Membership
Membership

Membership

Frequently Asked Questions

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Membership FAQs

General Information

  1. I ordered my ACA membership certificate. When should I expect it? 

    Once you’ve placed your order, you can expect your membership certificate to be delivered to you within 4-8 weeks. It typically takes 4-6 weeks for certificates without frames to be delivered and may take up to 8 weeks for framed certificates. If you haven’t received your order within this time frame, please contact us at memberservices@counseling.org or 800-298-2276 for additional support. 

  2. Can an ACA membership card be mailed to me? 

    We no longer mail physical membership cards, but you can print them. To print your membership card, log in to your account and navigate to My ACA. On the left side of the screen, click on “Print my membership card”. 

  3. Can I pay for membership with a check? 

    Yes. Please use the address below to send in your check payment:
    American Counseling Association
    P.O. Box 31110
    Alexandria, VA 22310-9110

  4. How do I get a receipt for the ACA dues I paid last year?

    To locate a receipt for any ACA order, log in to your account and navigate to the ACA Store. On the right side of the screen, click on “View Previous Orders”. On that screen, you’ll be able to print and/or email receipts to yourself.  

  5. When does my membership expire?

    Your ACA membership expires one year from the date you joined. For more information on membership expiration and renewal options, please contact Member Services at memberservices@counseling.org or 800-298-2276.

  6. Does ACA offer an autopay option for renewal payments? How do I enroll? 

    Yes. ACA offers autopay for renewal. If you are interested in your membership renewing automatically every year or quarterly, simply click on “payment options” when renewing online or contact Member Services at 800-298-2276 or memberservices@counseling.org for further assistance. 

  7. I’m retired. Can I renew my membership online?

    The retired membership tier is only available to members with five continuous years of professional or regular membership in good standing immediately prior to retirement. You cannot join this membership tier online. To verify eligibility, please contact Member Services at 800-298-2276 or memberservices@counseling.org.

  8. I’m interested in joining a division. Can I join online?  

    If you a current ACA member, please contact Member Services at 800-298-2276 or memberservices@counseling.org and we’d be happy to assist you. Your division dues will be prorated to sync to your ACA membership expiration date. 

    If you are first-time ACA member, you can join both ACA and any division during the initial online application process. 

Students

  1. What are the requirements for student membership? 

    You must be enrolled at least half-time in a regionally accredited college or university recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. Student members must submit documented proof of program participation on university/college letterhead [e.g., current academic year unofficial/official transcript, current semester registration or current academic year (degree program) acceptance letter]. Documentation must be sent to memberservices@counseling.org within one week of application submission. You can learn more on our membership webpage.

  2. How do I join as a student member?

    To join, visit counseling.org/membership and follow prompts to become a new student member.

  3. What are the terms of membership for students? 

    Master’s Degree – Membership term is up to two years. An additional year may be granted with proof of continued registration and/or special circumstances.

    Doctoral Degree – Membership term is up to four years (unless proof is provided indicating program allows more time for completion).

  4. Am I eligible to receive complimentary student liability insurance offered through HPSO?

    Active student ACA members who are attaining a first master’s degree in a counseling program are eligible to receive complimentary insurance until graduation. Additional discounts may apply when upgrading to the New Professional membership level within 12 months after graduation.

    Active student ACA members who are attaining a first master’s degree in a counseling program are eligible to receive complimentary insurance until graduation. Additional discounts may apply when upgrading to the New Professional membership level within 12 months after graduation.

  5. When does my complimentary student liability insurance end with HPSO?

    After graduation, the free coverage ends. You may choose to upgrade your membership to New Professional within 12 months of graduation and receive up to 60% off your liability insurance in the first year, 40% in the second year, and 20% in the third year.  A three-year discount does not apply in all states. Your ACA membership must remain active to qualify for the discounts.

  6. I just graduated from my first master’s degree program. How do I upgrade to New Professional membership?

    Congratulations!  After graduation, log in at counseling.org/membership to upgrade to the New Professional membership or contact Member Services at memberservices@counseling.org or 800-298-2276 for assistance. Note: Your free complimentary liability insurance ends on the day after graduation, but discounts may apply if you upgrade to new professional status within 12 months of graduation.  

Continuing Education

  1. Where can I find and how do I register for the Free CE?

    We post the Free CE of the Month to our website on the first day of the month it is featured. We’ll also send you monthly emails about it, so keep an eye on your inbox! To register for the Free CE, log in to your account and visit our Continuing Education webpage. Click on the “Claim Free CE button”. Follow the prompts to add the product to your cart and place the order. Online course purchases can be accessed on your dashboard. If your purchase does not appear within 15 minutes after checkout, please contact professionaleducation@counseling.org.

  2. Can I access the Free CE opportunities from previous months if I missed registering for it?

    ACA members must register for the Free CE of the Month during the month it is featured. Once the month ends, that specific course can still be accessed in our Course Catalog but will no longer be available for free. Keep an eye on your inbox for email notifications about our monthly Free CEs. Once registered, access to the coursework will be available to complete for one year.

  3. How do I print my CE Certificate?

    CE certificates can be printed from the Professional Development Center. First, log in to your account on our website, navigate to the “Continuing Education” tab, and click on “Professional Development Center”.  You should be able to view all courses and events that are eligible for CEs by clicking on the “Transcript” button on the left of the page. On the “Transcript” page, open the certificate you’d like to print and follow the prompts to get your certificate.

Counseling Today

  1. I just joined ACA. When will I receive my first Counseling Today (CT) magazine?

    Welcome to ACA! You can expect your first Counseling Today magazine to be delivered to you in the mail in about eight weeks. In the meantime, CT is accessible online by logging in, clicking on the “Publications” tab, and “Counseling Today”.

  2. How do I opt out of receiving Counseling Today?

    To opt out of receiving the CT magazine, please log in to your account profile on our website, navigate to My ACA, and manage your CT subscription by clicking on the Subscription Management tab. 

 

Advertising and Recruitment

  1. Does ACA allow recruiters in the mental health space to access members/clinical therapists for networking and/or recruiting?  

    Yes. ACA offers multiple advertising options for companies to reach our network of more than 58,000 professional counselors! Information regarding advertising, including snail mail list, can be found on our website. 

  2. My company is hiring. Can ACA share some of the job opportunities with their network of members?

    Yes! ACA’s Career Central gives employers the opportunity to browse advertisement packages, set up auto-notifications, or search our resume database.  Visit Career Central and learn more.  

Liability Insurance

  1. Does ACA offer liability insurance?

    Through our partnership with HPSO, ACA provides malpractice liability insurance at member discounts to licensed professional counselors. Additionally, student members in their first master’s degree program receive complimentary liability insurance to cover them up until graduation. Additional discounts may apply when student upgrade to New Professional membership within 12 months of graduation. See the student section for more details.

  2. How do I print my student liability insurance?

    If you’ve acquired liability insurance directly from HPSO, you should contact them for proof. If you’ve acquired insurance through ACA, please log in to your account on our website and navigate to My ACA. On your dashboard, click on "Proof of Liability Insurance.” There should be a small red PDF icon there for you to view and print the document.

  3. Can I add the name of my internship supervisor/company to my liability insurance?

    Please contact HPSO at 800-982-9491 for more information. 

 

Questions on Other Topics

  1. Where can I find the course syllabus posted by colleagues on the ACA website?

    ACA and our project partner no longer offer the syllabus clearinghouse. Please note that many universities have standardized their syllabi.

  2. I would like to order a desk copy of a book. How can I do this?

    We’d love to assist you in getting a desk copy of a book. Please contact orders@counseling.org.

  3. How do I opt out of receiving emails from ACA?

    To opt out of receiving ACA emails, please log in to your account profile on our website, navigate to My ACA, and manage your email preferences in the Subscription Management tab.  

 

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American Counseling Association

  • PO Box 31110, Alexandria, VA 22310-9110
  • 800-347-6647 | 800-473-2329 (fax)
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