New York, NY (June 28^th 2010) –The Canadian Symposium for Parental Alienation Syndrome,( www.cspas.ca), today announced that their upcoming Annual Conference will take place in NYC. The conference is titled “Parental Alienation Syndrome: Past Present and Future”. Many consider this conference to be a landmark event in the history of mental health, in part because the American Psychiatric Association is now giving consideration to Parental Alienation Disorder ( P.A.D.) for inclusion in the next edition of the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, more often referred to as the DSM-5. There are some countries around the world that already recognize Parental Alienation as a diagnostic condition. As a recent example of this global shift, Spain's Psychological Association did so in 2008.

"P.A.D. is a widespread disorder that is little understood and warrants serious study and attention by the mental health and legal community.”, states Dr. Amy J. Baker, a highly respected researcher in the field of parental alienation and the author of peer reviewed articles and books on the subject.“Inclusion of P.A.D. in the A.P.A.'s diagnostic book will go a long way towards creating awareness and helping children and families affected by this disorder."

Parental Alienation Disorder has been defined as a mental condition in which a child, usually one whose parents are engaged in a high conflict divorce, allies himself or herself strongly with one parent, ( the preferred parent ), and rejects a relationship with the other parent, ( the alienated parent ), without legitimate justification. The child’s maladaptive behavior & refusal to see one of the parents is driven by the false belief that the alienated parent is a dangerous or an unworthy person.“

The C.S.P.A.S conference will take place in NYC on October 2^nd and 3^rd at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in the Stern Auditorium. This conference is specifically geared towards the interests of mental health and family law professionals, but is also open to the general public. To register for this conference you can visit the C.S.P.A.S. website at www.cspas.ca

"We expect approximately 600 mental health professionals to register and attend the conference and of course everyone has a common interest in updating their clinical understanding of parental alienation because of so many new patients being referred for treatment.” stated Founder of the C.S.P.A.S. - Joseph Goldberg at a recent press conference.

In 2009 the C.S.P.A.S conference made headlines around the globe including the front page of the National Post Newspaper, Canada's most widely circulated national daily publication. To register for this groundbreaking event, or learn more about C.S.P.A.S. please visit www.cspas.ca or call call 647-476-3170.

On July 26, a decision was handed down in the landmark court case Julea Ward vs. Roy Wilbanks et.al. The judge found for the defendant, Eastern Michigan University (EMU). Ms. Ward had been a graduate counseling student at Eastern Michigan University, but was dismissed from the program because she refused to counsel an assigned practicum client on the basis that he was homosexual. Ms. Ward then sued the university, accusing EMU of violating her first amendment right to religious freedom.

District Court Judge George Steeh ruled that EMU did not discriminate against Ms. Ward because of her religion. He stated that the counseling program was upholding the ethics standards of the profession as expressed through the ACA Code of Ethics and that refusal to counsel a client on the basis of sexual orientation was a clear violation of the non-discrimination section within the ACA ethics code. His ruling went on to state that: "The university is using the ACA Code of Ethics to govern students in exactly the same way they will be governed by practicing counselors." The decision is being appealed.

A similar case involving a counselor education student at the Augusta State University is currently moving through the judicial process. ACAeNews will keep readers apprised of those proceedings and the eventual outcome.