Advocates in Action Month

Elevating Counselors' Voices

This September, we’re asking you to kick your advocacy efforts into high gear and join us for Advocates in Action Month!

Advocates in Action Month is an opportunity for you to make your voice heard on key issues impacting you, your clients and your community.

Watch this message from �ֲ��ýPresident Victoria Kress, PhD, LPCC-S, NCC, and then read on to learn more about what's happening this month and how you can get involved.

Take Action

Join us in advocating for key issues impacting counselors and the counseling community:

This legislation would increase Medicare reimbursement rates for mental health counselors, clinical social workers, and marriage and family therapists from the current 75 percent to 85 percent of the Physician Fee Schedule for covered mental health services.

The CONNECT for Health Act is a bipartisan bill that will increase access to mental health care by making COVID-19 telehealth flexibilities permanent.

This bipartisan legislation enables states to invest in crucial prevention services to support youth mental health by providing states with greater funding flexibility.

Use this tool to log all your meetings during Hill Day!

A New Advocacy Initiative

Capturing Counseling Priorities is a new initiative inspired by the where we're asking advocates — you — to take photos that capture what our policy priorities mean to you. This experience is meant to motivate and inspire you to connect with the emotion and real-life impact of public policy.

Read on for instructions on how to participate.

Capturing Counseling Priorities

Photo Prompts and Submissions

Take photos in response to one of our three advocacy prompts. Please note that the meaning of a photograph comes from the participant who created it. To honor participant voice, we intentionally avoid prescribing specific photographs or examples. There are no right or wrong photographs.

How do low reimbursement rates and clawbacks impact you and/or your clients?
What are barriers to accessing mental healthcare?
How is technology a challenge to counseling? How is it an opportunity?

Deadline to submit: Sept. 28, 5 p.m. ET

More Tips

Photography Tips

Any type of camera can be used, including your phone camera.
Be sure to keep your fingers out of the camera’s eye.
Avoid putting the center of interest in the middle of the photograph every time.
Consider how angles, lighting, distance, etc. can contribute to the perspective you’re trying to capture.

Ethical Guidelines

Photos must adhere to the �ֲ��ýCode of Ethics and these guidelines.
Photos cannot include any clients, client information, or client data. Photos should not be taken in therapy spaces.
If someone is in the photograph, ask for permission before taking the photograph and have them sign the �ֲ��ýConsent to Use of Photographic Images.
Lewd, exploitative, or offensive content may not be submitted.
Images should document systems, barriers and conditions, not expose or shame individuals. The camera should humanize, not exploit.
Participants should not place themselves in unsafe situations to capture an image.

Photography Policy and Consent

By submitting a photograph to the Capturing Counseling Priorities Photo Project, I grant the �ֲ��ý (ACA) permission to use, reproduce, edit, publish, display, and distribute the photograph, now and in the future, in connection with ACA’s educational, informational, promotional, and advocacy-related activities. This may include use in �ֲ��ýpublications, presentations, websites, social media channels, emails, and other print or digital materials.

Download the Photography Consent

Join us on Sept. 29, from 1-2 p.m. ET, for a brief discussion session about this initiative. Jadarius Evans, LPC-A will lead us through a thoughtful reflection on what these photos tell us about the counseling profession as well as policy barriers, opportunities and next steps. .

Spotlight on States

Hear from �ֲ��ýbranch leaders, state legislators, community leaders and �ֲ��ýstaff about how you can get involved in state-level advocacy and amplify your voice. Spotlight on States videos will be released on Sept. 8. Stay tuned for ACA's Legislative Update that will release on Sept. 29.

Diverse group of counselors in front of the U.S. Capitol building.

More than 100 counselors will gather Sept. 16-17, in Washington, D.C, to advocate for mental health and the counseling profession during our 2026 Hill Day.

Registration is now closed, but you can follow along on our socials @ACAcounselors and show your support!

Contact Our Advocacy Team

advocacy@counseling.org

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