Strategic Plan Priorities for 2001

FINAL REPORT

Strategic Planning Session

Board of Directors

California Speech-Language-Hearing Association

June 29-30, 2001

Sacramento

The Board of Directors and staff of the California Speech-Language-Hearing Association (CSHA) met on June 29-30, 2001 to develop a two-three year strategic plan. The process included the following components: (1) individual statements of CSHA’s mission; (2) the identification of possible strategic goals for the ensuing two-three years; (3) the prioritization of the proposed goals; (4) the development of strategies for the three primary strategic goals for 2001-2003; and, (5) the development of workplans to implement the strategies for the three primary goals. Session participants also looked at the objectives established in September, 2000 as they related to the strategic plan goals and to the internal initiatives for the board of directors.

During the first phase of the strategic planning session, participants stated their understanding of CSHA’s mission. These included the following:

Advocate for members on those issues that members think are important…advocate for the services of the members
Provide professional education…be a provider of continuing professional education for members and promote quality of student training…be a bridge among educators, researchers and practitioners including networking as well as mentoring of students
Provide legislative and regulatory advocacy
Be a vehicle for networking among members as well as support for members
Have a consumer interest as the primary focus for CSHA…help CSHA members provide better services to the public by involving members linking to consumers as well as having CSHA members network among and relate to professionals of other disciplines…provide ethical advocacy for persons with communication disorders
Recognize that legislation, education, and other CSHA activities are for the betterment of the consumer
Advance the interests of audiologists and speech-language pathologists in the community of other disciplines
Direct growth and change in the professions in a holistic, integrated way by being the educational organization for audiologists and speech-language pathologists
Be the collective mechanism for information and action about human communication sciences and disorders
Advocate for individual members in districts in California using ASHA resources in part
Be a resource for public information about communication sciences and disorders
Set standards for education and practice in California
Be a dynamic organization that addresses current issues (e.g., legislation, technology, etc.)
Improve the quality of life for professionals (audiologists, speech-language pathologists, speech-language hearing scientists) and protect the consumer

Several participants summarized CSHA’s mission as AMENS: CSHA’s mission is to provide Advocacy, Marketing, Education, Networking, and Support for audiology and speech-language pathology members as well as the clients, students, and patients whom they serve.

Participants in the strategic planning session also recognized the need for the board of directors to be stewards of CSHA in attempting to (1) meet the current needs of members; (2) look to the future needs of members; and, (3) ensure the viability of CSHA as an organization. Participants also recognized that multiculturalism needs to be infused in the projects and activities of CSHA; and, recognized the fact that technology and financial considerations need to be considered for CSHA’s operations.

During the discussions about the mission and purpose, several issues surfaced:

Lack of awareness on the part of the public about the value of human communication
Variations in the level of services provided based on financial considerations (e.g., type of insurance coverage; degree of knowledge of the decision maker; ability to self pay)
The low level of self esteem and self worth of the providers of services
Perceived value of services (low value on the part of the payer; high value on the part of the beneficiary)
Increased demand for services with dwindling resources ( a do more for less attitude)
The need to partner with other disciplines and other organizations to increase the efficiency of service delivery and maximize resources
Greater allocation of resources to quality of life matters (i.e., human communication)

For purposes of the strategic plan, participants identified the following possible strategic goals that CSHA might pursue during the next 2 – 3 years.

PROFESSIONAL VALIDATION

Increase salaries for the professions (triple salaries for SLP’s and AUD’s)
Equity with teacher programs
Equity with other health care professions
Decrease workload to increase quality of service

PROFESSIONAL ADVOCACY

CSHA to provide tools to help members advocate for self and consumer
Students to learn advocacy skills for a safe, motivating, and dynamic environment for professionals – enabling them the resources for efficacious service delivery that will increase society’s awareness and respect for the professions.

RECRUITING FOR CSHA

Increase membership in the association – power and clout for members
Increase university involvement in CSHA

RECRUITING FOR THE PROFESSIONS

Professionals from linguistically/culturally diverse backgrounds
Recruit top new talent of committed and energetic people

CONTINUING EDUCATION

Current hot topics at low cost
Increased CE for CSHA members
Consider development of clearinghouse for parents, families and professionals

PUBLIC RELATIONS

Reach external receivers about gamut of field and services offered by professionals
Emphasize the importance of human communication to the public
Increase value of our services to external sources (i.e. administrators and payers) so that working conditions improve for professionals and better services to clients
Collect and provide data, NOMS, evidence based practice, clinical trials
Best practice position papers for members
Increase data, efficacy and outcomes for mandated service at proper level – client centered

LEGISLATION AND REGULATORY ADVOCACY

Issues related to mandates
More support to grassroots members
More information on the impact of doing the above

MENDING THE DISCONNECT BETWEEN SPEECH PATHOLOGY AND AUDIOLOGY

DEVELOPING A CLEARING HOUSE, RESOURCE AND DATABASE FOR MEMBERS AND CONSUMER

Participants then engaged in a process to prioritize possible goals and select 3 goals on which CSHA could focus during the next 2 - 3 years. These 3 goals were:

PRIORITIES FOR 2001 – 2003

GOAL 1: PROFESSIONAL VALIDATION

GOAL 2: STATE LEGISLATIVE/REGULATORY ADVOCACY

GOAL 3: PUBLIC RELATIONS

Participants broke into small work groups to develop strategies to address each of the 3 goals identified as having highest priority. In addition to the strategies, work plans were developed for implementing the strategies to reach the goals. Strategies and work plans were ratified by the full assembly of participants during the strategic planning session.

GOAL 1: PROFESSIONAL VALIDATION

Financial Issues
1. Work with AFT, CTA and other unions to increase salaries for SLPs and AUDs
2. Complete salary survey – ASHA may have some information on this for California
3. Get Medi-Cal money returned to SLP programs in schools
4. Educate SLPs on budgetary process across work settings
5. Work with administrators across work settings to validate what SLPs and AUDs do
Work Plan – Schools
1. Get letters from local union representatives to Bob Powell to support “educator” definition
2. Plan negotiating workshop at State convention
3. Identify a CSHA Board representative to work with CTA Council
4. Bob Powell to continue his relationship with CTA state leaders
5. Medi-Cal miniseminar at CSHA convention re budget management for school personnel
6. CSHA Magazine article on school psychologists vs. SLP salaries – Do we have equity?
Work Plan – Medical Settings
1. Contact other state associations regarding information they may have gathered in terms of reimbursement and other issues facing SLPs in medical settings. Also, check to see if they have done salary surveys (Eileen Crowe at ASHA office may have information from other state associations)
2. Get ads on AOL for CSHA and ASHA
3. District workshop or CSHA convention presentation on Medi-Cal billing in hospitals and private practice.
Equity Issues
1. Advocate with administrators for appropriate space and workload
2. Work with CASP (Calif. Association of School Psychs) and CARS (Calif. Association of Resource Specialists) on equity issues
3. Create awareness re how to handle fair hearings, difficult parents and advocates
4. Work with unions re workload issues (caseload, support personnel, paper work, etc.)
5. Advocate with SELPA directors re paperwork reduction
6. Legislate for school SLPs and AUDs to be included as “educators” and thus entitled to all benefits available to teachers.
7. Legislate to be included in mentoring new SLPs (i.e. BITSA and PAR programs)
8. Continue legislative efforts re all school issues for SLPs.
9. Status equity with school psychs in schools, PT and OTs in medical settings
Work Plans – Schools
1. Power point presentation for administrators to educate them on what we do and what we need in order to do our jobs well in the public schools.
2. Determine what administrator conferences exist and prepare presentations giving them CE opportunities
3. Create a “Clearinghouse” at CSHA office so that information can be shared on database programs of IEPs. This should include streamlined paper work, computer IEPs and report forms.
4. Determine appropriate conferences (i.e. CASP, CARS, Orton Society, etc.) and consider specific presentations and/or a CSHA booth.
5. Check with OSHA on minimum standards for working conditions.
6. Ongoing legislative follow-up on issues affecting school personnel.
Work Plans – Medical Settings
1. Power point presentation for administrators to educate them on what we do and what we need in order to do our jobs well in medical settings (Brian Sharp may have a ready made presentation on this)
2. Determine what state health related conferences exist that administrators attend and prepare presentations that would give them CE opportunities and create greater awareness on what we do.
3. On going legislative follow-up on issues affecting professionals in medical settings.

There was limited time for developing work plans on these issues and more input from board members may be needed.

GOAL 2: LEGISLATION AND REGULATORY ADVOCACY

Increase the number of relationships with legislators
1. Bob Powell to provide names of potential legislators and some background information on each. Each CSHA Board member will assume responsibility for finding individuals in their district to make contact with the legislator.
Increase the number of legislative “champions” for professions
1. Double the number of events/contacts (use prior lists as baseline).
2. Identify and react to emerging issues
Increase donations to PAC fund

Recognize PAC Donors as a Centurian Club/list
Increase political influence with state and federal legislators
1. Bob Powell to provide information on who to focus on, issues, committees
2. Coordinating Committee for Legislation Commission will facilitate responses, as appropriate, to current and emerging issues.
Complete legislative liaison network
1. Give legislative network a charge to identify members to develop relationships
2. Train members in negotiation/advocacy skills to work with representatives and administrators
Continue activities associated with the CSHA 2001-2002 legislative goals and strategies.

Work Plan

Complete legislative liaison network (commission reps)

Partner old and new relationships with members to develop contacts with legislators.

Make available to members at district and local events an opportunity to make PAC raffle/donations

Donation/recognition in CSHA magazine

Double the number of events/contacts with legislators in each district:

District 1 – 2

District 2 – 4

District 3 – 4

District 4 – 4

District 5 – 2

District 6 – 4

District 7 – 4

District 8 – 1

District 9 – 4

District 10 – 4

GOAL 3: PUBLIC RELATIONS

Inform and educate the current board about PR tools currently available.
1. Barbara O’Hara to compile list by September board meeting of current public relations materials available in the CSHA office.
2. Judy Simkin to discuss with President O’Connor about time on the board agenda to provide this education.
3. Each district could compile a list or a binder of what they use currently, i.e. district newsletters, postcards etc.
4. Contact Greg Weimann at ASHA office to see what PR materials are available for possible use in California.
Assign liaisons to each district
1. The Commissioner on Association Services will compile a list of public relations representatives. Included in the list will be responsibilities and accountabilities of the district rep.
Develop and/or enhance the public relations manual
1. Previous marketing chairs will be contacted by Angela Mandas, Judy Simkin and Lisa O’Connor to locate any manual that is in existence.
2. All district directors will submit any ideas to Judy Simkin by January. These ideas will be placed in the manual to be distributed to each marketing chair and representatives.
CSHA magazine to include public relations column in each issue.
1. Brian Sharp and Judy Simkin will write the first column entitled “PR Props”
Distribution of the CSHA magazine
1. Barbara O’Hara will bring additional magazines to the board meetings for distribution to the board members
2. Each board member will distribute the magazines whenever they meet prospective clients, administrators, ancillary professionals, physicians, students, new members, Sertoma, Rotary etc.
3. Requests for additional magazines will be provided for district meetings etc.
Increased participation of NOMS
1. Commissioner of Professional Services Vicky Otting will submit a list of current users in the state of CA and will designate which are school clinicians, hospital, private practice etc. This report will be available by the September board meeting.
Consider hiring a public relations firm
1. Explore this option as well as investigating the cost of advertising on AOL.

Additional ideas discussed by the group include:

Submitting already made presentations on Power Point to the CSHA office for distribution to the membership. These presentations could be on a variety of topics and would be available to members to use. For instance, Brian Sharp developed a presentation for his administrator on the benefits of becoming a NOMS user. These presentations can then be downloaded from the web.
After the state conference, awardees should get media coverage in their local newspaper as Human Interest Stories. District reps would receive this info from the district director. Judy Simkin would provide information on how to access the newspapers.
Diane Bangar, the current marketing chair, should enlist volunteers all year long and not only for the state convention. These volunteers could be an addition to the commission liaisons.
Invite media coverage to the state association awards dinner at convention.
CSHA magazine ideas: highlight clinicians who are remarkable in their area of work. They do not need to be Fellows of the Association but the everyday clinicians who continue to enjoy working.
Assign someone the job of placing public service announcements (PSAs) on the radio. Barbara O’Hara has the information on how to do this.

Participants agreed that the 2001 - 2004 goals, strategies, and work plans should be reviewed at the first meeting of the Board of Directors to make sure that sufficient specificity is provided for the implementation of the strategies--particularly who, how and when. And it was also agreed that progress toward reaching each goal would be assessed on a regular basis by the board.

Participants requested President O’Connor to seek ways to highlight the goals of CSHA to members.