Virginia Association of Clinical Counselors

Welcome! The Virginia Association of Clinical Counselors is the state chapter of the American Mental Health Counselors Association and we have been serving the needs of Virginia's clinical counselors since 1980.

Our primary mission is to advocate for the clinical counseling profession in Virginia.  In order to promote and protect our profession we have government and advocacy committees, an ethics and standards committee, and we host several workshops each year across the state.  For more information about VACC and the history of our achievements and contributions on behalf of our profession, click on the About tab.

Our website has many useful tools and links.  You can connect to other organizations from our website, including the Virginia Board of Counselors and many graduate counseling programs in our state.  We also provide links to all of your state and federal legislators.  In addition you can list yourself as a supervisor or use the Member's Spotlight page to market your practice.

• Our President is Lynessa Glass. You can reach her at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  or 757-717-0605. 
• Our Treasurer is Joe New. He can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 540-343-0004. Payments can be delievered to the address: Joe New, Treasurer VACC, 812 Stockley Gardens #10, Norfolk, VA 23507 with check payable to VACC
• Our Membership Chair is Michael Nahl and he can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  or 757-456-1279.
• You can also link to all of our Board members under the link Contact Board Members or through the Committees section.
• The Communications Committee is responsible for website updates, newsletter publishing, and e-mail contact. Please contact the Chair - Michael E. Nahl at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 757-456-1279. Mailing address is P.O. Box 7066 Virginia Beach, VA 23457.

Welcome to VACC!

Follows Announcement of Additional 1900 Mental Health Staff Nationwide

WASHINGTON— The Department of Veterans Affairs has expanded its mental health services to include professionals from two additional health care fields: marriage and family therapists (MFT) and licensed professional mental health counselors (LPMHC).

“The addition of these two mental health professions is an important part of VA’s mission to expand access to mental health services,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki.  “Veterans and their families can face unique challenges.  By providing a complete range of services, we can help them address those challenges and help keep more families together.”

The two fields will be included in the hiring of an additional 1,900 mental health staff nationwide that VA announced last week.  Recruitment and hiring will be done at the local level.  The new professionals will provide mental health diagnostic and psychosocial treatment services for Veterans and their families in coordination with existing mental health professionals at VA’s medical centers, community-based outpatient clinics, and Vet Centers.

VA has developed qualification standards for employment as LPMHCs and MFTs and has announced the appointments of mental health and health science professionals to serve on professional standards boards.  The boards will review applicants for LPMHC and MFT positions in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) to determine eligibility for employment and the government grade level appropriate for the individual in the selected position.  The boards will also review promotions in these positions.

For more information about mental health care that VA provides, visit:  http://www.mentalhealth.va.gov/

Washington, DC – February 23, 2012 – Comments are due late on Monday, February 27, 2012, on interim TRICARE rules authorizing independent provider status for certified mental health counselors (CMHC). AMHCA has submitted its comments, and now we are urging all members to comment individually to reinforce mental health counselor concerns. Comments should be submitted on-line by 11:59 PM EST, February 27, 2012. Although AMHCA has submitted comments on behalf of the profession, it will strengthen the voice of mental health counseling if practitioners send individual comments. A summary of our comment letter and suggested talking points follow.

Twelve contestants submitted essays for the two Linda Heacock Memorial Fellowships worth $1000 each.  The 12 contestants, one male and 11 female, represented seven different graduate schools.  ODU had three contestants. Virginia Tech, Virginia Commonwealth, and Regent University had two each. Also represented were Saybrook, Cappella, and Eastern Mennonite, each with one contestant.  We appreciate each and every submission, and hope that each contestant learned something about themselves and the profession. This year’s topic was about whether it is necessary, or desirable, to have experienced one’s own psychotherapy (counseling) before providing therapy for others.