ACA Government Affairs Blog

“We are saddened by the sudden death of Congresswoman Louise Slaughter,” American Counseling Association CEO Richard Yep said.

Congress unexpectedly passed a wide-ranging budget deal that should avoid any further spending crises this year and allow completion of the 2018 spending plan including health-care programs..

Attacks on couselor licensure boards are becoming more frequent. ACA is working with Arizona counselors to fight a bill that would eliminate the licensure process for counselors and other mental health professionals in that state.

Staff from the American Counseling Association attended the national counseling licensure boards conference to keep up with changes in licensing and to discuss portability with licensure board members.

The White House proposed a new health insurance option for small businesses, sole practitioners, and some individuals who would collect into "associations" that could bargain for better insurance from big insurers. Some say the proposal would attract the type of healthier people necessary to keep the Affordable Care Act working.

Congress earned its pay for one month by passing a huge tax cut and the Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act among other bills, but punted on finally passing the bill to keep all the federal agencies funded for 2018.

Obamacare will likely lose younger, healthier customers because Congress repealed the individual mandate in the tax bill this month, but current enrollment is surprisingly strong. The program's future is still up in the air.

ACA President Richard Yep wrote to the secretary of HHS about the report that CDC officials are barred from using certain words including "science-based" and "transgender."

The Conference Committee has worked out a compromise between the House and Senate tax bills. Obamacare and grad students have been among the main points of discussion for counselors

ACA's Testimony informed the Senate HELP Committee about the important role counselors play in fighting the opioid crisis across the country.

A Vanderbilt study shows that access to care increased for those with moderate and severe mental illness after the passage of the Affordable Care Act.

ACA attended a conference with representatives from cities across the country to exchange ideas about improving mental health programs and discuss federal programs that impact mental health services.