional counselors may provide or broadening the base of potential consumers of counseling services to include new populations; creating greater opportunity for the professional development of the counseling profession; or improving the coordination of existing or new services with other professionals to benefit individuals served by the counseling profession.
• Be consistent with the mission of the counseling profession.
• Have included one or more of the following activities: taking primary responsibility for introducing and advancing a bill through Congress; offering an amendment to legislation or a regulation; gathering information leading to the introduction and passage of legislation or a regulation; presenting testimony that influenced the introduction or amendment of legislation or a regulation; exposing conditions or issues in hearings that result in administrative or legislative changes or legislative amendments; and/or developing a program for constituents to communicate with their legislative representatives in support of passage of a significant legislative bill.
• Nominations must come from an ACA member.
• The nominee is not required to be an ACA Member.
• An individual can only be nominated for one award per year.

NOMINATION GUIDELINES
The total submission package for this award cannot exceed 16 pages in length. All nomination materials must be combined into one document (all formats accepted), with the nomination letter first.

Nomination letter: In the letter, identify the nominee and the specific award. Explain why you believe the nominee should receive the award by responding to the specific criteria outlined in the nomination guidelines. Keep in mind that the awards reviewers are relying on the information you provide to choose the most deserving recipient for the award. Please address each nomination guideline and make sure your nominee meets the award criteria and requirements. Brevity, clarity and specificity are most important here.

In your nomination letter, briefly:

• Identify the national legislative or regulatory action that the individual has helped to influence through his or her efforts and explain and describe the realized or anticipated effects of the passage of this legislation or regulation.
• Explain how the members of ACA and its divisions or organizational affiliates most likely will benefit from this legislation or regulation.
• Identify and describe the activities the individual undertook in one or more of the following areas: taking primary responsibility for introducing and advancing a bill through Congress; offering an amendment to legislation or a regulation; gathering information leading to the introduction and passage of legislation or a regulation; presenting testimony that influenced the introduction or amendment of legislation or a regulation; exposing conditions or issues in hearings that result in administrative or legislative changes or legislative amendments; and/or developing a program for constituents to communicate with their representatives in support of passage of a significant bill.

Supporting materials: Include a nominee biography and a maximum of two letters in support of the nomination from others familiar with the nominee and her or his accomplishments. If there are additional materials (news reports, journal articles, etc.) that you feel help support the nominee’s achievements, please include a copy of them. You may also include a copy of the nominee’s curriculum vitae (CV) or resume of no more than four pages, highlighting the nominee’s relevant accomplishments, if available. Keep in mind that the total submission cannot exceed 16 pages in length.