ACA News

Nearly Half of Mental Health Practitioners Say They Are Unprepared to Help Clients Cope with Climate Change

Many mental health counselors feel ill-equipped to help their clients deal with psychological issues around climate change, according to a new study published in the Journal of Humanistic Counseling, a journal of the American Counseling Association.

Black Men Reap Mental Health Benefits from Otherfathering

Black men serve a variety of parental roles in their communities ? from teaching to coaching to mentoring youth. A new study reveals how this work, called otherfathering, influences the men?s mental health.

The Biden Administration Pushes for Mental Health Parity

The White House recently announced new steps to expand access to mental health care in America. Almost 15 years ago, the bipartisan Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) became law. It called for health insurance companies ...

Solutions to the Challenges Faced by Black Males the Focus of Forthcoming Journal Issue

As the United States marks National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, counseling and education scholars are calling for improved educational, career and mental health support for Black men and boys. In a special forthcoming issue of the Journal ...

House Energy and Commerce Committee Markup on Health Bills

This week, the House Energy & Commerce (E&C) Committee announced a full committee markup of 15 health bills held on Wednesday, July 19th. E&C Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers announced the committee’s dedication to addressing ...

CMS Releases Medicare Proposed Rule

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently issued the calendar year (CY) 2024 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS), a proposed rule to announce rate updates, advance health equity, and expand access to critical medical services ...

Demand for Counseling Services Remained Steady During Pandemic Despite Telehealth Delivery, Study Shows

People seeking mental health services during the COVID-19 pandemic were not deterred by the widespread shift to telehealth services, according to research findings published in the Journal of Counseling & ...

Missouri Becomes Twenty-Ninth State to Sign Interstate Counseling Compact into Law

The dream of many licensed professional counselors to practice across state lines took another step forward as Governor Mike Parson signed into law his state’s Counseling Compact legislation.This milestone makes Missouri the twenty-ninth state ...

Senator Baldwin (D-WI) to re-introduce the LGBTQI+ Data Inclusion Act

By Dominique N. Marsalek, M.A. Senator Tammy Baldwin, a Democrat from Wisconsin, is reintroducing legislation that aims to include questions about sexual orientation and gender identity in government surveys. The purpose is to gather more ...

American Counseling Association Names New Chief Financial Officer

Mahzarine Chinoy, CPA, joins ACA Alexandria, Va. (June 13, 2023) — The American Counseling Association (ACA) is pleased to announce the selection of Mahzarine Chinoy, CPA, as chief financial officer (CFO), effective June 20. Chinoy comes to ACA ...

Mental health counselors train to help communities, not just individuals

Pilot programs for counseling students allow focus on civic engagement and social justice Alexandria, Va. (June 13, 2022) — Many people envision mental health counselors as professionals who sit in an office helping clients work through trauma ...

Counselors need better training to help BIPOC clients, educators say

Alexandria, Va. (June 13, 2022) — Empathy is the cornerstone of the care that therapists provide their clients. But people of color often find white counselors misunderstand them based on biases and assumptions, according to a new journal ...

The Debt Ceiling Bill Passage May Impact Mental Health Care

On June 3, 2023, President Biden signed H.R. 3476, the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023. Most people know this act as the debt ceiling bill. The American Counseling Association previously reported the impact that this compromise bill between ...

Racial justice in counselor training the focus of journal special issue

June 8, 2023 (Alexandria, Virginia)—Many people of color live in areas devoid of mental health services. Those fortunate enough to find a therapist may receive treatments that fit poorly with their cultural values or complicate their racial ...

HHS Publishes National Model Standards for Peer Support

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), has published the National Model Standards for Peer Support Certification for substance use, mental ...

Vermont and Iowa Sign Interstate Counseling Compact into Law

The dream of many licensed professional counselors to practice across state lines continued to move forward as forward as Vermont Governor Phil Scott and Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds signed into law their states’ Counseling Compact ...

U.S. Surgeon General Releases Report: 2023 SOCIAL MEDIA AND YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH

On Tuesday, May 23, the U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy issued an advisory on Social Media and Youth Mental Health. “The most common question parents ask me is, ‘Is social media safe for my kids?’ The answer is that we don't ...

National Maternal Mental Health Hotline First Anniversary

Last year, the U.S Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) rolled out a National Maternal Mental Health Hotline (NMMHH). This Hotline connects pregnant and postpartum mothers and family members ...

HHS Summit Focuses on Greater Mental Health Access

On May 4, 2023, the HHS summit, "Support is Here to Strengthen Mental Health," was held. The summit centered around Mental Health Awareness Month and focused on the three mental health pillars of the Biden ...

The COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Ends

The COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) ended on Thursday, May 11, 2023. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued numerous PHE-related rules, waivers and guidance, many of which were tied ...