ACA News

Access to the 988 LGBTQ+ Youth Lifeline Restored

Access to the 988 LGBTQ+ youth lifeline has finally been restored after months of advocacy and congressional intervention. This program allows LGBTQ+ young people to connect with a specialized crisis counselor when they call the 988 Lifeline.

ACA Shares NCMHA Statement on DOJ Olmstead Memorandum

As a member of the National Coalition on Mental Health and Aging (NCMHA), ACA is joining our coalition colleagues in sharing important information about a recent U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) memorandum concerning Olmstead v. L.C. and the right of...

Advocate Against Proposed Medicare Payment Cuts for Counselors

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released its 2027 Calendar Year Medicare Physician Fee Schedule proposed rule. They propose reducing the conversion factor applicable to most mental health counselors who are non-alternative payment...

Capturing Counseling Priorities

During Advocates in Action Month this September, we’re excited to announce a new initiative, Capturing Counseling Priorities. Capturing Counseling Priorities was inspired by Photovoice methodology, which promotes ethical photography for social change.

Pennsylvania (PA) Counselors Advance Legislative Priorities During 2026 Hill Day

Pennsylvania Counseling Association (PCA) members spent the day at the Pennsylvania State Capitol. We met with state legislators and staff to advocate for policies that strengthen the counseling profession and improve access to quality mental healthcare.

Beyond Resilience—The Next Frontier of Counselor Wellness

While resilience is a hallmark of counseling, an important question remains: What exactly are counselors being asked to be resilient against? For years, conversations about counselor wellness have appropriately focused on self-care, boundaries...

Federal Court Blocks Student Loan Rule Affecting Counseling Students

A federal judge has temporarily blocked the U.S. Department of Education from implementing a new rule that would have restricted access to higher federal student loan limits for students in counseling and other graduate health professions.

Department of Health & Human Services Summit on Mental Health and Overmedicalization

The Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Institute hosted a summit titled, “Mental Health and Overmedicalization.” During his closing remarks, Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kennedy introduced a plan to “promote appropriate...

New Data Shows Lack of Parity Between Mental and Physical Health Care

Kennedy Forum, Third Horizon, American Medical Association, American Psychological Association, and Ballmer Group analyzed data from four major insurance providers.

ACA Endorses Bill to Raise Medicare Reimbursement for Counselors

On March 25, Senators John Barrasso (R-WY), Chris Coons (D-DE), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), and Maggie Hassan.

ACA Mentioned in Congressional Resolutions Supporting the Trans Community

Rep. Pramila Jayapal (WA-7) introduced H.Res.1058 in the House of Rep while Senator Ed Markey (MA) introduced S.Res.604 in the Senate. These resolutions recognize the duty of the federal government to develop and implement a “Transgender Bill of Rights".

Update on New Executive Order About Substance Use Disorder

The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services announced a series of new substance use disorder (SUD) treatment & mental health initiatives aligning with President Trump’s EO called the Addressing Addiction Through the Great American Recovery Initiative.

New Executive Order on Substance Use Disorder

President Trump issued a new Executive Order (EO) “Addressing Addiction Through the Great American Recovery Initiative.” EO launches the “White House Great American Recovery Initiative,” which will help coordinate substance use disorder (SUD) treatment...

The Next Right Thing: How a Counselor Ended Up Running for Office

By Annalisa Smithson, LPC, NCC I didn’t set out to run for office. I just kept saying “yes” to the next right thing. Six years ago, I decided to put my listening skills to good use by knocking on doors and advocating for candidates who shared my values.

Chiles v. Salazar Oral Argument Update

On Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2025, the Supreme Court heard the oral argument for Chiles v. Salazar. The case grapples with whether Colorado’s law banning conversion therapy violates the Free Speech Clause of the First Amendment.

Federal Government Shutdown

Congress struck down a proposal to continue to fund the government at current levels through the end of November. Because Congress was unable to pass a continuing resolution (CR) by September 30th, the Federal government has officially shut down.

An Update on Conversion Therapy Case Before the Supreme Court

On March 9, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to review  Chiles v. Salazar to rule on the constitutionality of Colorado’s ban on conversion therapy for minors during the 2025-2026 term.

National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month

July is National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month. This month is not only an opportunity to spread mental health awareness, but also a reminder that too often communities of color face structural barriers to accessing mental health care.

States Take Action to Stop Mental Health Funding Cuts

A coalition of 16 state attorney generals have filed a lawsuit opposing the Department of Education’s (ED) cancellation of almost $1 billion in mental health funding.

Reconciliation Bill Signed into Law

President Trump just signed H.R. 1 (known as the One Big Beautiful Bill) into law. The law cuts nearly $1 trillion from Medicaid and weakens the Affordable Care Act marketplace with millions of Americans expected to lose access to their health care.