Discover ACA Student Membership

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Discover ACAStudent Membership

• 5999 Stevenson Avenue
• Alexandria, VA 22304
• 1-800-347-6647www.counseling.org

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ACA Mission

• To enhance the quality of life in society by
  promoting the development of professional
  counselors, advancing the counseling profession,
  and using the profession and practice of
  counseling to promote respect for human dignity
  and diversity.

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History of ACA

• Founded in 1952 by four independent associations
• National Vocational Guidance Association
• National Association of Guidance and Counselor
  Trainers
• Student Personnel Association for Teacher
  Education
• American College Personnel Association

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Our Name Has Changed As The Profession Has
Changed

• American Personnel and Guidance Association
  (1952-1983)
• American Association for Counseling and
  Development (1983-1992)
• American Counseling Association (1992-present)

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Organization of ACA

• 19 Divisions
• 4 Regions
• 56 Branches

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ACA Divisions

• Enhance professional identity
• Organized around specific interest and practice
  areas

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ACA Divisions

• American College Counseling Association (ACCA)
• American Mental Health Counselors Association
  (AMHCA)
• American Rehabilitation Counseling Association
  (ARCA)
• American School Counselor Association (ASCA)
• Association for Assessment in
• Counseling and Education (AACE)

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ACA Divisions

• Association for Adult Development and Aging
  (AADA)
• Association for Counselor Education and
  Supervision (ACES)
• Association for Counselors and Educators
• in Government (ACEG)
• Association for Creativity in Counseling (ACC)
• Association for Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Issues
  in Counseling (AGLBIC)

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ACA Divisions

• Association for Multicultural Counseling and
  Development (AMCD)
• Association for Spiritual, Ethical and Religious
  Values in Counseling (ASERVIC)
• Association for Specialists in Group Work (ASGW)
• Counseling Association for Humanistic Education
  and Development (C-AHEAD)
• Counselors for Social Justice

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ACA Divisions

• International Association of Addictions and
  Offender Counselors (IAAOC)
• International Association of Marriage and Family
  Counselors (IAMFC)
• National Career Development Association (NCDA)
• National Employment Counseling Association (NECA)

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ACA Regions

• Provide leadership training
• Networking for branch leaders
• 4 Regions
• Midwest
• North Atlantic
• Southern
• Western

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ACA Branches

• 56 Branches in U.S. and abroad provide
• A mechanism for counselors to join together to
  carry out the purposes of the American Counseling
  Association
• Leadership Opportunities
• Professional Development
• Publications
• Advocacy
• Recognition for their members

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ACA Governance

• Governing Council
• Provides strategic leadership
• Composed of
• Nationally elected ACA officers
• An appointed treasurer
• One representative from each division and region
• Student representative

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ACA Committees

• Awards
• Bylaws Policies
• Cyber-Technology
• Ethics
• Financial Affairs
• Human Rights

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ACA Committees

• International
• Nominations Elections
• Professional Standards
• Public Awareness and Support
• Public Policy Legislation
• Publications
• Research Knowledge

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ACA Interest Networks

• Childrens Counseling Issues
• Advances in Therapeutic Humor
• Multiracial/Multiethnic Counseling Concerns
• Jewish Interests
• Sports Counseling
• Traumatology
• Womens Issues

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ACA Member Services Benefits

• Publications
• Counseling Today (monthly newspaper)
• Journal of Counseling Development (quarterly),
  the flagship research journal of the profession
• ACA eNews (bi-monthly electronic news bulletin)

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ACA Member Services Benefits

• Books videos
• Career counseling employment opportunities
• Partnership with CareerBuilder.com
• Networking
• Professional learning
• Online courses
• Home study programs

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ACA Member Services Benefits

• Onsite workshops/training
• Learning Institutes
• ACA Annual Convention Exposition
• Code of Ethics
• Public Policy and Legislation
• Advocacy
• Government Relations Listserv
• Legislative Institute

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ACA Helping Others

• ACA Foundation
• David K. Brooks, Jr. Distinguished Mentor Award
• The Human Concerns Fund
• The Legal Defense Fund
• Professional Advocacy Fund
• Gilbert and Kathleen Wrenn Humanitarian and
  Caring Person Award
• Robert Rencken Emerging Professional Leader Award

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American Counseling Association Foundation (ACAF)

• The ACA Foundation is the philanthropic arm of
  the association
• Supports counselors through the Counselors Care
  Fund
• Growing Happy and Confident Kids project
• Foundation-sponsored publications
• Grants and competitions offer awards ranging from
  financial assistance to membership

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ACA Insurance Trust (ACAIT)

• The mission of the ACA Insurance Trust is to
  provide the finest available insurance programs
  to the counseling profession. ACAIT seeks to
  find products that are competitively priced,
  while providing the best possible coverage and
  service.

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ACA Insurance Trust (ACAIT)

• Products are specifically designed to meet the
  needs of counselors from their student years,
  through professional practice, whether employed
  or self employed, and includes teaching and
  supervising. There are discounts in the
  professional liability insurance program
  available to first year professionals, retired,
  or part time practitioners.

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ACA Insurance Trust (ACAIT)

• In addition to excellent insurance offerings, the
  Trust provides assistance to policyholders who
  face potential legal difficulties related to
  their counseling services, and educational
  materials to help avoid risk.

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ACA Insurance Trust (ACAIT)

• Current programs include professional liability,
  auto, homeowners, directors and officers, life,
  health, dental, disability, long term care and
  accident insurance.
• Further details are available at www.acait.com

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Student Learning, Networking Leadership
Opportunities in ACA

• Volunteering at the ACA Annual Convention
  Exposition (reduced registration fee)
• Student representative to Governing Council
• Student representative to committees

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Student Learning, Networking Leadership
Opportunities in ACA

• Student Focus column in Counseling Today
• Ethics competition
• ACA Foundation graduate student competition
• Ross Trust Scholarship
• Graduate Student Association
• Graduate Student listserv

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ACA Website

• www.counseling.org
• Members Only section
• Purchase books and videos direct from
  ACA at a discount
• Online learning
• Code of Ethics online
• Virtual Library
• Career Center partnership with Career Builder

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American Counseling Association5999 Stevenson
AvenueAlexandria, Virginia 22304www.counseling.
orgPhone 1-800-347-6647FAX [phone]TDD
1-703-823-6862