ACA News

President Biden Delivers the State of the Union Address: What to Expect for Behavioral Health

  On Tuesday, President Biden delivered his annual State of the Union Address, in which the Administration called for partisan unity, emphasizing the need for Congress to work together on legislation to move America forward. Topics covered ...

2022 GAPP Year End Report

Due to many challenges facing our nation, 2022 began as a year of uncertainty within the halls of Government. But it was also one of collaboration and progress for the American Counseling Association, and the counseling profession. Read the 2022 Year ...

Federal Funding for Counseling

The $1.7 trillion fiscal year 2023 Omnibus Appropriations bill (also known as “spending legislation”), is the year-long federal government spending package that will keep the federal government operating through the end of the fiscal ...

American Counseling Association Names New Chief Communications and Marketing Officer

American Counseling Association Names New Chief Communications and Marketing OfficerStacy Brooks Whatley Joins ACAAlexandria, Va. (January 25, 2023) – The American Counseling Association (ACA) has named Stacy Brooks Whatley as chief ...

We Did It! Medicare Reimbursement Now Law

For over a decade, the American Counseling Association and its partner organizations have advocated for the successful passage of the Mental Health Access Improvement Act (S. 828/H.R. 432). Although this bill has previously passed the U.S. House ...

The Mental Health Access Improvement Act Included in FY 23 Year End Funding Package

Today, the Senate Appropriations Committee published the legislative text for the fiscal year (FY) 2023 omnibus package H.R.2617, titled the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023.  Of note, we’re excited to share the following ...

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Strengthens Access to Behavioral Health Resources

In line with the 2022 CMS Behavioral Health Strategy, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is strengthening access to vital behavioral health services for Medicare beneficiaries by allowing behavioral health clinicians like ...

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 ...

Counseling Compact Commission: ACA Voted in as Ex-Officio Member

On October 26, during the Inaugural Meeting of the Counseling Compact Commission, the American Counseling Association (ACA) was voted on and approved as an ex-officio member of the Compact Commission. This role will allow ACA to have a voice at the ...

The White House Announces Millions of Dollars in New Funds for States to Tackle Mental Health Crisis

On October 18, 2022, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), announced a new funding opportunity, authorized by the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act ...

The Department of Education Rolls Out Student Loan Forgiveness Site [Updated]

The Department of Education is now ready for qualifying borrowers to submit their applications for loan forgiveness – up to $20,000 for Pell Grant recipients and $10,000 for federal loan holders. The federal website was launched on October 17, ...

AmeriCorps Recently Announced a New Round of Funding to Address Public Health Needs

Public Health AmeriCorps, launched in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is a $400 million investment to engage new communities and individuals in public health, recruiting, and building a new workforce ready to respond ...

ACA Named in ?Mental Health Matters? Legislation

The Mental Health Matters Act (H.R.7780), which mentions the American Counseling Association (ACA) by name, was officially reported by the House Education & Labor Committee to the full House and subsequently placed on the Union Calendar ...

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 ...

Medicare Bill Moves One Step Closer to Becoming Law

On September 21, 2022 the House Ways & Means (W&M) Committee held a markup that included consideration of the Mental Health Access Improvement Act (H.R.432), as well as other Medicare improvement bills that were included ...

National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health Announces New Funding Opportunity for Research on Fostering Behavioral Health Among Children in School

Developing effective school-based interventions is one important way to promote better mental, emotional, and behavioral health in children and youth.It is often stated that the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated children and youth’s struggle ...

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 ...

The ACA Submit Comments To CMS Regarding Impact On Medicare and Medicaid Programs: CY 2023 Payment Policies Under the Physician Fee Schedule and Other Changes to Part B Payment Policies; Medicare Shared Savings Program; et al.

The American Counseling Association (ACA), in addition to other mental health organizations, submitted comments to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on how the 2023 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule’s ...

The White House Issues Student Loan Relief for Federal Borrowers

On Wednesday, August 24th, President Biden released a three-part delivery plan to cancel up to $20,000 for low-to middle-income federal borrowers. Currently, the national cumulative federal student loan debt is at $1.6 trillion, accounting for nearly ...

Delaware Becomes Seventeenth State to Sign Interstate Counseling Compact into Law

The American Counseling Association and licensed professional counselors nationwide are celebrating the signing of Delaware Senate Bill 257 in support of the Counseling Compact, which will authorize counselors to practice across state lines once enacted.