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Richard Yep, ACA CEO
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Richard Yep, ACA CEO
In my column last month, I stated that "back to school" was anything but the normal or traditional autumn experience that many of us grew up with. This autumn started out differently in an eerie way. And given concerns about the possible effects of the COVID-19 variants, who can say what the next few months will bring?
Honestly, I am sorry, I am sad and concerned about the impact this will have on students, families, educators and administrators when we go into September. The number of students who act out, take inappropriate risks, indulge in drug and alcohol use, and show signs of negative behavior is likely to increase. However, I really appreciate the work of the professional school counselors at the K-12 level and the university counseling centers at universities. Those of you who work in these facilities will respond to some very serious concerns that are manifesting themselves in our world's experiences over the past 18 months.
Teachers, parents, administrators and university staff must be made aware of the training and expertise of professional school counselors. Professional advisors in educational institutions provide excellent advocacy for their students. Now I urge you to get involved and stand up for your profession. We need more counselors to spread the good news about your education, your expertise, your problem-solving ability, and your commitment to helping all students in our country in a respectful and ethical manner.
I ask you to comment. If you are working in a K-12 environment, make sure you target parents, teachers, and students whenever possible. At the college level, make sure your success is regularly reported to administrators and boards of trustees. The American Counseling Association will work as hard as possible to influence the state and federal programs and funding that support the hiring and training of professional counselors. It is up to all of you at the local, district or campus level to also ensure that the funds to carry out your programs are allocated and made a priority.
With all of what students will experience on K-12 and college campuses this fall, it is clear that mental health professionals working in schools will be in great demand. Let ACA employees and managers know what you need. I also encourage you to visit the ACA website to see the resources, education and training opportunities that could be useful in your challenging work. For example, the ACA recently introduced an entirely new learning management system, accessible through consulting.org, that lists an incredible number of training opportunities that have been developed to assist consultants.
When I say that I hope this will be ACA's best year ever, I am not referring to getting the greatest sales or just expanding our various product lines. I am talking about you! I want ACA to be the professional partner you deserve, helping you in the crucial work you do every day. Use the contact information at the bottom of my column each month to let me know what your professional association can do for you. We now have 55,000+ members, and our growth must mean something. For me, it means that professional consultants, consultant-trainers and PhD students see value and want to get involved in what ACA does.
As always, I look forward to your comments, questions and thoughts. Please give me a call at 800-347-6647 extension. 231 or email me at [email protected]. You can also follow me on Twitter: @Richyep.
Get well soon.
