2003: Great Beginnings…and Endings
2003 marked the end of many wonderful accomplishments for the Association. Fred Spahr retired after more than 23 years as ASHA's Executive Director. Three Focused Initiatives that started in 2001 also ended. But, 2003 also marked the beginning of continue promise and progress for ASHA. Arlene Pietranton was named the Association's third Executive Director. ASHA also celebrated the Year of the Volunteer to recognize the tireless commitment of those members who volunteer so much of their time and effort to ASHA and other activities. But, 2003 also marked the beginning to many promising ASHA work activities such as the Focused Initiative on Health Care Reimbursement. As you can see, 2003 had so many great beginnings and endings. Read on for some of the highlights of the past year and the products created by your Association for you in 2003.
ASHA Focused Initiatives: 2003
2003 brought to an end the 2001–2003 work on three Focused Initiatives related to (1) Culturally/Linguistically Diverse Populations, (2) School-Based Programs and Services, and, (3) Web-based and Advanced Technology—Telepractices and Web Portal. Work began on a new Focused Initiative on Health Care Reimbursement, which will continue in 2004. A complete report on all of the accomplishments for each Focused Initiative in 2003 is available.
Some of the major accomplishments for these initiatives included:
Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Populations
ASHA's Focused Initiative on Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Populations has two outcomes: greater representation of racial/ethnic minorities in the professions and ASHA's membership, and the provision of culturally and linguistically appropriate services to multicultural populations. Activities undertaken in 2003 to achieve these outcomes included:
- Developing a CD-ROM titled "African American English: Structure and Clinical Implications;" and self-study instructional videotapes and manuals on "Cultural Competence in Audiology Practice" and "Working with Interpreters to Serve Bilingual Children and Families."
- Continuing the multi-year awareness campaign to recruit racial/ethnic minority students into the professions. This included print ads, Web banner ads, and posters to promote the professions to African American and Latino populations. The campaign targeted historically Black colleges and universities, Hispanic serving institutions, and other selected colleges/universities with large African American and Latino populations.
- Developing a number of tools for assisting members in the delivery of services to multicultural populations, including the development of a brochure on bilingual language development for parents/consumers and the translation/adaptation of current ASHA brochures Audiology Hear for a Lifetime, Noise: Bad for Your Hearing, Bad for Your Health, and Communication for a Lifetime.
Learn more about ASHA's Office of Multicultural Affairs and its resoures.
Schools
ASHA's three outcomes related to the 2001–2003 Focused Initiative on School-Based Programs and Services include caseload size related to workload activities, salary supplements for school-based ASHA members, and implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Strategies in 2003 to achieve these outcomes included:
- Working with and providing funding for selected state speech-language hearing associations to obtain salary supplements for speech-language pathologists employed in the schools and to implement a workload analysis process for determining caseload size.
- Working with the State Education Action Team (SEAT) and five targeted states—Oklahoma, Virginia, West Virginia, Kansas, and Rhode Island—on workload/caseload and salary supplement. The targeted states have been moving forward with their legislative and regulatory agendas, increasing active participation of their state association membership, and creating greater visibility for their issues.
- Working with the Kansas Speech-Language-Hearing Association and Kansas school districts to pilot and implement activities related to ASHA document titled, A Workload Analysis for Establishing Speech-Language Caseload Standards in the Schools.
- Developing a video- and audio-enhanced document on successful, member initiated, advocacy initiatives. The document will be placed on the ASHA Web site for access by members.
- Awarding grants to Indiana, Nevada, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, and West Virginia state speech-language-hearing associations to initiate salary supplement activities and a grant was awarded to the Kansas Speech-Language-Hearing-Association to work on caseload/workload issues.
Learn more about ASHA's School Services and its resoures.
Technology
- Redesigning the ASHA Web site based on an ASHA Web usability and accessibility study completed by ASHA members.
- Awarding grants to organizations that have successfully implemented telehealth/telepractices programs to develop materials that will showcase their telehealth program for ASHA members who wish to initiate a telehealth program.
- Developing an instructional module on how to advocate/negotiate for private health plan coverage for speech-language pathology and audiology services and a "how to" checklist to encourage and help members approach their employers about including speech-language pathology/audiology services in their insurance coverage.
Learn more about telepractice.
Health Care Reimbursement
ASHA's four outcomes related to the Focused Initiative on Health Care Reimbursement include information and tools to effectively negotiate with private health plans, an increased number of employers who cover comprehensive speech-language pathology and audiology services in their health benefits package, an increase in the number of states introducing legislation that mandates appropriate coverage of audiology and speech-language pathology services, and information and tools to effectively navigate state funded insurance programs at the state and local level to ensure appropriate coverage criteria and equitable reimbursement rates. Strategies in 2003 to achieve these outcomes included:
- Developing an instructional module on how to advocate/negotiate for private health plan coverage for speech-language pathology and audiology services.
- Updating actuarial information regarding the per member, per month average costs for covering audiology and speech-language pathology services in health plans.
- Developing a database to track coverage and reimbursement policies of health plans, insurers, and employers for use in developing a Healthcare Report Card.
- Developing the State Advocates for Reimbursement (STARS) network. Forty states plus the District of Columbia have appointed a representative. A reimbursement boot camp was held in May for the STARs. A listserve and community forum has been established.
- Developing model bills for mandated insurance coverage for hearing aids for children, mandated coverage of speech-language pathology and audiology services, and mandated offering of services.
Learn more about ASHA's Billing and Reimbursement resources.
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Audiology
- Access Audiology is in its second year with over 26,000 subscribers. This ASHA member benefit is dedicated to the specific needs of audiologists. To subscribe, e-mail your name and membership number to AccessAudiology@asha.org.
- A new scope of practice passed to reflect the changes occurring in audiology and the larger health care area. Read a story from the ASHA Leader about the impact of the scope of practice.
- ASHA also worked with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) to allow the diagnostic analysis and subsequent reprogramming of a cochlear implant to be performed in an audiologist's private office. Effective July 1st, private practice audiologists can directly bill and receive Medicare reimbursement for cochlear implant analysis and reprogramming (CPT codes 92601, 92602, 92603 and 92604).
- The "Medicare Audiologic Rehabilitation Act of 2003" (H.R. 3464) was introduced in Congress and would amend the Social Security Act and provide for audiologic rehabilitation services by qualified audiologists under Medicare. The legislation seeks to allow Medicare recipients to receive audiologic rehabilitation services that enhance the effectiveness of and benefit from hearing devices, such as cochlear implants or hearing aids, as well as interventions to alleviate hearing disorders, such as tinnitus.
- According to new data from the National Center for Hearing Assessment and Management (NCHAM), ASHA's goal to have at least 90% of all newborns in the U.S. screened for hearing loss by 2005 will be met a year ahead of time. Access the statistics for each state in the NCHAM report. ASHA also convened a meeting of federal agencies, and professional and consumer organizations to consider the next steps to ensure appropriate diagnosis and early intervention services. To date, over one half of the infants diagnosed with hearing loss are not enrolled in early intervention programs by 6 months of age.
- In an effort to raise awareness about Auditory Processing Disorders to other organizations and audiences, ASHA wrote an article for Pediatric Development and Behavior online.
- To raise awareness among consumers and physicians about the profession of audiology, ASHA exhibited at Self-Help for the Hard of Hearing (SHHH) and American Academcy of Pediatrics (AAP).
- A national public awareness campaign was developed that focused on noise above 85 decibels and the need to curb noise exposure for prolonged periods, to avoid noises above 85 decibels, and to, while raiseing awareness about the professions. It included television, radio, and print public service ads as well as airport dioramas. Thus far, the campaign has received more than $3.4 million in free publicity for the Association.
Learn more about Audiology resources and activities.
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Speech-Language Pathology
- Conducted the Annual Schools Conference in Anaheim, CA that 700 school-based clinicians attended. The conference featured evidence-based approaches for assessment and intervention in reading and writing, and strategies to build literacy skills and empower students with language learning disabilities to write.
Learn about the 2004 Schools Conference and other ASHA SLP School Team activities.
- ASHA's Clinical Issues Team was busy in 2003 developing more than 12 documents on a variety of subjects including early intervention, speech and language development, and cognitive-communication disorders.
Learn more about ASHA's Speech-Language Pathology resources and activities.
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Science and Research
- The Association's survey efforts updated information on professional salaries, caseload characteristics, practice trends, and other data.
- ASHA sponsored a research symposium and conference in 2003. The 13th Annual NIDCD-Sponsored Research Symposium on Outcomes Research and Evidence-Based Practice provided information and stimulated research on emerging topics in communication sciences and disorders (CSD) with important clinical implications. The 2003 Research Conference entitled "Research in Communication Sciences and Disorders: Lessons for Success," was conducted for individuals in the beginning stages of their research career development. It included sessions on grant writing, the publication process, and research ethics.
- The Communication Sciences & Disorders Clinical Trials Research Group began a new randomized clinical trial, "Comparison of Two Therapies for UES Dysphagia" with Drs. Reza Shaker and Jeri Logemann as co-principal investigators. Personnel from another clinical trial, Protocol 201, are beginning to look at early data to identify possible risk factors for liquid aspiration.
Get more data, research, and grant information.
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Government Relations and Public Policy
- ASHA and other rehabilitation groups were successful in persuading Congress to reenact a moratorium on the Medicare outpatient therapy cap that was signed into law on December 8, 2003 and extends through December 31, 2005.
- Audiologists and speech-language pathologists within the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will now be given hybrid "Title 38" status that permits a more streamlined recruitment and hiring process for professional personnel and increases the VA's ability to compete with the private sector for personnel. This provision was part of the Department of Veterans Affairs Long-Term Care and Personnel Authorities Enhancement Act of 2003 (S.1156) that was signed into law by President Bush on December 8, 2003.
- Congress included a legislative change to the conversion factor of the Medicare fee schedule by suspending a 4.5 % reduction in overall 2004 reimbursement rates and instead increasing the conversion factor by 6% to a 1.5 % increase over the 2003 rate.
- ASHA continued its campaign for IDEA funding, as Congressional negotiators have reached a deal on a fiscal year (FY) 2004 spending bill that would give the Education Department $56 billion, an increase of $2.9 billion over last year and President Bush's request.
Learn more about the ASHA Government Relations, the associations advocacy activities, and general federal issues.
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Media Relations
Public relations staff worked with reporters to raise awareness about communication disorders and gain visibility for the professions. The following are highlights:
- Parents: Parenting magazine and their Web site featured online resources for special babies and included a section on hearing loss. The magazine featured an article on the meaning of a baby's first sounds as well as speech and language milestones.
- Noise: In the spring with the launching of ASHA's PSA campaign on hearing health, outreach to the media resulted in numerous placements on noise and hearing loss. Articles appeared in the Newark Star Ledger, Minneapolis Star Tribune, Detroit Free Press, St. Petersburg Times, Occupational Health and Safety, the Seattle Times, Occupational Hazards, and the Spanish-language syndicated column, "Hispanos Salud" ("Hispanic Health"). Associated Press highlighted a story about a new pill that may be able to reduce noise-induced hearing loss, which appeared in the newspapers and Web sites of more than 70 publications and news services.
- Multicultural Outreach: To reach out to consumers in culturally and linguistically diverse populations, ASHA staff contacted members of Latino and African American media resulting in articles in Black Collegian, Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education, El Nuevo Herald, El Sentinel, El Diario/La Prensa, Hoy, and La Raza.
- Additional articles promoting the professions and awareness of communication disorders also appeared in the Los Angeles Times, Tampa Tribune, the Phoenix Arizona Republic, the Houston Chronicle,The Washington Post, and online health care sites, such as HealthScout and WebMD.
Learn more about the ASHA's media outreach efforts.
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Certification Maintenance
- The Council for Clinical Certification (CFCC) finalized the Knowledge and Skills Assessment (KASA) form and distributed it to all communication sciences and disorders programs. The KASA provides programs with a tool to use in verifying student attainment of the knowledge and skills delineated in the new certification standards. Additionally, the CFCC revised and updated implementation language for the new standards to address questions that had been received from students and program directors.
- The requirement for continuing professional development began on January 1, 2003 for all audiologists certified prior to 1980. ASHA expects over 15,000 certified audiologists to comply with the new standard to demonstrate their participation in professional development activities during the next three years. Approximately 90,000 certified speech-language pathologists are expected to comply with the requirement when it begins on January 1, 2005.
Learn more about ASHA's certification and membership efforts.
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Publications
- The ASHA Leader continued to garner awards and expand its circulation in 2003. The major features from the 22 issues of the Leader are online at
- At year-end, ASHA's Web site contained a five-year archive of the four ASHA scholarly journals available to all members. Members may choose to search individual journals or include the journals in a search of the entire site. Check out
Learn more about ASHA's publications.
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Exhibits
- To raise awareness of the professions, ASHA exhibited at 11 professional and trade association conventions reaching more than 200,000 consumers, physicians, health plan administrators, school board members, educators, scientists, and administrators. To learn about other ways ASHA markets and promotes the professions, go to the Marketing Your Service portion of the ASHA Web site.
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National Student Speech Language Hearing Association (NSSLHA)
- The National Student Speech Language Hearing Association, raised $17,783.34 for Communication Independence for the Neurologically Impaired (CINI) the recipients of the 2002– 2003 "NSSLHA Loves" campaign.
- NSSLHA also awarded $1,000 in grants to NSSLHA chapters to conduct educational seminars, workshops, and conferences for students in CSD programs.
- The first "NSSLHA Day at the 2003 ASHA Convention" included a day of programming targeted specifically at students and with 1,700 in attendance, attracted a record of number of students to the Convention.
Learn more about NSSLHA.
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American Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation
- Raised $1,942,000 since the launch of the $2 million Dreams and Possibilities Campaign goal to fund high priority research and doctoral scholarship initiatives.
- Raised over $300,000 for the Foundation's annual program from individuals, corporations, service organizations, and special event fund-raisers.
- Presented awards to 40 individuals in support of groundbreaking research investigations, research travel stipends, doctoral and master's education, and clinical developments. Recipients were selected from over 400 applicants.
- Disbursed $165,000 to fund the Foundation's current project, grant, scholarship, and research partnership awards.
- Funded the inaugural New Century Scholars Program to grant seven $10,000 grants for support of teacher-investigator careers in 2003.
- Involved over 120 volunteers to assist Foundation trustees and staff with charitable fund-raising and annual award review and selection processes.
Visit the ASHFoundation Web site, and learn how to help strengthen our American Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation or find out about its activities.
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Continuing Education
- Had a significant increase in the number of ASHA-Approved CE providers and courses offered by ASHA CE Providers. Find a CE provider.
- Per member request, developed a new CE Participant scan form that uses ASHA account number instead of social security number.
- Rolled out new opportunities for members to earn ASHA CEUs through the formation of Journal Study Groups.
- Developed new opportunities for members to earn ASHA CEUs through preparing and providing instruction, taking academic credit, publishing in a peer-reviewed publication, and learning related to clinical fellow supervision.
Learn more about ASHA's Continuing Education.
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ASHA Resources Created in 2003
ASHA continually strives to provide the membership with the most comprehensive professional products and services. In this vein, ASHA's staff, elected officials, and volunteers created more than 125 new resources last year for the membership to access—the most in the industry. Just look at what we accomplished for you in 2003. (Note that some of the resources listed below may have a cost associated with them.)
Audiology
Practice Policy Documents
Better Hearing and Speech Month
- Visit ASHA's BHSM pages for sample press releases, fact sheets, resolutions, activity book, screen saver, public service announcements, and proclamations.
- Giveaway items to promote BHSM
Certification Products
Consultation Packets
Information Packets
Professional Development Self Study Products for ASHA CEUs
(Visit "Take a Course from ASHA" for more information or to order)
Journal Self Studies
- Autism Spectrum Disorders: Evidence-Based Intervention
Item #0112581 (0.2 ASHA CEUs)
- Autism Spectrum Disorder: The Context of SLP Intervention
Item #0112580 (0.6 ASHA CEUs)
- Toward An Understanding of Literacy Issues in Multicultural School-Age Populations
Item #0112489 (0.5 ASHA CEUs)
- Compression Amplification in Hearing Aids
Item #0112579 (0.4 ASHA CEUs)
- Perspectives in the Assessment of Children's Speech
Item #0112546 (0.4 ASHA CEUs)
Video Self Studies
- Working With Interpreters to Serve Bilingual Children and Families
Item #0112482 (0.2 ASHA CEUs)
- Cultural Contexts for Early Intervention: Working With Families
Item #0112484 (0.2 ASHA CEUs)
- Meeting The Needs of Adolescents With Language Disorders
Item #0112488 (0.3 ASHA CEUs)
- FEES: Fiberoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing
Item #0112480 (0.2 ASHA CEUs)
- Cultural Competence in Audiology Practice
Item #0112485 (0.2 ASHA CEUs)
- SWAL-QOL and SWAL-Care Outcome Tools for Dysphagia
Item #0112481 (0.2 ASHA CEUs)
CD Rom Self Study
- African American English: Structure and Clinical Implications
Item #0112483 (0.4 ASHA CEUs)
Audio Self Studies
- The Pragmatics of Teaming
Item #0112550 (0.2 ASHA CEUs)
- Educationally Relevant Assessments
Item #0112548 (0.2 ASHA CEUs)
Self-Study Web Workshops
- OAEs From A-Z (1.2 CEUs)
- Auditory Evoked Potentials: Introduction and Basic Principles (0.2 CEUs)
- Electrocochleography (0.3 CEUs)
Patient Education
Let's Talk
Visit "Shop ASHA" to order.
- Let's Talk Speech and Language Development and Disorders: Children and Adolescents. Item #0112628
- Let's Talk Audiology: Patient Education Newsletter and Audiograms. Item #0112487
New Brochures
Go to the brochures section of "Shop ASHA" to order.
- Noise: Bad for Your Hearing. Bad for Your Health (Spanish-Language). Item #0210345
- Getting Ready for Reading and Writing. Item #0210342
- Learning Two Languages. (English) Item #0112544; (Spanish-Language) Item #0112545
New Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Brochures:
- Voice Disorders. Item #0210115
- Tinnitus. Item #0210119
- Assistive Listening Devices. Item #0210132
- Stuttering. Item #0210111
- Speech Sound Disorders. Item #0210113
- Child Language. Item #0210116
- Adult Aphasia. Item #0210114
Posters
Go to the posters section of "Shop ASHA" to order.
- Getting Ready for Reading and Writing Poster. Item #0112547
- Keep An Eye On Your Ears Poster. Item #0112587
Reference Books
Research
Speech-Language Pathology Practice Policy Resources
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Online Survey- ASHA 2003 Year in Review
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