Nearly five months after Hurricane Maria upended life for everyone in its path, Puerto Rico remains in critical condition. Power has not been completely restored to the island—and some areas are not expected to have power until May. An estimated 200,000 people have left the island for Florida. Those that remain face a broken infrastructure, food shortages, power shortages, and unrelenting stress.

Late last month, the White House proposed new rules that would make it easier for small businesses, sole proprietors, and individuals to group together in “association” to buy insurance in the large group market. These association plans, as they are known, would be exempt from many of the consumer protections—including required mental health coverage—that are mandated by the Affordable Care Act, which now provides coverage for some of the same types of customers.

According to recent press reports, officials at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) have been told to not use the terms “diversity,” “transgender,” “evidence-based,” and “science-based,” among others, in the upcoming budget request for 2019. This prompted American Counseling Association Chief Executive Officer Richard Yep to write the Acting Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) about the directive.

The House and Senate have approved different versions of tax reform and now the conference committee is preparing to release the final compromise version, which both houses must then pass before the measure goes to the President for signature. There has been a strong effort to move these bills through the legislative process in order to put a bill on the President's desk by December 25.

A bill proposing revisions to the nation’s tax structure is now in the Senate. That measure contains a provision that would negatively affect the clients professional counselors serve, in terms of their access to early intervention, preventative care, and affordable insurance and mental health care costs. Ultimately, that provision would affect the ability of clients and prospective clients to see professional counselors and to obtain mental health care.

The American Counseling Association wishes to convey our deepest sympathy to those who have been harmed by the Las Vegas shooting that occurred Oct. 1, the family members and friends who have lost a loved one, and the entire community affected by this tragedy. We are holding each and every one of you in our thoughts.

The American Counseling Association is opposed to the rescission of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.

So far, Hurricane Harvey has devastated 12,000 square miles in Texas and Louisiana and affected millions of people. The American Red Cross is in great need of disaster mental health volunteers to help individuals and families cope with the trauma of this natural disaster.

The American Counseling Association brought a discussion of trauma and disaster mental health to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Virginia, as part of its ongoing partnership with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America.

On Saturday, Aug. 12, 2017, a rally was held in Charlottesville, Va., called "Unite the Right." While the United States supports free speech and the right to peaceably assemble, this event was nothing of the sort. Violence, bigotry, and hatred were promoted by the organizers of the rally. The many injuries and the deaths of three people were evidence that this demonstration was designed to divide, rather than unite.