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For each of the 2006 Focused Initiatives, a work plan that includes the strategies to be completed in 2006 was developed. During the 2nd quarter of the year, the strategy implementation teams initiated activities necessary to complete the strategies by the dates indicated. View the 2006 work plan for each Focused Initiative. The following report highlights some of the actions that were initiated during the 2nd quarter and includes information on the status of all strategies included in the work plan at the end of the 2nd quarter.
2nd Quarter Highlights
- Obtained and compiled data on personnel in healthcare programs from Departments of Labor, Health Departments, Hospital Associations, and Early Intervention programs in selected states.
- In the process of identifying an external consultant to assist with the project to identify target states with persistent vacancies and personnel shortages.
- Seven states (AZ, ID, NH, TN, TX, UT and VA) determined to be most vulnerable to reductions in personnel qualifications for school-based SLPs are working with the Schools Personnel Issues Resource Team (SPIRT) to develop strategies for dealing with personnel issues. Three of the targeted states (Idaho, Tennessee, and Texas) were awarded ASHA state grants to pursue statewide efforts to maintain the master's degree standard in the state. Both AZ and NH passed legislative bills to regulate SLPA practice. Utah has become the 7th targeted state, with ASHA staff working with USHA to prepare testimony for an August BOE meeting in which the Board will debate the DOE’s proposal to allow BA level SLPs to practice independently.
- Grants have been provided to the state associations in ID, LA, OK, OR, TN, and TX to provide financial support to meet challenges related to reducing personnel qualifications.
- A presentation on "Solving Personnel Issues in Schools" was presented to approximately 40 state association leaders at the ASHA State Policy Workshop in Portland, Oregon.
- A session on "Recruitment Efforts That Work: Healthy Strategies for Finding and Keeping SLPs" was presented ASHA 2006 Schools Conference.
- The National Coalition on Personnel Shortages in Special Education and Related Services, a national coalition co-chaired by ASHA and the Personnel Center, housed at the National Association of State Directors of Special Education (NASDSE) met to discuss attrition across special education and related services professions.
- ASHA monitors the database used to identify legislative and regulatory actions taking place at the state level and works with state associations to deal with any critical issues that are identified. The database identified passage of successful salary supplement legislation in OK, RI, and WV was identified. ASHA assisted in the passage of this legislation.
There are 25 strategies in the Personnel Issues in Healthcare and Education work plan. Following is the status for the 1st and 2nd quarter.
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Quarter
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Not Started
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25% Complete
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50% Complete
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75% Complete
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100% Complete
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Eliminated
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1st
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9
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7
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5
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1
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3
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|
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2nd
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1
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6
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8
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5
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4
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1
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