Focused Initiatives

Personnel Issues in Healthcare and Education: 2007 Work Plan

Lemmie McNeilly, Chief Staff Officer for Speech-Language Pathology

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 personnel shortages/persistent vacancies.

Outcome 1: Increased availability of data and information on the underlying factors/root causes that lead to personnel shortages/persistent vacancies.

Strategies

1. By April 15, 2007, the Surveys and Information Team (SIT), in collaboration with staff from Academic Affairs, School Services, Audiology and Health Care, will have updated the attrition data reports based on 2006 information.
2. By Sept. 30, 2007, the Surveys and Information Team and Health Care Services will have developed questions for the 2007 Health Care Survey on shortages, attrition, and work conditions and published reports on the Web site.
3. By November 30, 2007, the Surveys and Information Team, in collaboration with staff from Academic Affairs, School Services, and Health Care, will gather data from former ASHA members and/or certificate holders on reasons for attrition and related information.
4. By December 2007, the Audiology cluster will have monitored the need for funded positions for educational audiologists within the schools and analyze underlying factors that lead to the lack of funded positions.

Outcome 2: Availability of action plans to alleviate personnel shortages/persistent vacancies based on knowledge of current data and information on the underlying factors that lead to personnel shortages/ persistent vacancies.

Strategies

1. By January 15, 2007, the Chief Staff Officer in Speech-Language Pathology will have filled one half-time position for schools issues to assist in carrying out the strategies associated with this Focused Initiative, as described throughout the work plan.
2. By January 15, 2007, a Schools Personnel Issues Resource and Information Team (SPIRIT), consisting of the Director, School Services; the Director, State & Consumer Advocacy; the Director, State Special Initiatives; and the Director, State Education Practices; and a cadre of expert member consultants will be formed to assure the execution of the school-related issues within this initiative, including multi-leveled work with states vulnerable for reducing personnel qualifications for school-based speech-language pathologists to carry out state and local advocacy activities to educate, recruit and retain qualified speech-language pathologists in education settings.
3. By January 31, 2007, will have filled a half time position for health care issues to carry out strategies associated with this Focused Initiative.
4. By April 30, 2007, the Health Care Services Team will have held a Focused Group at the Health Care Conference to discuss barriers to student supervision in health care settings and how to offer learning experiences and mentoring for individuals who have been out of the profession or who want to change practice to health care settings.
5. By June 30, 2007, the Health Care Services Team will have developed an action plan to follow up on recommendations resulting from the Focused Group.
6. By December 31, 2007, Health Care Services team in collaboration with Schools, and Academic, Accreditation, Certification, Ethical Issues Unit (AACEIU) will have implemented a campaign to increase awareness of the importance of volunteering to supervise student practicum, including Leader articles, Web resources, printed flyers of tips for supervisors and giveaways.
7. By December 31, 2007, staff in School Services in collaboration with Public Relations and the ASHA Web team will have updated and expanded the Web-based Schools Recruitment and Retention technical assistance packet, and promote this resource to ASHA members and related state and national professional associations.
8. By December 31, 2007, the Director of Surveys and Information, the Director of School Services, and Director of State Education Practices will have written and submitted an article on attrition and retention to LSHSS.
9. By December 31, 2007, the Health Care Services Team will have provided on request consultations or a presentation at state association meetings on the Focused Initiative, the action plan for health care and possible state initiatives.
10. By December 31, 2007 follow-up to Fall Forum (e.g., in a variety of areas including expansion of Web work with current CAA site visitors regarding acceptable program innovations; present at CAPCSD; feature Leader stories on innovative programs)

Issue 2: Personnel shortages/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.

Strategies

1. By April 1, 2007, the Director, State Association Relations, in consultation with the SPIRIT, will have developed a program for providing financial support to state speech-language-hearing associations to meet challenges related to reducing personnel qualifications and will distribute these funds to state associations that meet eligibility criteria of the program.
2. By June 1, 2007, the SPIRIT will have provided training for state association leaders on how to deal with state action to reduce personnel qualifications and to advocate for the use of qualified personnel to provide audiology and speech-language pathology services and maintain the Master’s requirement for school-based speech-language pathologists.
3. By October 15, 2007, the Director, State & Consumer Advocacy in collaborations with Public Relations and Web team will have coordinated development of a Web-based state action kit that includes advocacy and public relations materials related to supporting the use of qualified personnel to provide audiology and speech-language pathology services.
4. By December 31, 2007, the SPIRIT will have conducted training and provided ongoing coordination of a cadre of expert member consultants to help mobilize state associations and assist SPIRIT in providing information and technical assistance on how to deal with efforts to reduce personnel qualifications in the states, including providing on-site assistance and testimony.
5. By December 31, 2007, the SPIRIT will have conducted meetings of the National Coalition on Personnel Shortages in Special Education and Related Services in order to develop materials, disseminate information on causes and possible solutions to the shortages and engage in advocacy activities.
6. By December 31, 2007, the Director of State Legislative and Regulatory Advocacy will have coordinated the monitoring of a state legislative tracking system to identify legislative and regulatory efforts to lower standards of school-based speech-language pathologists and will notify the SPIRIT team, state speech-language-hearing associations, and the coordinator of the SEALs.

Outcome 2: An increased number of education and health care agencies that use an enhanced salary and benefits package as well as better working conditions to recruit and retain qualified speech-language pathologists and audiologists.

Strategies

1. By Dec. 31, 2007 the Health Care Services unit will have updated state based information to at least 5 state associations on health care shortages and potential stakeholders within their state.
2. By December 31, 2007, the SPIRIT and/or the Health Care Services Team will have conducted sessions and/or showcased displays at the ASHA Schools Conference and/or ASHA convention related to personnel issue.
3. By December 31, 2007, SPIRIT will have collaborated with key national school administrator associations (e.g., NCTQ, NAESP, CASE) to share attrition data and provide strategies for retention of qualified personnel, including workload and salary supplements, through such vehicles as presentations and newsletter articles.
4. By December 31, 2007, the Director of State Special Initiatives and the Director of State Association Relations will revise the current Salary Supplement Guide as a web-based resource for inclusion on the ASHA web site in consultation with the web team.

Outcome 3: A decreased number of reported vacancies for audiologists and speech-language pathologists employed in education and health care employment settings.

Strategies

1. By December 31, 2007, the Health Care Services team in collaboration with Academic Affairs will have developed resources to support first time practicum supervisors in health care settings.
2. By December 1, 2007, the Director of State Association Relations, in consultation with the SPIRIT, will work with state speech-language hearing associations to develop and maintain state advisory groups of related service providers, consumer groups and parent networks, and other decision makers to work on issues related to the shortage of qualified personnel including recruitment and retention strategies and to advocate for the use of qualified personnel in schools.
3. By December 1, 2007, the Director of State Association Relations, in consultation with the SPIRIT, will develop and offer a video conferencing grassroots advocacy training program for state speech-language-hearing associations to assist states in addressing the legislative and regulatory challenges surrounding the issue of the use of qualified personnel and the maintenance of standards.
4. By December 31, 2007, a team from the Membership and Professional Practices units will continue the Reward Yourself campaign to make members aware of recruitment materials and provide an incentive ($50 voucher toward an ASHA product/service) to members who give a presentation about the professions to students in schools (K-12) or universities.