ASHA Strategic Plan

Issue F

Fourth Quarter Progress Report (October - December)

Issue F: Facilitating Team Leader, Vic Gladstone

Issue F: The expectation that people of all nations worldwide will have access to quality, culturally competent speech-language pathology and audiology programs and services to achieve optimum communication abilities across their lifespan, requires encouraging mutual international collaboration efforts to set standards for registration/credentialing for experts in communication sciences and disorders worldwide while respecting each nation's models of education and professional practice.

Outcome 1: Increased recognition and adoption of ASHA certification and accreditation standards within the United States.

Strategies

1. By October 15, 2006, the State Advocacy unit will have disseminated information on states that have licensure/certification reciprocity for holders of ASHA's Certificates of Clinical Competence. [Completed]
2. By November 15, 2006, the State Advocacy unit will have disseminated a list of state and federal programs and agencies that recognize or use the ASHA Certificates of Clinical Competence and/or accreditation by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA) within the program or agency. [Completed]
3. By December 31, 2006, the State Advocacy unit will have promoted use of salary supplements for speech-language pathologists and audiologists who have the ASHA Certificate of Clinical Competence. [Completed]
4. By December 31, 2006 the Academic, Accreditation, Certification, and Ethical Issues Unit (AACEIU) in collaboration with other National Office units will have promoted the ASHA credentials to external audiences (e.g., U.S. Department of Education, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, state education agencies). [Completed]

Outcome 2: Increased understanding of registration/credential standards and their recognition among the United States/United Kingdom/Australia/Canada.

Strategies 2006

1. By March 1, 2006, the Certification Administration Team will have developed and provided information on implementation of the quadrilateral mutual recognition agreement including the processes for meeting ASHA standards under the agreement. [Completed]
2. By June 1, 2006, the Certification Administration Team will have disseminated information to promote the quadrilateral mutual recognition agreement among ASHA members. [Completed]

Outcome 3: Increased knowledge of the educational and registration/credential standards in other countries.

Strategies

1. By December 31, 2006, the Credentialing unit will have collected from countries that request to participate in a recognition agreement related to registration/credentialing of professionals detailed information on the educational requirements, registration/credential standards, and related processes to determine the feasibility of establishing such an agreement. [Completed]
2. By December 31, 2006, the Special Interest Division and International Liaison unit will have contacted selected countries with high standards to obtain information on their educational requirements and credential/registration standards and prepared a profile for each country that provides information. [Completed]

There are 8 strategies in the work plan for Issue F. Following is the status for the 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd, and 4^th quarters.