Get to know your ACA-NY!

Have you ever asked yourself What or who is ACA NY? What do they do? How did ACA NY come about? How can ACA NY benefit me? Well your in luck, we would like to start off the year with new board members by introducing ACA NY!

What/Who is ACA NY? ACA-NY is a not-for-profit grassroots organization that represents professional counselors and counseling students, of all specialty areas, who live or work in New York State. As a chapter of the American Counseling Association, we extend the efforts of growing and enhancing the counseling profession at the state level. ACA NY board members are elected by members for one and two year terms. Typically, future board members express interest through member surveys, at events, and word of mouth from current board members. We always encourage and appreciate member input during nominations and elections. Eligible members are encouraged to take on leadership and leadership-elect positions and are supported in their leadership development. Nominations are accepted during the months of February and March and elections take place in April. The new board members are announced in May!

What does ACA NY do?  The mission of the American Counseling Association of New York "is 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."

We support our mission through the following activities:

* Providing free regional networking events for our members at least four times per year
* Providing free Continuing Education Units (CEU) opportunities for our members at least four times per year
* Organizing grassroots legislative movements advocating for the counseling profession
* Organizing events and developing public service announcements for increasing public awareness of the counseling profession

How did ACA NY come about? ACA NY was developed from an idea at a North Atlantic Region meeting. The hope was to offer professionals in the area local CEU options based upon what members need. Another goal of creating ACA NY was to keep NY involved with ACA. In order for NY to have representation in ACA there needs to be an organization. In turn ACA NY hopes to provide information from ACA to members in NY relating the issues to New York State specifically. Another reason ACA NY was developed was to maintain an organized legislative effort to help protect a shared professional identity, ACA NY does that by incorporating all specialties.

How can ACA NY benefit me? Members of ACA receive the benefits of ACA NY for free! If you reside in NY and are a member of ACA you are automatically an ACA NY member and pay no additional dues. As a member you have access to free interesting and unique events, CEU's, networking opportunities, and assistance with learning about advocacy and helping to move the profession forward. ACA NY offers members a wide range of leadership opportunities.

We hope you found this information helpful in getting to know us better,

Your ACA-NY Leadership Team