ACA News

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 ...

Florida SB 1580 Could Affect How Counselors Practice

This past Friday, May 12, 2023, Florida state legislators passed State Bill 1580, an overly broad bill that allows payors and providers—doctors, nurses, pharmacies, hospitals, mental health providers, medical transport services, clinical lab ...

Debt Ceiling Negotiations May Impact Counselors and their Clients

Currently in Congress negotiations continue around the nation's debt ceiling. As a professional counselor you may wonder how and if the negotiations in Congress may affect you, as well as what exactly the debt ceiling is. The debt ceiling is a limit ...

Indiana Becomes Twenty-Sixth 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 Eric Holcomb signed into law his state’s Counseling Compact legislation.This milestone makes Indiana the twenty-sixth state ...

The White House Forum on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders

For Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month, the Biden-Harris Administration hosted a White House Forum at George Washington University. This event celebrated the many contributions AANHPI communities have made to ...

Oklahoma Becomes Twenty-Fifth 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 Kevin Stitt signed into law his state’s Counseling Compact legislation. This milestone makes Oklahoma the twenty-fifth ...

North Dakota Becomes Twenty-Fourth State to Sign Interstate Counseling Compact into Law

The dream of many licensed professional counselors to practice across state lines took another step towards reality as Governor Doug Burgum signed into law his state’s Counseling Compact legislation.This milestone makes North Dakota the ...

Montana Becomes Twenty-Third State to Sign Interstate Counseling Compact into Law

The dream of many licensed professional counselors to practice across state lines took another step towards reality as Governor Greg Gianforte signed into law his state’s Counseling Compact legislation.This milestone makes Montana the ...

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 ...

Washington Becomes Twenty-Second State to Sign Interstate Counseling Compact into Law

The dream of many licensed professional counselors to practice across state lines took another step towards reality as Governor Jay Inslee signed into law his state’s Counseling Compact legislation.This milestone makes Washington the ...

Kansas Becomes Twenty-First State to Sign Interstate Counseling Compact into Law

The dream of many licensed professional counselors to practice across state lines moves toward reality as Governor Laura Kelly signed into law her state’s Counseling Compact legislation. This milestone makes Kansas the twenty-first state to ...

Transgender Bill of Rights H. Res. 269: ACA is named in the Resolution

On March 30th, House Progressive Caucus Chair Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) led 100 House Democrats to re-introduce the Transgender Bill of Rights (H. Res. 269), a resolution recognizing that it is the duty of the federal government to develop and implement ...

ACA/HBCU C.A.R.E.S. Teams Up to Support to Diversity in Counseling

The American Counseling Association (ACA) is pleased to welcome the inaugural cohort of HBCU C.A.R.E.S. Ambassadors to the 2023 ACA Conference & Expo in Toronto, Canada, March 30–April 1. HBCU C.A.R.E.S.’ mission is to raise awareness ...

Informational Webinar - How to Navigate Medicare Reimbursement for Practitioners

Date: Wednesday, April 19, 2023  |  Time: 12 –1 p.m. EDT The inclusion of counseling as Medicare providers represents an exciting development for counseling professionals. In anticipation of the implementation of ...