Branch of the American Counseling Association (ACA)

ACA is the world’s largest association exclusively representing counseling professionals and others who work in the field of human development. As professional counselors, members focus on prevention and early intervention in a variety of settings, including mental health agencies, schools, colleges, hospitals, community centers, rehabilitation facilities, and private practice.

Established in 1942, ACA has nearly 68,000 members and 60 state and international chartered branches, including the District of Columbia, Europe, Puerto Rico, Latin America, the Virgin Islands, and the Philippines. There are four geographic Regions which represent the North Atlantic, Southern, Midwestern and Western States of the United States. In addition, ACA has special interest divisions (groups having 1,000 or more members) and organization affiliates (groups with 400 to 999) members). Ranging in size from 600 to more than 12,000 members, ACA’s sixteen national divisions and one affiliate speak directly to the skills, professional setting and interests of members; many also have state-level divisions that members may join. Divisions are: American College Counseling Association, American College Personnel Association, American Rehabilitation Counseling Association, American School Counselor Association, Association for Assessment in: Counseling, Association for Adult Development and Aging, Association for Counselor Education and Supervision, Association for Humanistic Education and Development, Association for Multicultural Counseling and Development, Association for Religious and Value Issues in Counseling, Association for Specialists in Group Work, International Association of Marriage and Family Counselors, Military Educators and Counselors Association, National Career Development Association, and National Employment Counselors Association. Each of these publishes a journal or newsletter or both.

ACA publishes the American Counselor, a quarterly magazine to assist in professional development through feature stories and regular columns dedicated to the most current information and diverse opinions on a broad range of counseling issues. Counseling Today is the official newspaper sent to members fourteen times a year, and providing feature stories on a variety of topics in counseling and human development, as well as national and international counseling news. The official Journal of Counseling and Development contains authoritative, in-depth articles on professional and scientific issues in all areas of counseling and human development.

Members understand the importance of prevention and early intervention for mental health problems. Therefore, ACA plays a vital role in introducing and monitoring legislation on a range of issues from counselor licensure, and certification requirements for school counselors, to the inclusion of professional counselors as qualified providers of services in appropriate state and federal regulations and job classification listings. As a lead in several advocacy coalitions, ACA government relations professionals impress upon federal and state decision makers the essential role that counselors play in society. ACA’s volunteer Government Relations Network members also make hundreds of visits every year to Capitol Hill on behalf of all legislative updates and targeted legislative alerts to keep them informed of progress in the public arena.

In addition to the conventions held by each state branch, such as this SCCA convention at Myrtle Beach, ACA holds one of the world’s largest professional conventions each year. ACA members have received registration materials, and others may contact ACA at 5999 Stevenson Avenue, Alexandria, VA 22304, for both membership and registration materials.

The goal of ACA and of the South Carolina Counseling Association is to advance the counseling profession through a variety of programs and services that support the personal, professional and program goals of our members. The active participation of counselors at all levels of professional life makes this possible!