Category: Announcements

 ACAC Annual Award Categories 

The Association of Child and Adolescent Counseling (ACAC) is proud to offer eight annual awards. The purpose of these awards is to honor and celebrate excellence in the field of child and adolescents counseling. 

Nominations are due November 15. For more information see descriptions and criteria below and apply online (https://forms.gle/8YJBJBFtUVbS4YqT8). For questions regarding the awards, please email acacawards@gmail.com. 

1. I. Lifetime Achievement Award 

This award recipient has an extensive history of advocacy for the mental health of children and adolescents. This advocacy may be demonstrated by a history of research and/or publication, mentoring, and involvement in the mental health counseling community. 

Criteria: 

1. Describe how this nominee demonstrates advocacy for children & adolescents. 

2. Describe any history of research, publication, and offering professional development. 

3. Describe how this nominee demonstrates mentoring and involvement in the mental health community. 

4. Please upload up to two supporting letters from individuals familiar with this individual and their accomplishments. 

5. If relevant, please feel free to upload any supporting documentation (news reports, journal articles, CV, etc). Maximum 4 pages. 

1. II. Distinguished Professional Service Award 

This award recipient is an active and contributing member in professional organizations that benefit the mental health of children and adolescents. The recipient will be selected based upon the depth and breadth of their contributions including leadership roles. 

Criteria: 

1. Please list all organizations that this nominee is a member of and positions held. 

2. Describe how this nominee contributes to professional organizations that benefit the mental health of children and adolescents. 

3. Describe any professional development opportunities offered by or hosted by this nominee. 

4. Please upload up to two supporting letters from individuals familiar with this individual and their accomplishments. 

5. If relevant, please feel free to upload any supporting documentation (news reports, journal articles, CV, etc). Maximum 4 pages. 

1. III. Clinical Mental Health Counselor Advocate Award 

This award goes to a clinical mental health professional who is a tireless advocate for child and adolescent mental health who stays current on research, participates in mentoring and has developed collaborative relationships with their local mental health community. 

Criteria: 

1. Describe how this clinical mental health professional advocates for child and adolescent mental health, especially in the areas of prevention and interventions. 

2. Describe how this individual demonstrates that they have remained current on matters pertaining to child and adolescent mental health. 

3. Describe this nominee’s mentoring style, including any professional development offerings. 

4. Describe how this nominee demonstrated collaborative relationships with the local mental health community. 

5. Please upload up to two supporting letters from individuals familiar with this individual and their accomplishments. 

6. If relevant, please feel free to upload any supporting documentation (news reports, journal articles, CV, etc). Maximum 4 pages. 

1. IV. School Counselor Advocate Award 

This award goes to a school counselor who demonstrates exceptional advocacy while providing students with developmentally appropriate programming and being an active and collaborative member of the school community. 

Criteria: 

1. Describe how this school counselor practices advocacy for children & adolescents. 

2. Describe how this school counselor is an active and collaborative member of the school community. 

3. Describe how this school counselor provides developmentally appropriate programming with an emphasis on prevention. 

4. Please upload up to two supporting letters from individuals familiar with this school counselor and his/her accomplishments. 

5. If relevant, please feel free to upload any supporting documentation (news reports, journal articles, CV, etc). Maximum 4 pages. 

1. V. Counselor Educator Advocate Award 

This award recipient is a counselor educator who exemplifies both advocacy and outreach. This individual is a leader for change and has a history of mentoring, encouraging students to become involved in professional communities, and is committed to building relationships between the university and the surrounding community. 

Criteria: 

1. Describe how this counselor educator acts as a leader for change. 

2. Relate how this counselor educator acts as a mentor and encourages students to become involved in their professional communities. Please mention any professional development this nominee has provided to both students and professionals. 

3. Please share how this counselor educator strives to create meaningful connections between their university and the surrounding communities. 

4. Please upload up to two supporting letters from individuals familiar with this individual and their accomplishments. 

5. If relevant, please feel free to upload any supporting documentation (news reports, journal articles, CV, etc). Maximum 4 pages. 

1. VI. Researcher Advocate Award 

This award goes to a researcher who has demonstrated advocacy for the mental health of children and adolescents by participating and publishing research that may have impacted legislation, developed new methodology or challenged older methodology, or impacted the larger community. 

Criteria: 

1. Describe how this nominee’s research impacts the mental health of children and adolescents, especially in the areas of prevention and intervention. 

2. Please share specific examples of research and describe how they may have impacted legislation, methodology, or the larger community. 

3. Share any instances of professional development offered by this nominee. 

4. Please upload up to two supporting letters from individuals familiar with this individual and their accomplishments. 

5. If relevant, please feel free to upload any supporting documentation (news reports, journal articles, CV, etc). Maximum 4 pages. 

1. VII. Legislative Service Award 

This award goes to a legislator who has worked tirelessly to advance the mental health of children and adolescents. This award recipient need not be a member of ACAC. 

Criteria: 

1. Describe how this legislator has impacted the mental health of children and adolescents. Please be sure to include specific legislation advocated for and any legislation passed. 

2. Describe the community impact of this legislator’s advocacy for the mental health of children and adolescents. 

3. Please upload up to two supporting letters from individuals familiar with this individual and their accomplishments. 

4. If relevant, please feel free to upload any supporting documentation (news reports, journal articles, CV, etc). Maximum 4 pages. 

1. VIII. Outstanding Graduate Student Award 

This award goes to a graduate student who has exceeded the already typically high demands of graduate level work. Recipients of this award have demonstrated excellence in scholarship, clinical work, leadership, and/or advocacy for child and adolescent mental health. 

Criteria 

1. Describe how this nominee exceeds the expectations of typical graduate students and their impact on child and adolescent mental health. 

2. Describe how this graduate student advocates for child and adolescent mental health in their scholarship, clinical work, leadership, and/or advocacy efforts 

3. Please upload up to two supporting letters from individuals familiar with this individual and their accomplishments. 

4. If relevant, please feel free to upload any supporting documentation (news reports, journal articles, CV, etc). Maximum 4 pages. 

Additional Nomination Instructions 

Instructions: 

Please verify that both nominator and nominee are current members of ACAC. (For the Legislative Service Award ACAC membership is not a requirement; If you are not a current ACAC member, we invite you to join to be eligible to receive an award). Self-nominations are permitted; however, individuals may only receive one nomination for one award each year. 

Please keep in mind that the ACAC reviewers are relying on the information you provide, as well as any supporting information, to choose the most deserving recipient. Please address each ACAC nomination guideline and ensure your nominee meets the award criteria and requirements. 

Supporting Material (refer to award description; maximum 4 pages) – If there are materials (news reports, journal articles, etc.) that you feel help support the nominee’s achievements, please include a copy. You may also include a copy of the nominee’s curriculum vitae (CV), abbreviated CV for page limitations, or resume, if available. These may be no more than four pages highlighting the nominee’s relevant accomplishments. 

Supporting Letters (refer to award description) – A maximum of two supporting letters from others familiar with the nominee(s) and their accomplishments may be submitted. 

The Association for Child and Adolescent Counseling (ACAC)  is excited to announce we have developed an Emerging Leaders (EL) program! The EL program was developed to allow students and new professionals to participate in ACAC activities, receive mentorship, and connect with professional networking opportunities, and above all else, to grow as leaders.

Emerging Leaders are selected to serve from July to July of each year, and this year’s leaders will begin July 1, 2022.  Master’s level students, doctoral level students, and new professionals (having graduated in the past year) will be selected as ACAC emerging leaders. Please note your student/new professional status should be based on your graduation status as of January 1, 2022. (i.e., if you graduate with a doctoral degree in January 2, 2022 you would be considered for a new professional, not a doctoral student position).

Please email the Emerging Leaders Program Chair, Dr. Victoria Kress (acacemergingleaders@gmail.com), with questions.

Recipients must be an ACAC member at the time of application.

Emerging Leaders choose an area of interest within the division and receive mentoring related to that area. Emerging Leaders will provide a minimum of 50 hours of service to an ACAC committee, project, or task over the course of the year. Emerging Leaders will also have opportunities to learn the responsibilities associated with serving in elected leadership positions within ACAC. They will also receive FREE conference registration for the ACAC conference for the year they are an Emerging Leader.

Emerging Leaders will be featured in our newsletter and recognized at the annual ACAC conference.

The program application and additional detail about the program can be found here:

https://forms.gle/6tqEwxToo6M1voJc8

Interested applicants should :
1. Complete the Emerging Leaders application  ( https://forms.gle/6tqEwxToo6M1voJc8)
2. Provide a Statement of Interest: Please describe in 750 words or less how ACAC’s mission is congruent with your professional goals. Be sure to include specific interest areas in ACAC where you would like to gain experience (i.e., journal, awards, membership), and any past leadership experiences that may inform your ability to serve as an ACAC Emerging Leader
3. Your Curriculum vitae/resume

Please submit these  no later than February 15, 2022. The selection committee will notify you of the status of your application within approximately 30 days of the deadline.

2021 ACAC Award Categories:

School Counselor Advocate Award

This award goes to a school counselor who demonstrates exceptional advocacy while providing students with developmentally appropriate programming and being an active and collaborative member of the school community.

• Criteria:
• Describe how this school counselor practices advocacy for children & adolescents.
• Describe how this school counselor is an active and collaborative member of the school community.
• Describe how this school counselor provides developmentally appropriate programming with an emphasis on prevention.
• Please upload up to two supporting letters from individuals familiar with this school counselor and his/her accomplishments.
• If relevant, please feel free to upload any supporting documentation (news reports, journal articles, CV, etc).

Lifetime Achievement Award

This award recipient has an extensive history of advocacy for the mental health of children and adolescents. This advocacy may be demonstrated by a history of research and/or publication, mentoring, and involvement in the mental health counseling community.

• Criteria:
• Describe how this nominee demonstrates advocacy for children & adolescents.
• Describe any history of research, publication, and offering professional development.
• Describe how this nominee demonstrates mentoring and involvement in the mental health community.
• Please upload up to two supporting letters from individuals familiar with this individual and their accomplishments.
• If relevant, please feel free to upload any supporting documentation (news reports, journal articles, CV, etc).

Clinical Mental Health Counselor Advocate Award

This clinical mental health professional is a tireless advocate for child and adolescent mental health who stays current on research, participates in mentoring and has developed collaborative relationships with their local mental health community.

• Criteria:
• Describe how this clinical mental health professional advocates for child and adolescent mental health, especially in the areas of prevention and interventions.
• Describe how this individual demonstrates that they have remained current on matters pertaining to child and adolescent mental health.
• Describe this nominees mentoring style, including any professional development offerings.
• Describe how this nominee demonstrated collaborative relationships with the local mental health community.
• Please upload up to two supporting letters from individuals familiar with this individual and their accomplishments.
• If relevant, please feel free to upload any supporting documentation (news reports, journal articles, CV, etc).

Counselor Educator Advocacy Award

This counselor educator exemplifies both advocacy and outreach. This award recipient is a leader for change and has a history of mentoring, encouraging students to become involved in professional communities, and is committed to building relationships between the university and the surrounding community.

–        Criteria:

–       Describe how this counselor educator acts as a leader for change.

–       Relate how this counselor educator acts as a mentor and encourages students to become involved in their professional communities. Please mention any professional development this nominee has provided to both students and professionals.

–       Please share how this counselor educator strives to create meaningful connections between their university and the surrounding communities.

–       Please upload up to two supporting letters from individuals familiar with this individual and their accomplishments.

–       If relevant, please feel free to upload any supporting documentation (news reports, journal articles, CV, etc).

Researcher Advocate Award

This researcher has demonstrated advocacy for the mental health of children and adolescents by participating and publishing research that may have impacted legislation, developed new methodology or challenged older methodology, or impacted the larger community. This award recipient need not be a member of ACAC.

–        Criteria:

–       Describe how this nominee’s research impacts the mental health of children and adolescents, especially in the areas of prevention and intervention.

–       Please share specific examples of research and describe how they may have impacted legislation, methodology, or the larger community.

–       Share any instances of professional development offered by this nominee.

–       Please upload up to two supporting letters from individuals familiar with this individual and their accomplishments.

–       If relevant, please feel free to upload any supporting documentation (news reports, journal articles, CV, etc).

Distinguished Professional Service Award

This award recipient is an active and contributing member in professional organizations that benefit the mental health of children and adolescents. The recipient will be selected based upon the depth and breadth of their contributions including leadership roles.

–        Criteria:

–       Please list all organizations that this nominee is a member of and positions held.

–       Describe how this nominee contributes to professional organizations that benefit the mental health of children and adolescents.

–       Describe any professional development opportunities offered by or hosted by this nominee.

–       Please upload up to two supporting letters from individuals familiar with this individual and their accomplishments.

–       If relevant, please feel free to upload any supporting documentation (news reports, journal articles, CV, etc).

Legislative Service Award

This legislator has worked tirelessly to advance the mental health of children and adolescents. This award recipient need not be a member of ACAC.

–        Criteria:

–       Describe how this legislator has impacted the mental health of children and adolescents. Please be sure to include specific legislation advocated for and any legislation passed.

–       Describe the community impact of this legislator’s advocacy for the mental health of children and adolescents.

–       Please upload up to two supporting letters from individuals familiar with this individual and their accomplishments.

–       If relevant, please feel free to upload any supporting documentation (news reports, journal articles, CV, etc).

ACAC Emerging Leader

This award recipient is a new professional or a graduate student who has demonstrated aptitude and interest in leadership within the counseling profession, with a focus on advocacy for children and adolescents. This recipient will have demonstrated this by leadership experience with any current or past participation in state, regional, or national organizations and conferences.

–        Criteria:

–       Describe how this nominee demonstrates aptitude and interest in leadership, with particular focus on that involving children and adolescents.

–       Relate this nominee’s past experiences in leadership of professional organizations.

–       Describe this nominee’s involvement in professional conferences.

–       Please upload up to two supporting letters from individuals familiar with this individual and their accomplishments.

–       If relevant, please feel free to upload any supporting documentation (news reports, journal articles, CV, etc).

How Do I Nominate?  It’s Simple!

Please keep in mind that the ACAC reviewers are relying on the information you provide, as well as any supporting information, to choose the most deserving recipient. Please address each ACAC nomination guideline and ensure your nominee meets the award criteria and requirements.

• Supporting Material (refer to award description) – If there are materials (news reports, journal articles, etc.) that you feel help support the nominee’s achievements, please include a copy. You may also include a copy of the nominee’s curriculum vitae (CV), abbreviated CV for page limitations, or resume, if available. These may be no more than four pages highlighting the nominee’s relevant accomplishments.
• Supporting Letters (refer to award description) – A maximum of two supporting letters from others familiar with the nominee(s) and their accomplishments may be submitted.
• Nominations and supporting materials may be submitted to the Awards Committee Chair, Dr.  Krystal Vaughn at kvaugh@lsuhsc.edu
• Nominations are due February 5, 2021

Thank you,

Krystal M. Vaughn, Ph.D, NCC, LPC-S, CRC

Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor

Associate Professor of Clinical Rehabilitation and Counseling

School of Allied Health Professions

Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center

2021 Association of Child and Adolescent Counseling

Seeking Grant Proposal Reviewers

The Association of Child and Adolescent Counseling (ACAC) is proud to be able to offer Research Grants to support innovative and cutting-edge research related to child and adolescent counseling.  All grant proposals undergo a double-blind review conducted by members of ACAC.  We are currently seeking individuals to serve as these reviewers for the 2021 round of ACAC Research Grants.  Each reviewer must be available to evaluate submissions between February 22 and March 3, 2021 and be willing to review all proposals (typically 10-15).  We will have an online meeting to review and finalize decisions the week of March 1^st.  If you are interested in serving as a reviewer or have any questions, please contact the Research Grant Committee at acacresearchgrant@gmail.com.

Grant applications are due 2/19/2021. For more information, please see the description (below) and apply online:

https://memphis.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9GIR6U99zrNjtdk

Research Grant Call for Proposals

The Association of Child and Adolescent Counseling (ACAC) invites applications for ACAC research grants. The purpose of these grants is to support innovative and cutting-edge research related to child and adolescent counseling, especially research serving underserved populations. The awarding of these grants is based on the relevance of the projects to the mission of ACAC and the quality of the projects as described in the application and determined by reviewers.

This grant competition is open to both professional and student members of ACAC. Individuals may submit or be part of a submission team for only one proposal per application cycle. Multiple submissions by any researcher (individually or as part of a submission team) will result in the disqualification of all corresponding proposals.

Grant Award Benefits and Expectations:

Grant recipients will receive (a) up to $2,000 funding for the proposed project, (b) a certificate of recognition presented at the ACAC meeting at the ACA Annual Conference, and (c) acknowledgement of the research award in related venues, such as the ACAC website, in the ACAC newsletter, etc.

The primary researcher on the awarded research teams agrees to (a) submit a manuscript for consideration by the ACAC journal – The Journal of Child and Adolescent Counseling within 18 months of receiving the grant, (b) submit a proposal related to the research at an ACA and/or ACAC Annual Conference within two years of receiving the grant, (c) acknowledge ACAC funding in all related publications and presentations utilizing the research project and/or data, and (d) submit a brief executive summary of findings and a one page grant report describing the use of funds within 18 months of receiving the grant.

Applications must be submitted online by Friday, 2/19/2021 at 11:59pm EST. For questions, please email the ACAC research grant committee at acacresearchgrant@gmail.com.

Please note, in order to be considered for the ACAC grant:, (a) applications need to be complete, (b) the lead researcher must be a current member of ACAC, and (c) each researcher can have their name on only one application.

For student applicants, please submit a brief signed letter from a supervising faculty member, attesting to the study and the faculty member’s role in giving support to the study. Please email this signed letter to the following email address acacresearchgrant@gmail.com by 2/19/2021, with the researcher’s name in the subject of the email.

Thanks for your consideration, and best of luck!

Warmly,

The ACAC Research Grant Committee:

Kim Coggins, Associate Professor, Austin Peay State University

Melanie Burgess, Assistant Professor, University of Memphis

June 20, 2018

Dear Mr. Trump,

On behalf of the Association for Child and Adolescent Counseling (ACAC), a division of the American Counseling Association (ACA), we are writing to convey our concern for the children forcibly separated from their parents at the border and detained in DHS and HHS facilities. We also respectfully request that the current government administration immediately reunite separated families. We have ample scientific and historical data, which identifies the abusive nature of these experiences on children and provides evidence of long-lasting negative mental health, physical health, and economic impacts on individuals who experience this type of trauma, as well as the communities in which they live.

Scientific evidence indicates these relationally traumatic experiences create long lasting negative effects on individuals and communities:

• There is a tremendous amount of research spanning decades indicating that experiences result in relational trauma, also called Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) by the Centers for Disease Control, who has published findings from large-scale public health studies conducted by Kaiser Permanente, a large insurance company. These studies demonstrate negative effect of ACEs on health and wellbeing and financial impacts to the country resulting from ACEs (CDC, https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/acestudy/index.html)

• Relational trauma is considered toxic stress resulting in a child’s development of an overly sensitive autonomic nervous system (ANS), resulting in chronically higher levels of stress hormones, like cortisol, and hypervigilance (CDC, 2014; Middlebrooks & Audage, n.d.; WHO, n.d.). Hypervigilance results if a person is living in an environment with chronic threats to his/her health or safety, then the brain becoming more sensitive to environmental threats, which is actually adaptive. However, this over-activation signals a change in brain development in both structure and functioning.

• According to the Child Trauma Academy’s Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics (NMT; Perry, 2006), recently highlighted by Oprah Winfrey, indicates that the younger a child is when experiencing trauma, the more likely there will be lasting neurobiological impacts (https://chronicleofsocialchange.org/child-welfare-2/oprah-putting-trauma-informed-care-bruce-perry-front-center).

• We also know that relational trauma manifesting in changes in neurobiological functioning can have lifetime negative effects on their ability to develop empathy, particularly for young (0-3 year old) children (Hare, 1993; National Scientific Council on the Developing Child, 2005).

• Research indicates that traumatized children develop higher rates of physical illness, mental illness, addiction, and criminal behavior (CDC, https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/acestudy/index.html)

Historical evidence indicates government enforced child separation from ethnic and religious minority parents results in negative outcomes for individuals and community health.

• Native American Children:The Dawes Act of 1887 resulted the U.S. government removing very young indigenous children from their homes and placing them in assimilation-model boarding schools so they would become ‘Americanized’ (Holm, 2007; Prucha, 1984). The government acknowledged this as a ‘wrong’ action by passing the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA; Pub. L. 95-608) in 1978 to address concerns about placement of indigenous children with non-native families or institutions (Barbell & Freundlich, 2001).

• African Children:The Smithsonian’s Museum of African American History and Culture documents the history of enslaved children being separated from their parents as part of the “Weeping Time” exhibit. The voices we hear in these narratives demonstrate the terror experienced by these parents and children at the time (https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/retropolis/wp/2018/05/31/barbaric-americas-cruel-history-of-separating-children-from-their-parents/?utm_term=.45a1f3120e01).

• Jewish Children:During WWII, the Nazi party separated Jewish children from their parents, placing each in separate concentration camps. Now in their 70’s and 80’s these individuals recount the terror experienced from this separation (https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/jun/18/separation-children-parents-families-us-border-trump;http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/hidden-children-of-the-holocasut).

• Japanese-American Children: President Roosevelt authorized Japanese Relocation in Executive Order 9066. We have documented first person accounts from the children (now adults) who were separated from their parents in Japanese Internment Camps. They tell us that they experienced these detention facilities as ‘prison camps’ and were traumatized in such a way that has lasted throughout their lifetimes (https://splinternews.com/a-former-japanese-internment-camp-prisoner-on-the-dire-1826858234). Additionally, Executive Order 9066 violated the 5^thAmendment’s guarantee that no one will be deprived of life, liberty or property without due process of law and under the equal protection guarantee (https://www.quora.com/How-did-the-Executive-Order-9066-violate-the-constitution).

• Scientific studies demonstrate evidence that there is an intergenerational/transgenerational transmission of trauma, which explains how these types of traumatic experiences affect not only one group of children, but the generations of children that follow them in their own families and cultures (Braga, Mello,& Fiks, 2012;Brown-Rice, 2013; Danieli, 1998; Daud, Skoglund, & Rydelius, 2005; Dekel & Goldblatt, 2008; Freyberg, 1980; Sigal, 1971; Sorscher & cohen, 1997; Starman, 2006; Yehuda, Schmeidler, Wainberg, Binder-Byrnes, & Duvdevani, 1998; Yehuda, Halligan, & Grossman, 2001; Rieck, 1994; Nadler, Kav-Venaki, & Gleitman, 1985; Sagi-Schwatz, van Ijzendoorn, & Bakermans-Kranenburg, 2008). For an explanation of this process see Portney, 2003 Intergenerational Transmission of Trauma: An Introduction for the Clinician http://www.psychiatrictimes.com/comorbidity-psychiatry/intergenerational-transmission-trauma-introduction-clinician.

We ask that you consider the overwhelming multi-disciplinary peer-reviewed scientific evidence demonstrating the negative impact on individuals and communities related to child separation from parents into camp-like facilities. Additionally, we strongly urge you to immediately reunite children with their families as we believe these actions to be inconsistent with the values of the American people.

Sincerely,

Catherine Tucker

Catherine Tucker, PhD, LMHC, RPTS

President, Association for Child & Adolescent Counseling

Leigh Falls-Hollman

Leigh Falls-Holman, PhD, LPC, RPTS

Advocacy Chair, Association