As a licensed professional counselor, counselor educator, behavioral health professional, member of ACES, and a constituent, please ask your representative to consider cosponsoring H.R. 7924, the Advancing Culturally Competent and Equitable and Supportive Services in Mental Health Act or Access in Mental Health Act. 

This important legislation would amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 by creating a new grant program to support graduate behavioral health programs at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), tribal colleges, and other minority-serving institutions by: 

• Providing grants of $10,000 to students who are pursuing a graduate degree in counseling, psychiatry, school-based mental health professions, psychology, psychiatry or substance use disorder prevention treatment at a minority-serving institution.
• Providing grants to HBCUs, tribal colleges, and other minority-serving institutions that can be used for the purpose of establishing, expanding, or improving their graduate programs in the mental health professions.

Go to this link to fill out the Voter Voice response which can then send a message directly to your US Representative.

Action Center (votervoice.net)

Greetings,

I hope this message finds you well. As part of ongoing research at Penn State College of Education, we are exploring the influence of sociocultural factors on critical consciousness and engagement in anti-racism activities among students and instructors in Counselor Education. This research is crucial for shaping effective curricula and policies, and your insights will be incredibly valuable.

Study Details

•  What:An anonymous survey examining the influence of sociocultural factors on critical consciousness and anti-racism
•  Time Commitment: Approximately 20-30 minutes
•  IRB Approval: This study has been approved by Penn State University IRB (Approval #23984).

Why Your Participation Matters:

Your insights will help the researchers advocate for the development of inclusive curricula and teaching strategies, helping to shape future generations of counselors. This is a chance to make a meaningful impact in our field.

As a thank you for your time, we will be holding a drawing for over fifteen (15) Amazon gift cards valued at $25, $50, and $100. After completing the survey, you will have the chance to enter the drawing. Raffle winners will be drawn and notified via email once data collection is complete.

We greatly appreciate your time and are eager to learn from your experiences. You can begin the survey by clicking on this link: https://tinyurl.com/psu23984

Please also consider forwarding this email to at least two peers or colleagues who would also have valuable insights to share. The more voices we hear, the deeper our understanding will become.

For any inquiries or further information, you’re welcome to contact the primary investigator, Dr. Aiesha Lee, at alee@psu.edu.

Thank you for considering this opportunity to contribute to our field’s growth and understanding.

Thrive Counseling Center has a current internship opening in their Youth Services program for the 24-25 year. Below are the requirements for the Youth Services internship:

• 20-25 hours per week
• Caseload average 12-15
• Evenings (close at 8pm)
• Saturdays 9am-2pm
• Wednesdays 1pm-3pm mandatory for group supervision and trainings
• Intern training/onboarding week August 12-16 (9am-5pm)

Please contact Daisy Rios at drios@thrivecc.org to learn more.

Semillas Counseling PLLC currently has an internship opening for the 24-25 year. See info below:

• Our clinical emphasis supports adults, couples and families over the age of 16
• The practicum and internship placement will provide students an opportunity to expand their individual and couples counseling skills utilizing a co-therapy model with their site supervisor.
• We provide a hybrid of in-person and telehealth options for our clients, with locations in River North Chicago and North Center Chicago
• Students are required to be in person, and fully vaccinated, as we require this of all our clients who attend for in-person appointments.
• Student would intern a minimum of 24 hours each week throughout their practicum and internship experience, with a general schedule of 10am-7pm.  The practicum and internship dates are August 1, 2024 through June 13, 2025.

Students who are interested in our practice should email their cover letter and resume to info@semillascounseling.com.

Don’t Forget: Spring into Action Webinars – There is still time to join our call-to-action webinars to hear how ISAC can support students and families with free assistance, through the summer and year-round, as they navigate this delayed FAFSA cycle. Learn more about the latest updates to the FAFSA, best practices for navigating the corrections and verification processes, and ISAC resources available to you and your students. Take action to ensure students have the assistance and support they need. To register, visit the Professional Development Calendar. For questions, contact isac.outreachtraining@illinois.gov.  Webinar dates are:

• Tuesday, May 14, 2024, 12 – 1 p.m. (CT)
• Wednesday, May 22, 2024, 2 – 3 p.m. (CT)
• Tuesday, May 28, 2024, 10 – 11 a.m. (CT)

In addition, please share ISAC’s new webpage – https://www.isac.org/connect – to help connect students with ISAC free services and assistance, including asking real time questions via text messaging in English or Spanish.

More May FAN Events Announced – ISAC helps sponsor Family Action Network (FAN) events, which are always free and open to the public. FAN curates a high-quality speaker series on a variety of topics relevant to our work. Please visit the FAN website to register for these upcoming events and see the attached flyers for more details:

• The Algebra of Wealth: Achieving Economic Security – Tuesday, May 13, 2024, at 12:30 p.m. (CT) – on Zoom
• The Friction Project: How Smart Leaders make the Right Things Easier and the Wrong Things Harder – Wednesday, May 15, 2024, at 7 p.m. (CT) – on Zoom
• Brave New Words: How AI Will Revolutionize Education (And Why That’s a Good Thing) – Monday, May 20, 2024, at 7 p.m. (CT) – on Zoom
• Why We Remember: Unlocking Memory’s Power to Hold on to What Matters – Tuesday, May 21, 2024, at 7 p.m. (CT) – on Zoom
• Thinking with Your Hands: How Gestures Shape Our Thoughts – Thursday, May 23, 2024, at 7 p.m. (CT) – on Zoom
• A Fatal Inheritance: How a Family Misfortune Revealed a Deadly Medical Mystery – Tuesday, May 28, 2024, at 7 p.m. (CT) – on Zoom

If you’re not able to participate in a live FAN event, all events are recorded. Visit the FAN website’s Past Events page to view the library of past event topics and their recordings.

Click on the links below for more information about each of the webinars linked above:

• The Algebra of Wealth
• The Friction Project
• Brave New Words
• Why We Remember
• Thinking with Your Hands
• A Fatal Inheritance

Attention First Year School Counseling Students!

There will be a mandatory, in-person 2^nd Year Professional Practice Orientation on Saturday, October 26^th from 10:00 am – 12:30 pm. This is mandatory for all school counseling students completing Practicum in Spring of 2025, which would be school counseling students who started the program in Fall 2023. This meeting will take place in person on Lincoln Park Campus (location TBD). We will be discussing all things related to Practicum and Internship that you will encounter during your Professional Practice experience. Look for additional future communications on CSL News and via email and please plan accordingly.

Please reach out to Jay Lesenko if you will not be completing Practicum and Internship in 2025 – 2026 so they can update their records, and reach out to Jay Lesenko or Dr. Hamm if you have any questions.

Attention First Year CMHC Counseling Students!

There will be a mandatory, in-person 2^nd Year Professional Practice Orientation on Saturday, October 19^th from 10:00 am – 12:30 pm. This is mandatory for all CMHC students completing Practicum and Internship in 2025-2026.  This meeting will take place in person on Lincoln Park Campus (location TBD). We will be discussing all things related to Practicum and Internship that you will encounter during your Professional Practice in 2025 – 2026. Look for additional future communications on CSL News and via email and please plan accordingly.

Please reach out to Jay Lesenko if you will not be completing Practicum and Internship in 2025 – 2026 so they can update their records, and reach out to Jay Lesenko or Dr. Hamm if you have any questions.

Apply Here!

Hello counseling students! Our CSI DPU chapter will be hosting our second annual Spring Cleaning Donation Drive through the month of May. Donation bins will be located in the COE as well as the Arts and Letters Hall. All items will be donated to WINGS– the largest domestic violence agency in Illinois. We are collecting clothing for all genders, accessories, books, shoes, and more! All sizes are accepted (including children’s clothing). If you have any questions please contact Lindsay at lschwa23@depaul.edu

According to MHFA, “Youth Mental Health First Aid is an early intervention public education program. It teaches adults how to recognize the signs and symptoms that suggest a potential mental health challenge, how to listen nonjudgmentally and give reassurance to a youth who may be experiencing a mental health challenge, and how to refer a person to appropriate professional support and services.”

According to MHFA, “Mental Health First Aid for Adults teaches people how to recognize signs of mental health or substance use challenges in adults ages 18 and older, how to offer and provide initial help, and how to guide a person toward appropriate care if necessary. Topics covered include anxiety, depression, psychosis, and addictions.”

Click here to learn more Mental Health First Aid.

Classes for are for adults (18+) for MHFA will be offered from the below dates and following times 9 AM-5 PM or 9-5:30PM pending curriculum. This course is valued at $170 per learner. Thanks to the Mental Health First Aid Training SAMHSA Grant, learners may attend at no charge.

Upcoming dates:

May 10^th  9-5PM Youth MHFA May 10th  pre-registration link

C4 Belle Plaine; 2014 W Belle Plaine Ave. Multi-purpose rm

Total : 15 ppl

Event Flyer: May 10th Event

May 28^th  9-5PM Youth MHFA May 28th pre-registration link

C4 Belle Plaine; 2014 W Belle Plaine Ave. Board rm

Total : 15ppl

Event Flyer: May 28th Event

You can also search for our classes at Find a Course or Instructor – Mental Health First Aid. Looking to host a class at your organization? Please fill out this form for future inquiries.

*This class does not lead to instructor certification.

If you know someone who would be interested in signing up, please feel free to share this with them. Questions or concerns cane directed to samara.silverman@c4chicago.org. More information will follow after pre-registration.