Personnel Issues in Healthcare and Education
(Complete Work Plan)
Issue 1
Acquisition of data and information on the underlying factors that lead to persistent vacancies for qualified speech-language pathologists and audiologists in educational and health care employment settings will facilitate development of actions to alleviate persistent vacancies.
Outcome 1: Increased availability of data and information on the underlying factors/root causes that lead to persistent vacancies.
Outcome 2: Availability of action plans to alleviate persistent vacancies based on knowledge of current data and information on the underlying factors that lead to persistent vacancies.
Issue 2
Persistent vacancies for qualified speech-language pathologists and audiologists in education and health care employment settings result in requests to lower state certification/licensure requirements for speech-language pathologists and audiologists and employment of less qualified individuals to provide services.
Outcome 1: A decreased number of state education and licensing agencies that initiate action to reduce state certification/licensure standards for speech-language pathologists and audiologists employed in education and health care settings.
Outcome 2: An increased number of education and health care agencies that use an enhanced salary and benefits package to recruit and retain qualified speech-language pathologists and audiologists.
Outcome 3: A decreased number of reported vacancies for audiologists and speech-language pathologists employed in education and health care employment settings. 
Evidence-Based Practice
(Complete Work Plan)
Issue
A robust and actively used high quality basic, applied, and efficacy research base in communication sciences and disorders, related fields of study, and related functions for the discipline and professions is essential to provide evidence-based clinical practice and quality clinical services and is important for the future of the professions.
Outcome 1: Increased knowledge of the availability and use of treatment efficacy and other research and the principles of evidence-based practices to provide clinical services in communication sciences and disorders in the United States.
Outcome 2: Increased funding from federal and non-federal sources for high quality research to support evidence-based practices.
Outcome 3: Increased amount and application of high quality research and evidence-based clinical practice in all areas of communication sciences and disorders across the scope of practices in audiology and speech-language pathology.
Outcome 4: Increased interaction and communication with researchers in communication sciences and disorders from other countries. 
Reimbursement in Health and Education
(Complete Work Plan)
Issue
Coverage rules, reimbursement rates, and federal, state, and local funding streams are increasingly affecting access to and scope of services provided by audiologists and speech-language pathologists in health an education settings.
Outcome 1: ASHA members will have access to information and tools to effectively negotiate with private health plans to ensure appropriate coverage criteria and equitable reimbursement rates.
Outcome 2: Increased number of employers that cover comprehensive speech-language pathology and audiology services in their health benefits package.
Outcome 3: ASHA members will have access to information and tools to help them effectively navigate state funded insurance programs (e.g., Medicaid, CHIPs) at the state and local level to ensure appropriate coverage criteria and equitable reimbursement rates.
Outcome 4: Increased advocacy for and use of public and private reimbursement systems/insurance programs that enhance the ability of consumers to receive quality programs and services by audiologists and speech-language pathologists.
Outcome 5: Increased reimbursement for audiologic rehabilitation services in federal and private insurance programs.
Outcome 6: Increased availability of information related to access for Federal, state, and local funding streams for programs and services in the schools. 
PhD Shortage in Higher Education
(Complete Work Plan)
Issue 1
There is a critical shortage and continuing attrition of PhD level faculty in higher education that will affect preparation of professionals as well as the conduct of research in communication sciences and disorders.
Outcome 1: Increased number of potential doctoral level teachers/researchers in personnel preparation programs to fill short term and long-term faculty vacancies in human communication sciences and disorders.
Outcome 2: Increased number of students recruited into the professions who continue their education to become teachers/researchers.
Outcome 3: Increased retention of doctoral-level faculty.
Outcome 4: Increased federal funding for doctoral program fellowships.
Issue 2
Tradition has limited the role of research instruction in all levels of the curriculum resulting in a lack of a coordinated academic culture and scientific/research personnel preparation experiences in the discipline that promote careers as teachers/researchers in higher education.
Outcome: Increased availability and use of new models of education applicable for all levels (undergraduate, master's, doctoral) and all types of programs (PhD granting and non-PhD granting
Issue 3
A coordinated data collection and dissemination system related to doctoral programs will facilitate the exchange of information on research training experiences, funding levels, scholarship activities, and on graduates who enter academia upon completing the PhD degree.
Outcome: Increased availability and use of a coordinated data collection and centralized mechanism for information dissemination on academic program characteristics, doctoral students, and new teachers/researchers in communication sciences and disorders.
For additional information related to ASHA's Focused Initiatives contact:
Stan Dublinske, Senior Advisor for Planning
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
sdublinske@asha.org
301-296-5707
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