ACA News

White House: Black Maternal Health Week Proclamation

The White House signed a Proclamation for Black Maternal Health Week for April 11-17th. In the document, the Administration highlights the disparities among black mothers including the high mortality rate and decrease in maternal mental ...

Counselor Advocacy Matters to Medicare Reimbursement Success

 On Thursday, September 22, the American Counseling Association shared the promising news that the U.S. House Ways & Means Committee voted to move the House version of the Mental Health Access Improvement Act (H.R. 432) to full ...

Federal Government Awards $1.6 Billion for Communities Addressing Addiction and Overdose

Last week, the Biden Administration awarded $1.6 billion in funding to address the nation’s worsening addiction and overdose crisis. The U.S Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services ...

ACA Meets with White House Administration on Protecting Counselor Rights

Following the United States Supreme Court ruling to overturn Roe v. Wade (via Dobbs v. Jackson), the American Counseling Association (ACA) issued a statement in opposition of the ruling. This statement focused on the need to protect Licensed ...

988 Suicide Prevention Hotline Operational

Beginning on July 16th, 2022, the 988 Hotline began rolling out, connecting individuals experiencing a mental health crisis to trained mental health professionals. In 2020, Congress passed the National Suicide Hotline Designation Act of 2020 (S.2661) ...

The White House Signs the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act

On June 25th, the White House signed the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (S.2938), ending the thirty-year deadlock on gun reform legislation. In an effort to reduce mass casualties as a result of recent gun misuse, the Senate introduced a bipartisan ...

HHS Offers Guidance of Audio-Only Telehealth

On  Tuesday, June 14th, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through its Office for Civil Rights (OCR), issued guidance on how covered healthcare providers and health plans can use remote communication technologies to ...

U.S. Senate Holds Hearing on Mental Health Care for Older Adults

On May 19, 2022, the U.S Senate Special Committee on Aging held a hearing titled, “Mental Health Care for Older Adults: Raising Awareness, Addressing Stigma, and Providing Support.” During this hearing, Committee Chairman Bob Casey and ...

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Invests $25 Million in School-Based Mental Health Services

On May 3rd, 2022, HHS announced, through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Health Center Program, its’ expansion of investment towards strengthening partnerships between schools and health centers. To do so, HHS ...

House and Senate Appropriations Committees Introduce FY 2022 Omnibus Package

On March 9, 2022, the House and Senate Appropriations Committee released the text of the omnibus spending package, which contains all 12 fiscal year (FY) 2022 appropriations bills, totaling more than $1.5 trillion in federal funding through ...

House Ways & Means Committee Holds Hearing on America's Mental Health Crisis

On February 2, 2022, the House Ways & Means Committee conducted a hearing entitled “America’s Mental Health Crisis,” during which the Mental Health Access Improvement Act (S.828/ H.R. 432) was mentioned. ...

HHS Announces $13M Grant to Increase Behavioral Health Care Access in Rural Communities

On January 18, 2022, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), announced the availability of $13 million in funding to increase access to behavioral health care services ...

$103M Awarded to 45 Grantees through Biden-Harris Administration American Rescue Plan Funds to Promote Mental Health and Wellness Among Health Care Workers

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) recently announced $103 million in awards to 45 grantees to increase the retention and boost staffing of health care workers in the U.S. These multi-year awards, which were secured by funding ...

Senate Finance Committee Receives 321 Public Responses to Barriers to Mental Health Care for Counselors

Senate Finance Committee press release, titled ?Wyden, Crapo Welcome Input on Addressing the Mental Health Care Crisis," highlights the 321 public responses to the initiative, including a letter from the American Counseling Association advocating for ...

Senate Finance Committee Receives 321 Public Responses to Barriers to Mental Health Care for Counselors

Senate Finance Committee press release, titled ?Wyden, Crapo Welcome Input on Addressing the Mental Health Care Crisis," highlights the 321 public responses to the initiative, including a letter from the American Counseling Association advocating for ...

ACA Submits Comments on Congressional Initiative for America?s Mental Well-Being

Recently, the American Counseling Association, along with members of the Medicare Mental Health Workforce Coalition, submitted comments on an initiative led by U.S. Reps. Michael Bennet and John Cornyn, which would modernize the delivery and ...

ACA Responds to Senate Finance Request for Information

The American Counseling Association (ACA) submitted a response to the Senate Finance Committee’s request for policy proposals to improve access to mental health and substance use disorder services. The response was addressed to Senator Ron ...

Representatives Newman and Stewart Champion Student Mental Health with New Bill

Congresswoman Marie Newman (D-IL-03) and Congressman Chris Stewart (R-UT-2) have sponsored the Student Mental Health Helpline Act of 2021 (HR 5235) to address students? mental health by providing a 24/7 mental health helpline.

SAMHSA announces $825M in grants to community mental health centers

On September 28, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) announced the distribution of $825 million in grants to 231 community mental health centers (CMHC) across the country. A complete list of grant recipients can be ...

ACA Urges Congressional Leaders to Support the Tele-Mental Health Improvement Act

The American Counseling Association (ACA) supports and is working to help pass the Tele-Mental Health Improvement Act (HR 2264/S. 660) which directly affects the work of licensed professional counselors and their clients throughout the country. The ...