Australian Community Counselling Association

Hi and welcome to the brand *new* 'community based' Counselling Association, the 'Australian Community Counselling Association Inc'. The MyACCA.org.au website has been put together as a refreshing intergration of community good will and desire to represent the thousands of Counsellors across Australia as their personal Association. Our aims are simple, to provide a membership service that both provides support to Counsellors in the field and aims to address issues raised in the Senate Committee Report 2006 6.123 "A national approach to mental health - from crisis to community''

Many of the concerns raised within the report detail around the following points: services for rural - remote and Indigenous Australians, human rights, resourcing, addressing the diversity of mental illness and treatments, access to mental health services, promotion prevention and early intervention, inpatient and crisis services, mental health services in the community, support services for people facing mental health problems, families and carers, paying for mental health care, mental health and the criminal justice system, dual diagnosis, services for children and youth - older people and cald communities.

So while it is clear there is an urgent need in these areas like many issues these days individuals can feel overwhelmed by sheer size of the problems, and an feeling of apathy can take over. We believe by addressing the problems head on by focusing on the recommendations of the Commonwealth Committee report directly, we can have a postive impact on the direction of services and how they become accessed.

The ACCA is dedicated to seeing real change happen in our communites, and seeks to enlist the support of individuals and community groups across Australia to help build a strong grass roots movement of caring focused professional counsellors who wish to help their respective local communities.

So join us in creating Australia's most fun and friendly Counselling Association....My Australian Community Counselling Association!

- Jonathan Mehigan

ACCA Secretary