CARL D. PERKINS GOVERNMENT RELATIONS AWARD

The Carl D. Perkins Government Relations Award honors an ACA member who has made a significant contribution to the counseling profession, or individuals served by the profession, by influencing public policy at the state or national level.

2023 Carl D. Perkins Government Relations Award Recipients

Elizabeth Burgin
Isabel C. Farrell 

Background and Purpose

The award is named in memory of the late Member of Congress from Kentucky, Carl D. Perkins, who chaired the House Education and Labor Committee from 1967 to 1984.

SUBMISSION DEADLINE

January 31, 2024 | 11:59pm ET 

AWARD NOTIFICATION

February 26, 2024

JUDGES

ACA Public Policy & Legislation Committee and the ACA Awards Committee 

PRIZE

Complimentary registration for the 2024 ACA Conference and Expo (April 11-13, 2024 | New Orleans, LA), and recognition during event. Winners will receive further information at the time of award notification. Winner will receive further information at the time of award notification.

Sponsor: The American Counseling Association Foundation

Eligibility, Rules and Criteria

The efforts of the individual must:

• Have resulted in public policy changes at the national or state level (through either legislative or administrative action) that have a significant, positive impact on the counseling profession or individuals served by the profession. These may include expanding the breadth of services professional counselors may provide or broadening the base of potential consumers of counseling services to include new populations; creating greater opportunity for the professional development of the counseling profession; or improving the coordination of existing or new services with other professionals to benefit individuals served by the counseling profession.
• Be consistent with the mission of the counseling profession.
• Have included one or more of the following activities: organizing and taking direct responsibility for a program or project to promote and facilitate greater communication between professional counselors (and/or individuals they serve) and legislators or other policy-makers concerning a significant legislative or administrative action; developing language for legislation or an agency regulatory action; performing research and gathering information to support or oppose legislation or agency regulatory action; or presenting or developing testimony that influenced the enactment of legislation or the implementation of regulations.
• Nominations must come from an ACA member.
• The nominee must be an ACA member.
• An individual can only be nominated for one award per year.

Nomination Guidelines

The total submission package for this award cannot exceed 16 pages in length. All nomination materials must be combined into one document (all formats accepted), with the nomination letter first.

Nomination letter: In the letter, identify the nominee and the specific award. Explain why you believe the nominee should receive the award by responding to the specific criteria outlined in the nomination guidelines. Keep in mind that the awards reviewers are relying on the information you provide to choose the most deserving recipient for the award. Please address each nomination guideline and make sure your nominee meets the award criteria and requirements. Brevity, clarity and specificity are most important here.

In your nomination letter, briefly:

• Describe the realized or anticipated effects of the passage of this legislation or regulation.
• Explain how the passage of this legislation or regulation relates to the ACA government relations program and how ACA and its divisions or organizational affiliates most likely will benefit. In the case of state-level legislation or regulation, explain why and how it may be of interest and importance to professional counselors in other states. Identify and describe the activities the individual undertook in one or more of the following areas: organizing and taking direct responsibility for a program or project to promote and facilitate greater communication between professional counselors (and/ or individuals they serve) and legislators concerning significant legislation; developing language for legislation or an agency regulatory action; performing research and gathering information to support or oppose legislation or agency regulatory action; or presenting or developing testimony that influenced the enactment of legislation or the implementation of regulations.

Supporting materials: Include a nominee biography and a maximum of two letters in support of the nomination from others familiar with the nominee and her or his accomplishments. If there are additional materials (news reports, journal articles, etc.) that you feel help support the nominee’s achievements, please include a copy of them. You may also include a copy of the nominee’s curriculum vitae (CV) or resume of no more than four pages, highlighting the nominee’s relevant accomplishments, if available. Keep in mind that the total submission cannot exceed 16 pages in length.