ASHA Strategic Plan

Issue E

Fourth Quarter (Final) Progress Report
October - December 2007

Facilitating Team Leader: Lemmie McNeilly, Chief Staff Officer for Speech-Language Pathology

Issue E—Increased international exchange of professional knowledge, information, and education related to ethics, clinical practice, and supervision/clinical education in communication sciences and disorders will require a variety of dissemination, communication, educational, and professional practice delivery systems.

Outcome 1: Increased awareness by ASHA members of the Association's value-added programs, services, and resources available to assist them in serving clients.

Strategies

1. By December 31, 2007, the AUD and SLP units will have continued to promote and disseminate descriptions of ASHA programs, services, and resources to members and external audiences, including international members, via Web material, journal publications, media interviews, Access Audiology, Access SLP Health Care, Access Schools, Access Academics & Research, The ASHA Leader articles, presentations, etc. [Completed]
2. By December 31, 2007, ASHA Professional Development in collaboration with the AUD and SLP units will have hosted the 2007 Audiology Conference, Schools Conference, Health Care conference, and other professional development events to disseminate information important to the services and resources that are available to ASHA members for treating patients and clients from different culturally and ethnically diverse populations. [Completed]
3. By December 31, 2007, the SIDIL unit will have worked with the special interest divisions to promote the value-added benefit of belonging to the special interest divisions to both ASHA members, who are not division affiliates, as well as international affiliate members. [Completed]

Outcome 2: Increased use of telehealth/telepractices to provide clinical services within the United States.

Strategies

1. By December 31, 2007, GRPP in collaboration with the Professional Practices units will have disseminated advocacy resources on telepractice (DVD, brochure, policy documents) to advocate with federal and state agencies and other national and state organizations to promote recognition of and reimbursement for the use of telepractice. [Completed]
2. By December 31, 2007, the State Advocacy team will have monitored opportunities to promote access to audiology and speech-language pathology by means of telepractice to remote-site health and education settings in state legislation and regulation. [Completed]
3. By December 31, 2007, a staff member from GRPP will attend the 2007 Telehealth Leadership Conference and a staff member from the Professional Practices units will have disseminated materials at the 2007 American Telemedicine Association annual meeting. [Completed]
4. By December 31, 2007, the GRPP unit will have worked with Congress and federal and state agencies to have the speech-language pathology and audiology professions recognized as reimbursable specialties in the area of telehealth/telepractice. [Completed]
5. By December 31, 2007, the Academic Affairs team will have promoted the availability of ASHA resources to all academic programs in CSD to foster acquisition of knowledge and skills in the area of telehealth/telepractices. [Completed]

Outcome 3: Increased interchange of professional knowledge and information among communication sciences and disorders professionals from different nations.

Strategies

1. By November 15, 2007, the Director, Convention and Meetings unit will have promoted the 2007 ASHA Convention to the international community. [Completed]
2. By December 31, 2007, the Professional Practices and SIDIL units will have prepared and posted on the ASHA Web site a list of international meetings related to CSD and related areas that will be held in North America. [Completed]
3. By December 31, 2007, the Publications team will have invited an international author to write a review of 'science' in that field from an international perspective for publication in The ASHA Leader. [Completed]
4. By December 31, 2007, the Chief Staff Officer for Speech-Language Pathology will have communicated with professionals from at least three different nations regarding professional information in CSD. [Completed]
5. By December 31, 2007, the AUD unit will contribute content for the 2007-2008 International Society of Audiology meeting. [Completed]
6. By December 31, 2007, the SIDIL unit will have worked with the special interest divisions to conduct and/or contribute to conferences and professional development programs and resources that are accessible to international audiences. [Completed]
7. By December 31, 2007, the Membership team will have worked with other National Office units and ASHA leadership to identify strategies aimed at restructuring the international membership category to include more regular membership benefits to ASHA's international colleagues. [Completed]
8. By December 31, 2007, the Publications team will have continued coverage of international experiences of ASHA members. [Completed]

Outcome 4: Increased knowledge of the systems available to provide education, clinical practices, and supervision related to communication sciences and disorders worldwide.

Strategies

1. By April 1, 2007, the SIDIL, Convention and Meetings, Academic Affairs, and the Scientific and Research Development units will have planned special activities for the 2007 ASHA Convention related to international issues and for convention participants from other countries. [Completed]
2. By September 1, 2007, the Chief Staff Officer for Speech-Language Pathology in collaboration with the International Issues Board will have developed a plan for reviewing information related to CSD worldwide. [Completed]
3. By December 31, 2007, Chief Staff Officer for Speech-Language Pathology representing ASHA as a member of the international governance on terminology group will have developed a recommended strategic plan related to universal terminology for discussion with the Executive Board. [Completed]
4. By December 31, 2007, OMA and the SIDIL unit will update and maintain resources to provide technical assistance re: international service delivery, opportunities in other countries, etc. [Completed]

Outcome 5: Determined the feasibility of holding an ASHA initiated joint international conference on communication sciences and disorders outside of the United States.

Strategy

• By December 31, 2007, the Chief Staff Officer for Speech-Language Pathology in collaboration with the International Issues Board will have developed recommendations for joint international conferences. [Completed]

There are 21 strategies in the work plan for Issue E. Following is the status for the 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd, and 4^th quarters.