- The Graduate School Fair at the ASHA Convention, cosponsored by ASHA and NSSLHA, attracted 65 academic programs from across the country and a record number of 1,200 students and professionals. Faculty and students connected on a personal level in this 2-day event and shared information about master's or doctoral programs.
- The Higher Education Data System (HES) is a Web-based, centralized system for data collection and dissemination pertaining to academic programs in communication sciences and disorders (CSD). In 2007, ASHA launched the Graduate Guide Survey, the CAPCSD Demographic Survey, and the Joint ASHA-CAPCSD Research Doctoral Survey via the HES.
- EDFIND, an online search engine for CSD programs, is a component of the HES and replaces the online Guide to Graduate Education. In 2007, ASHA launched EDFIND, which provides customizable search options for master's and doctoral level programs in CSD.
- The Focused Initiative on the PhD Shortage in Higher Education (2004-2007) [PDF], ASHA's multiyear initiative, officially concluded after having accomplished a plethora of activities addressing recruitment, retention, new models of education, and advocacy. Many programs started under this focused initiative will continue in 2008 and beyond.
- The Council for Clinical Specialty Recognition completed a 2-year evaluation of the specialty recognition program in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the current grassroots model in meeting the needs of practitioners who wish to be recognized for advanced professional development, experience, knowledge, and skills.
- The Quality Indicators for Integration of Clinical Practice and Research: Program Self Assessment pilot program was launched in 2007 in collaboration with Special Interest Divisions 10: Issues in Higher Education and 11: Administration and Supervision. Seven academic programs participated in the pilot program and submitted their results using the Web-based resource.
- MARC, the ASHA Gathering Place's newest online mentoring program, enrolled 103 participants in its second year. MARC targets new faculty, PhD students, and postdoctoral scholars; those interested may enroll at the start of the academic year.
- Raised more than $600,000 from individuals, corporations, service organizations, and special events that included an annual charity golf benefit, conference fundraisers, Convention raffle, and live auction.
- Reached a $2 million Dreams and Possibilities Campaign goal to fund high-priority research and doctoral scholarship initiatives.
- Selected 45 individuals from more than 300 applicants to receive $1,500-$10,000 grants, scholarships, and recognition awards (a total of nearly $195,000), and recognized them at the annual Founders Breakfast with 300 attendees.
- Funded the 5th year of the New Century Scholars Program [PDF], which provides $10,000 grants to support teacher-investigator careers, and received notice of congressional funding of $268,000 in support of the 2008 New Century Scholars doctoral scholarship program.
- Conducted a study-section model of research grant review in which senior reviewers mentored less-experienced reviewers.
- Represented ASHA at meetings of national coalitions and public and private agencies: Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI), National Hearing Conservation Association (NHCA), Military Audiology Association (MAA), National Academy of Future Doctors of Audiology (NAFDA), American Academy Audiology (AAA), Educational Audiology Association (EAA), AARP, Academy of Rehabilitative Audiology (ARA), American Auditory Society (AAS), American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA).
- Published Audiology Connections, an annual "year in review" that highlights the audiology-related activities accomplished by National Office staff and is distributed to all CCC-As and graduate programs in audiology, and published six issues of Access Audiology, all archived on the audiology/audiologist Web site.
- Joint committee work included the 2007 Joint Committee on Infant Hearing (JCIH) Position Statement; a special presentation by committee members at the ASHA Convention in Boston; and an ASHA/CDC joint project, "Early Hearing Detection & Intervention (EHDI): Can Your Baby Hear?" [PDF] podcast.
- Created Web pages on audiology FAQs, classroom acoustic resources, hearing conservation for children, quality improvement for audiologists, and patient education materials.
- Maintained CE Registry cumulative transcripts for 166,000 individuals
- Awarded more than 110,000 ASHA CEUs and issued more than 9,500 CE Registry transcripts
- Reviewed and registered 15,245 courses for ASHA CEUs offered by 504 ASHA CE providers
- Issued more than 3,000 Awards for Continuing Education (ACE)
- Responded to more than 13,500 phone calls for technical assistance
- Set up a toll-free number so CE providers could fax Activity Report forms and CE participant forms to ASAH CE
- Developed a revised online, user friendly, and time-saving CE Provider Application.
- Launched the new Course Search on the ASHA Web site to provide members with easier access and searches for ASHA CE approved courses by date, geographic location, and topic areas.
- Launched BookTalk in early 2007, and more than 130 groups had formed by December.
- Launched Club 500 at the November Convention to celebrate the advent of over 500 CE Providers
Convention and Meetings
- Annual Convention was held November 15-17 in Boston, with more than 13,000 attendees and exhibitors.
- More than 1,500 Convention program sessions were presented; 7,136 attendees received CEUs for sessions they attended.
- The Convention featured an Exhibit Hall with 450 booths, a large Career Fair, and a Graduate Information area.
- Approximately 2,500 people attended the Convention General Opening Session, which featured a salute to the National Student Speech Language Hearing Association's (NSSLHA) 35th anniversary. Nicole Borrelli and Mark Campbell, AuD students at Northeastern University, discussed the Association's milestones. The keynote speaker following President Noma Anderson's address was Erin Gruwell, who was the subject of a recent movie titled The Freedom Writers.
- Over 3,000 people attended the Awards Ceremony, which featured the Honors of the Association, the Fellows, and many other awards. The Annie Glenn Award was presented to Lee and Bob Woodruff, who shared not only about Bob's recovery from traumatic brain injury suffered while on assignment in Iraq, but also about their daughter who was born with a severe hearing loss.
- Implemented the revised 2008 Accreditation Standards and integrated them into all accreditation activities (e.g., training, educational, and consultation opportunities with academic programs; updates to resources and incorporation of revised standards expectations into the design specs for the CAA instruments in HES).
- Completed the design of both the Application for Accreditation and the CAA Annual Report by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA) within the Higher Education Data System (HES), an innovative online system that allows academic programs in communication sciences and disorders to input their responses to surveys, applications, and annual reports directly into the HES through a Web-based interface.
- As part of the Accreditation Quality Management System (adopted in 2005), fielded an online survey to collect feedback about the accreditation program (including its policies, procedures, forms, and standards) from relevant accreditation stakeholders, namely accredited academic program directors, faculty, CAA site visitors, and accreditation program staff. Results of the survey were analyzed and used to identify several areas for ongoing focus and improvement in 2008 as part of the CAA's ongoing commitment to quality.
- Completed the restructuring of the CAA Candidacy Program for newly developing programs, including aligning all reporting forms with the 2008 Standards for Accreditation.
- Completed the Audiology Practice Analysis and Curriculum Study, and forwarded the final report to the CAA and the Council for Clinical Certification in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CFCC) to determine if changes are warranted in the accreditation standards or certification requirements.
- In the year-end 2007 Medicare legislation, successfully advocated to delay the scheduled expiration of the therapy cap exceptions process for 6 months; replaced a scheduled 10% cut with a 0.5% increase in the Medicare fee schedule through June 2008; and prevented full implementation of the "75% rule," securing a permanent freeze at the level of 60% for inpatient rehabilitation facilities.
- Successfully advocated for increased funding for EHDI federal programs by roughly $2 million.
- Secured a $268,000 Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) grant from the U.S. Department of Education for the American Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation's New Century Scholars program [PDF] to help mitigate CSD doctoral shortages.
- Gained acceptance for professional work values for audiologists' services under the Medicare fee schedule by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
- Successfully advocated with the National Business Group on Health (NBGH) to include speech-language services for children with developmental disorders and audiology services in its recommended minimum health benefits.
- Successfully lobbied for the U.S. House of Representatives to pass legislation recognizing SLP supplier status under the Medicare Part B outpatient program (with the U.S. Senate planning to consider the legislation in spring 2008), and to pass legislation identifying school-based audiology and speech-language pathology as areas of "national need" and eligible for loan forgiveness of up to $10,000 for 5 years of service in high-need schools.
- As part of the final year of the Focused Initiative on Personnel Issues, conducted a successful campaign to promote the benefits of supervising students in practicum placements. Developed new resources on supervision. A raffle was held to encourage members to access information on supervision.
- Developed the 2007 Health Care Survey, which received a record-high response rate. Full results of the survey are available, as well as trend reports on salaries, caseload characteristics, and private practice. Results indicated positive changes in the work environment and salaries compared with the 2005 survey.
- Posted new policy documents, developed by ASHA committees, on apraxia, acquired brain injury, and dysphagia in schools.
- Hosted ASHA Health Care 2007 (with concurrent tracks on dysphagia, adult neurogenics, and pediatrics) with a new Business Institute. Acting Surgeon General Kenneth Moritsugu delivered the keynote address to an audience of more than 600 SLPs. The 2008 conference will be held in St. Louis on April 5-6.
- Added new Web resources, including information on medical record retention and on infection control, and results of the attrition survey [PDF]. New and updated resources were added to Web pages on swallowing (including videofluoroscopy and endoscopy), AAC, autism, early intervention, and private practice.
- US News & World Report named audiology and speech-language pathology two of the top careers in 2007. To leverage that announcement a corresponding ad campaign was developed to raise awareness of the professions of audiology and speech-language pathology. The campaign was targeted to students, counselors, parents, and ASHA members. The careers were marketed in ASHA and NSSLHA publications, School Counselor magazine, and US News & World Report Best Colleges issue. Many members used the Reward Yourself career materials to conduct career fairs, open houses, and other recruitment activities, and those members had the chance to receive a $50.00 gift certificate.
- 2007 saw the launch of a free member benefit entitled Fresh Ideas. It is an e-newsletter sent to all ASHA and NSSLHA members to inform them of new programs, programs, products, and services available on ASHA's Web site. The main criterion for including an idea in the e-newsletter is an active Web link bringing the member back to ASHA's Web site. Fresh Ideas is akin to a guide to our Web site, giving direction to members interested in learning more about our online resources.
- For the 12th consecutive year, the Office of Multicultural Affairs has coordinated the Grant Program for Projects on Multicultural Activities. Funded proposals focused on the Navajo culture and language, the development of intervention materials for bilingual and non-English-speaking populations, and the development of race-based tympanometry norms.
- Updated the "Got it? Get it" cultural competence CD-ROM. This resource includes information to assist in service delivery to culturally and linguistically diverse populations. Limited quantities are available from multicultural@asha.org.
- Successfully launched the 4th year of the Student To Empowered Professional (S.T.E.P.) Mentoring Program. Mentors have been matched with 170 students in CSD programs.
- Translated several consumer pages of the ASHA Web site about child language development into Spanish, with more scheduled to be translated in 2008.
- In 2007, NSSLHA marked its 35th anniversary by awarding 12 therapy baskets courtesy of Super Duper Publications.
- NSSLHA published a calendar highlighting the accomplishments of male students and professionals in the field (copies of the calendar may be purchased online).
- Awarded 20 scholarships to NSSLHA members to attend the ASHA Convention in Boston.
- The NSSLHA Scholarship Fund of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation reached its goal in 2007 of becoming an endowed fund to support future scholarships for NSSLHA students with receipt of $29,000, to bring the total to more than $63,000 in 3 years.
- Offered approximately 150 CEU activities and recorded more than 20,000 course completions.
- Created 32 new self-study CEU programs, including "Tracheostomy Tubes in Adults," "Genetic Aspects of Hearing Loss," and "Social Communication in Preschoolers and School-Age Children."
- Introduced the ASHA Business Institute, focusing on financial, administrative, and management issues for SLPs in health care settings, in conjunction with ASHA Health Care 2007. Approximately 600 people attended the combined Health Care/Business Institute event.
- Partnered with Special Interest Division 12 and the Augmentative and Alternative Communication Rehabilitation Engineering Research Centers (AAC-RERC) to offer ASHA CEUs for webcasts on special topics in AAC.
- Held ASHA's most successful virtual conference ever, "Central Auditory Processing Disorders," on September 18-28, which brought together more than 260 participants and speakers representing 12 different countries. Offering recorded lectures, live chats, and selected readings, the conference offered up to 4.7 ASHA CEUs (47 hours) of learning activities.
- In keeping with the green theme of the new national office, The ASHA Leader and all four ASHA journals switched to recycled paper.
- The ASHA Leader continued to expand publishing opportunities for members. In 2007 more than 200 bylined articles by ASHA members appeared in the pages of the Leader.
- The online digital archive of ASHA journals was extended back to 1970. All issues of Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools will soon be available online, along with 10 additional years of the Journal of Speech and Hearing Research and the Journal of Speech and Hearing Disorders.
- Reflecting the popularity of the Internet, for the first time recruitment advertising on ASHA's online Career Center exceeded recruitment adverting in The ASHA Leader.
- Media coverage (broadcast, print, and Internet) in 2007 generated ad value of more than $6 million. Some recent highlights including a launch of TV and radio public service announcements that have been seen by more than 227 million viewers and heard by approximately 124 million radio listeners.
- A May Is Better Hearing and Speech Month (BHSM) promotion was featured in spots that ran for 3 days on the electronic billboard in Times Square and were seen by millions of New Yorkers.
- Became a corporate sponsor of National Public Radio's Morning Edition, the most listened to morning radio program in the country, and the national news talk show Talk of the Nation and used the platform to reach millions of NPR listeners to promote BHSM.
- Launched a major initiative, Civilian Traumatic Brain Injury: The Other Story, that drew coverage from ABC Online With Dr. Tim Johnson, CNN radio, a number of national radio talk shows, and online coverage from Forbes, Los Angeles Times, Medical News Today, and others.
- Produced and distributed a consumer-friendly DVD entitled, "Share Your Stories" that featured how ASHA members are making a difference in people's lives.
- Acquired partners for our America: Tuned In Today...But Tuned Out Tomorrow? campaign: They include the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), the major trade group for all things consumer electronics; Califone International, a leading marketer of tech products to school systems; Unwired Technology, a leading supplier of headphones to the auto industry (headphones that tend to be used by children riding in backseats); and the rock group O.A.R. The campaign now has a presence on Whyville, an online educational resource that has 3 million children as subscribers.
- Produced seven ASHA Podcasts. Featuring interviews with persons that are making news in the professions of speech-language pathology and audiology, members can listen to an individual episode by going to ASHA Podcasts or by subscribing to the feed and receiving new files automatically through an aggregator program like iTunes.
- Hosted the annual Schools Conference in Pittsburgh, with the theme of honoring cultures. The program featured sessions addressing clinical issues, expanded roundtable sessions, two poster sessions, and a meet-the-authors session with member experts who had authored new IDEA products. The attendance of nearly 1,000 topped that of previous years.
- Completed work on the Focused Initiative on Personnel Issues in Health Care and Education, including consulting with targeted states; training a cadre of experts, assisting states with forming state-advisory groups; and coordinating efforts of the National Coalition on Personnel Shortages in Special Education and Related Services.
- Updated and revised ASHA's IDEA resources in accordance with the IDEA 2004 regulations and developed a series of 12 issue briefs on IDEA topics of high interest to school-based SLPS.
- Expanded Web-based resources to include response to intervention and working with culturally and linguistically diverse populations; published Access Schools, the 10,000-subscriber bimonthly e-newsletter addressing specific needs of school-based SLPs and highlighting upcoming events and current trends.
- Engaged in liaison activities with key national associations (e.g., National Association of State Directors of Special Education, International Reading Association, National Education Association) regarding implementation of No Child Left Behind, IDEA 2004, and response to intervention.
- Developed a system of levels of evidence and critical appraisal specific to the unique needs of audiology and speech-language pathology.
- Revamped requirements for ASHA policy and practice documents to make them less consensus-driven and more scientifically based.
- Conducted the biennial Health Care and the Job and Career Satisfaction surveys, which garnered responses from more than 4,000 members and provided the basis for updated reports on caseload, salary, workforce, and satisfaction trends; and collected more than 40 Web-based evaluations and surveys on a variety of topics, which elicited responses from more than 18,000 members.
- Received funding through the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders to host a series of five annual research symposia.
- Facilitated adoption of a policy document that describes best practices for publication practices relative to the responsible conduct of research.
- Hosted the 17th annual research symposium, Genetic and Biological Pathways Underpinning Communication Disorders Across the Lifespan, cosponsored by the National Institutes of Health, and the 5th annual Lessons for Success conference for new and mid-level scientists, cosponsored by NIDCD and the ASHFoundation, which focused on grant preparation and funding, developing and managing competitive research programs, and developing professional competencies.
- Published articles in or submitted articles to American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, Home Healthcare Nurse, and International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, and contributed articles to NSSLHA Now, Perspectives, and The ASHA Leader.
- Gave at least 25 presentations at various state and national conferences, including ASHA, American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine, Council for Exceptional Children, and state associations in Arkansas, Michigan, Mississippi, Ohio, and South Carolina.
- Responded to more than 3,400 requests for information from professionals and consumers about a range of school and health-related topics, including autism, early intervention, language and voice disorders, support personnel, swallowing assessment and treatment, documentation, employment issues, private practice, service delivery, IDEA 2004, eligibility criteria, and caseload/workload.
- Represented ASHA to more than 23 related organizations, including AARP, Alzheimer's Association, American Stroke Association, CARF, Fair Access Coalition on Testing, The Joint Commission, National Alliance of Pupil Services Organizations, National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, and National Coalition on Personnel Shortages in Special Education and Related Services.
- Developed products for consumers, including the brochure Speech-Language Pathologists: Helping People With Autism. Also, created a CD for use with ASHA's book, Talking on the Go: Everyday Activities to Enhance Speech and Language Development, which allows SLPs to print out each page for parents and caregivers.
- ASHA Professional Development—Visit ASHA's Online Store to find all of ASHA's Professional Development programs, now spanning 13 subject categories. Over 40 new programs were introduced in ASHA's many different formats, including Web/telephone seminars, self-studies and Web workshops, and journal self-studies and eLearning. Some of the new programs in 2007 include:
- ASHA merchandise and gifts—Visit the online store to find a variety of new and updated logo products, including apparel and business accessories, all designed to help members show their ASHA affiliation.
- Consumer Education
- Other Publishers' Products
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