How Does Your Caseload Compare to Census Statistics?

A Web-based application was developed to demonstrate how the demographics are shifting in the United States based on data from the US Census Bureau. This calculator was developed as a resource funded by the ASHA Focused Initiative on Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CLD) populations to:

• Provide useful information for ASHA and NSSLHA members who are speech-language pathologists, audiologists, speech-language and hearing scientists, educators, continuing education administrators, or other decision-makers.
• Give you a comparison of caseload demographics (for a real or virtual caseload) with the general population in your state(s).

Note: It is important to remember that race and ethnicity are only 2 variables within culture that can impact communication, i.e., having a large Hispanic/Latino population in your locale does NOT necessarily mean you will absolutely have a large Spanish-speaking population on your caseload, but there is an increased likelihood of that being the case. This tool is intended to highlight the need for additional investigation into all of the cultural variables that influence communication skills in any given population. Clinicians are urged to evaluate their knowledge and skills across cultural variables to ensure that they are providing appropriate services to all populations. The other components of ASHA's Self Assessment Tool can assist ASHA members in this type of self-evaluation.

This information can be used in numerous ways, including helping you find answers to questions like:

What will my caseload look like in a few years? Are you getting accurate assessment results? How do your caseload demographics compare with the general population in your area?

• Help you evaluate the effectiveness of your assessment protocols
• Help you determine the potential over- or under-representation of specific populations on your caseload
• Help you identify targeted clinical populations for selecting appropriate assessment and treatment materials

Given the population in a given area, are there additional knowledge and skills needed to provide appropriate services?

• Help you assess and project professional development needs
• Help you customize professional development programming and in-service training for target populations
• Help you identify those geographic areas of the US that have populations with which you can best use bilingual skills and cross-cultural training
• Help you in relocation decisions

Are you preparing students to work appropriately with all US populations?

• Help faculty members evaluate the need for infusing multicultural content into curricula

Using the Calculator is as Easy as 1-2-3

1. Enter the state(s) in which you provide services
2. Enter the number of clients/patients you see (in a day, week, month-you decide)
3. Complete the survey

The Calculator will provide you with the number of clients/patients in all racial/ethnic groups that may currently be on your caseload based on the US Census data. It will also provide you with the number of clients/patients that may be on your caseload in 2013 based on the Census projection data.

Check out the Calculator, and be sure to take time to complete the survey to help ASHA develop programs to meet your needs!