May 2012
The Newsletter of the Michigan Speech-Language-Hearing Association

2012-2013 MSHA Executive Board and Advisory Assembly

MSHA Executive Board:

President: 
Deanna Klein, M.A., CCC-SLP
President-Elect:
Heather Balog, Ph.D., CCC-SLP 
Past-President:
Richard M. Merson, Ph. D., CCC-SLP
Secretary:
Maureen Staskowski, Ph.D., CCC-SLP
Treasurer:
Sherry Riedel, M.A., CCC-SLP
VP For Advocacy:
Julie Pratt, M.S., CCC-SLP
VP for Membership:
Gordon Krainen, Ph.D., CCC-SLP
VP for Professional Development and Education:
Terry Lange-Winkel, M.A., CCC-SLP
VP-Elect for Professional Development and Education:
Terry Lange-Winkel, M.A., CCC-SLP
VP for Audiology Services:
Angelique Boerst, M.A., CCC-A
VP for Public Relations:
Melissa Witsil, M.A., CCC-SLP
VP for SLP/Healthcare:
Bev Jaynes, M.A., CCC-SLP
VP for SLP/Public Schools:
Ellen Gehl, M.A., CCC-SLP and
Lindsey Halpin, M.S., CCC-SLP

MSHA Advisory Assembly

Audiology:
Angelique Boerst, M.A., CCC-A
Communications and Networking:
Open
Continuing Education:
Rosalyn Davis, M.A., CCC-SLP
Ethics and Standards:
Cary Cekola, M.A., CCC-SLP
Student Affairs:
Erica Osborn, M.A., CCC-SLP
Members-at-Large:
Open
Member-at-Large Representing Students:
Open

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Happy Spring!

This is the newsletter of the:

Michigan Speech-Language-Hearing Association
Dawn Kutney, Editor
790 W. Lake Lansing Rd.
Suite 500-A
East Lansing, Michigan 48823
email address: msha@att.net
Website: www.michiganspeechhearing.org

 

Dodie French receives 2012 MSHA Honors of the Association

   Congratulations to Dorothea (Dodie) French, Ph.D., who received the 2012 MSHA Honors of the Association - the highest award MSHA can bestow Dodie was not at the Awards Banquet in Kalamazoo to receive the Honors because she now lives in Port Angeles, Washington since her retirement last year.  She was there, so to speak, in a lovely DVD message she sent accepting the award, and congratulating all of MSHA's SLPs and AUDs and Teachers of the Hearing Impaired, for the wonderful work they do to serve the communicatively impaired.

Here are the words from the Honors nomination:

Be It Known That:

Whereas, she has devoted more than 39 years to the profession of the Education of the Hearing
Impaired as a teacher, clinician, professor, and advocate, and

Whereas, she has served as the Director of the Redford Union Oral Program for
Children with Hearing Impairment, educating and improving the lives of significant numbers
of children throughout the years, and

Whereas, she has served the Michigan Speech-Language Hearing Association and its
members as Vice President for the Education of the Hearing Impaired, serving on
the MSHA Executive Council, creating and maintaining the Library for the
Education of the Hearing Impaired, presenting at numerous annual conferences and,

Whereas, she has made tremendous contributions to the field both at the state and national levels, participating in the A.G. Bell Association, Council for Exceptional Children, Michigan Supervisors
for Public School Programs for the Hearing Impaired and,

Whereas, she has served as a pioneer in her field by becoming one of the first individuals
to be certified as a Listening and Spoken Language Specialist in Auditory-Verbal Therapy
by the A.G. Bell Academy, and

Whereas, she has demonstrated passion for this profession, serving as leader, pioneer,
advocate, author, and leader, it our great pleasure to recognize Dodie and

Be It Therefore Resolved that the Honors of the Association

Are Hereby Awarded To:
Dorothea B. French, Ph.D.

Congratulations Dodie!
 
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Traverse Bay Area ISD receives Public School Program of the Year Award

Ellen Gehl, M.A., CCC-SLP, and Theresa Sutton, M.A., CCC-SLP

   Congratulations to the 2012 MSHA Public School Program of the Year Award winner, the  Kindergarten Round-Up: Oral Language Screening Program, Traverse Bay Area ISD.  Speech-Language Pathologists honored for this outstanding program are:  Dena Schweitzer, M.A., CCC-SLP, Joni Bahra, M.A., CCC-SLP, (pictured here l-r), and Jean McCormick, M.A., CCC-SLP.  The Director of Special Education is Marie Connors-Gilmore, Ed.D.   This program is the 11th program from Traverse Bay Area ISD to be selected for this award for exemplary public school speech-language pathology programs in Michigan.  MSHA began this award in 1983.

   This outstanding program is an excellent example of a community wide program that combines collaboration, creativity, and commitment to benefit a successful experience for children entering Kindergarten.

   Concerted systematic effort across multiple districts and stakeholders (Early Childhood, Special Education, Community Preschools and leaders, Parents) occurs to ensure all children will enter kindergarten with oral language concepts needed to benefit from Kindergarten instruction.

   The Traverse Bay Area ISD’s Speech-Language Pathologists and Early Childhood Staff provide spring and fall Kindergarten Round-Up Oral Language Screening for all incoming Kindergarteners using three tools: Boehm-3, administered by all district SLPs, Articulation Screening Rubric (scored with input from parents, early childhood/kindergarten staff, SLP) and the Parent Report of Child Skills (PRCS). Data is used to provide support and training to target students, families and teachers during summer before Kindergarten and/or in early months of Kindergarten.

     Traverse Bay Area ISD schools have received more MSHA Program of the Year Awards, since MSHA began the Award in 1983, than any other school district in Michigan totaling 11 programs and/or individuals.

   Congratulations to this outstanding group of Speech-Language Pathologists and for the school district that supports its speech and hearing professionals!

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MSHA Student Scholarship Recipients 2012

Elaine Ledwon-Robinson, M.S., CCC-SLP

Congratulations to the following MSHA student members who received the 2012 MSHA Scholarship Awards:

Courtney Gutowski, B.A., Graduate Student at Wayne State University, will graduate this month with her Master's Degree.  Courtney has worked as an intern at Children's Hospital of Michigan this year and after graduation plans to work in a hospital-based setting and eventually pursue a private practice to serve a variety of populations and disorders.  She has a B.A. from Michigan State University in Communicative Sciences and Disorders with a specialization in Health Promotion.  She has presented at both ASHA and MSHA.

Ashley Gutowski, B.A., Graduate Student at Wayne State University, will also graduate this month with her Master's Degree.  She also has a B.A. from Michigan State University in Communicative Sciences and Disorders.  Ashley wishes to pursue research in the field of pediatrics and she would like to work in a hospital-based setting.  Ashley is currently the President of the Wayne State University Student Speech-Language Hearing Association and she has also presented at both ASHA and MSHA.  Ashley and Courtney are twin sisters and are from Dearborn Heights, Michigan.

Katelyn Cook, B.A., Graduate Student at Michigan State University will also graduate this month with her Master's Degree from Michigan State University, and she will also graduate with a Teaching Certificate and a minor in Psychology.  Katelyn has been serving as a Graduate Intern at Sparrow Hospital in Lansing; she has also worked as an intern in Eaton ISD and Holt Schools.  Katelyn has learned through her varied practicum experiences how important it is to work with both the patient or student, and their families.   She has presented at both ASHA and MSHA and is deeply involved in NSSLHA.

Danielle Popielarz, B.A., Graduate Student at Wayne State University, will also graduate this month with her Master's Degree in Speech-Language Pathology  and she posseses her B.A. from Michigan State University. Danielle's long term goals include working with a pediatric population and conducting small-scale research projects.  She has served as a Graduate Intern in Troy Public Schools, Henry Ford Hospital, and Wayne State University's Outpatient Clinic.  Her varied work experiences have led her to pursue working with a pediatric population in the public schools, especially the birth-to-five population.  Danielle is from Saginaw, Michigan.

   Congratulations to these outstanding students for their exemplary academic and professional work achievements.  Best of luck to you all in your future endeavors.  We are proud that you represent MSHA and you are the best and brightest of our future!   Pictured above, l-r: Courtney Gutowski, Ashley Gutkowski, Katelyn Cook, Heather Balog, Richard Merson, and Elaine Ledwon-Robinson, during the MSHA Conference 2012.

   Special thanks to LinguiSystems Co-founders Linda Bowers and Rosemary Huisingh who have helped support our MSHA scholarships with their gift of $1000.00.  We are grateful for your commitment and for the example you set with this support.

   Thanks also to Psi Iota Xi, the Michigan Association of the national philanthropic organization dedicated to helping others, with particular support of the speech and hearing professions, in sponsoring a scholarship award of $250.00.  This year's award went to Rebecca Beebe, B.A. and Thomas Beebe, students at Grand Valley State University, for their Poster SessionFamilial Similarities in the Acoustic Vowel Quadrilateral, coauthored with Beth Macauley, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, also from GVSU.  Rebecca and Thomas are mother and son.  Congratulations to you both!

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MSHF Concert Fun & Profitable!

Fran Eldis, Ph.D., CCC-SLP/A

     The MSHF Board is grateful to all who came to the concert on Friday, March 23, 2012,  during the MSHA Annual Conference in Kalamazoo, to hear the band Crossroads Resurrection.   It was fun and the band was fabulous, and we are grateful to them as well for their generous support of MSHA.  Thanks also to all of those who contributed funds toward this event.   We continue to try to raise funds to help fund our MSHA scholarships, and we urge you to keep us in mind if you want to give someone a gift of a donation to honor a graduation, a special achievement, and of course honoring a deceased loved by donating to a scholarship foundation is always meaningful.  A special thanks to Ellen Fairbrother and Cary Cekola for their extra-ordinary efforts to make this concert happen!

   Thanks also to those who came to the Grand Rapids Griffins game, on Friday, April 13, which also helped raise funds for the MSHF.  It couldn't be determined what was more fun - the $1 beer & hot dog prices - or the sight of fans being slung across the ice by a giant catalpult.  We don't know if they were MSHA members...but they did wear helmets so at least the risk of head injury was lowered!  We will continue to participate in this event when the season resumes, so stay tuned to MSHA!

 

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Grand Valley State University Students Honored

Gordon Krainen, Ph.D., CCC-SLP

   This year's M & M Award (Most Students at MSHA) went to Grand Valley State University!   Congrats to all of you for this very distinguished award.  With 37 students attending MSHA, you beat out CMU by only 3.  EMU followed with 30.  25 WSU students were at MSHA, and NMU, MSU, WMU and Andrews University all followed with double digit attendance as well.  It was wonderful!  We appreciate and encourage our students in both undergraduate and graduate programs to come to MSHA to experience the camaraderie, networking, professional growth, and just fun atf our MSHA conferences!

l-r: Jean Silbar, Rick Merson, and Gordon Krainen, MSHA 2012

News & Notes

Dawn Kutney, MSHA

Congratulations to ASHA ACE Winners

Congratulations to the following MSHA members who received the ASHA Award for Continuing Education (ACE) during the period of October through December, 2011:

Kathryn Atkinson, Central Michigan University
Sharon Audrey-Fineman Singer, St. John Home Care
Eileen Bessega, Birmingham Bloomfield Audiology
Jennifer Brown, St. Joseph Mercy Hospital
Suzanne Coughlin-Woods, Central Michigan University
Frances Eldis, Wayne State University
Sandra Glista, Western Michigan University
Samantha Lichocki, Detroit Institute for Children
Nickola Nelson, Western Michigan University
Karen O'Leary, Wayne State University
Barbara Smith, Centerline Public Schools
Kimberly Stewart, Wayne State University
Linda Vermeulen, Detroit Public Schools
Timothy Weise, Garden City Hospital
Patricia Wells, St. John Providence Health System
 

Whatever Happened To...

   We invite all MSHA members who have retired to let us know what you're doing!  For our first edition of this feature we will hear from Gene Popielec, M.A., CCC-SLP, retired Speech-Language Pathologist at Henry Ford Hospital and former MSHA Board member.   Thanks Gene!  Great to hear from you!

From Gene...

I retired in Oct. 1, 1999 and my wife Jackie and I had booked a trip to Greece for October 8th.  I thought that would be a good way to start this retirement business, and it was. After visiting Florida for a three years we bought a condo in Naples and sold our home in Trenton. We also have a cottage in Presque Isle, near Alpena and thats for summer. Retirement is great! I have trouble understanding people who say "I don't know what I'd do with my time". You do anything you want to do and whenever!  I read more novels in that first year than I had in the previous ten years.

I did a little free therapy for a nursing home in Florida that had nothing and they then decided to hire a SLP. So I thought that was a plus. For the past 8 years I volunteer Mondays at an Alzheimer's Home. They have so many more women than men that they had no time for the guys. They asked if I'd run a "Men's Club" and I said sure. We talk, we laugh, we play very simple games and nobody ever remembers my name.  I am also president of our Condo Assoc. so that takes some time. In Michigan I just got off the board of a social association.

When I read the MSHA Newsletter I am amazed at what has been accomplished in the last ten or so years. The Board had been scratching for acknowledgment from the state for our profession for years. You all have a right to feel proud for what you have done.

Gene Popielec

   So for those of you MSHA members who have retired, drop me a few lines at msha@att.net and I will include in our next edition of the et cetera, which will come out in late September.

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Save the Dates:

MSHA Future Conferences

The Program Committee is busy planning for future MSHA Conferences. Great conference rates are available now for the future, and we also know that booking the dates and sites in advance helps MSHA members to plan for years ahead.  Mark your calendars for these future dates/sites for MSHA:

2013:  March 21-23, 2013    The Henry Hotel, Dearborn

2014:  March 27-29, 2014    Kalamazoo Radisson Hotel

2015:  Open - Detroit Metro area

Here are some other important dates you may want to put on your calendars:

ASHA Schools Conference: July 27-29, 2012, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
M.A.C. on MAC:  Ocober 25-27, 2012, East Lansing Marriott Hotel
MSHA SLP HealthCare Services Conference:  November 1, 2012, Beamont Health Systems, Royal Oak
ASHA Convention:  November 15-17, 2012, Atlanta, Georgia

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Public School Committee Notes

Ellen Gehl, M.A., CCC-SLP & LIndsey Halpin, M.S., CCC-SLP

   This is always a busy time of year for school based speech-language pathologists. While we know the end of the school year is approaching, we also know there is so much work to be done! The MSHA conference in March was loaded with great information and always seems to give that little boost. During the Public School Committee meeting, we had the opportunity to preview the revisions to the Articulation Guidelines. The volunteer committee of Celeste Gerlach, Sally Anderson, Sue Shores and Phyllis Gaulden has been diligently working to provide a document based on the latest research and information. We hope to have the draft document available for review by early Fall.

   Congratulations to the Traverse Bay Area ISD Oral Communication Universal Screening Program including Joni Bahra, Jean McCormick and Dena Schweitzer. The TBA-ISD SLPs and Early Childhood staff participate in Kindergarten Round Up and screen each child using the Boehm-3, articulation screening rubric and a parent report of child skills. The information gathered is then used to target families and teachers during the summer before kindergarten or during the early months of kindergarten. This innovative model impacted over 1400 students last year (see article in this newsletter).  Traverse Bay Area ISD schools have received more MSHA Program of the Year Awards, since MSHA began the Award in 1983, than any other school district in Michigan totaling 11 programs and/or individuals.

   The PSC meetings are held via Skype, starting at 10:30. The upcoming dates are:  August 11, October 13 and January 12, 2013.  If you are able to join us, or have any questions, please e-mail us at mshapsc@yahoo.com

   You'll find an excellent article in the April 3 ASHA Leader, entitled: Bottom Line: Navigating Medicaid Services in Schools by Laurie Alban Havens and Heather Bupp, which addresses Medicaid reimbursement in the public schools and has a Question & Answer format which includes questions about billing, supervision, certification, and ethics.  You can find that article with this link: http://www.asha.org/Publications/leader/2012/120403/Bottom-Line--Navigating-Medicaid

Ellen Gehl and Lindsey Halpin, Co-Vice Presidents for Public Schools

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In Memoriam

Diane Betman, M.A., CCC-SLP, passed away on March 13, 2012.  She was a Speech-Language Pathologist in Bloomfield Hills schools, after having worked for 6 years in the Detroit Public School system prior to that.  She was a graduate of the University of Michigan and Wayne State University, with a teaching certificate from Bowling Green University.  Our condolences to Diane's family and friends.

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Volume 35 Number Three May 2012

This is the newsletter of the:

Michigan Speech-Language-Hearing Association
Dawn Kutney, Editor
790 W. Lake Lansing Rd. 
Suite 500-A
East Lansing, Michigan  48823
email address: msha@att.net
Website: www.michiganspeechhearing.org

 

From the President

Deanna Klein, M.A., CCC-SLP

OK…I have one question…are you in?

l-r: Rahul Shrivastav, Katelyn Cook, Laura Hodor, Deanna Klein, and Katie Strong, MSHA 2012.       Approximately 3 years ago, Elaine Ledwon–Robinson asked me if I’d ever be interested in accepting a nomination for President of MSHA. I told her that it really wasn’t a good time but maybe in the future. Internally I was thinking… what do I have to offer? At the time, the company that I worked for lost the contract at the facility I was at and I had just started a part time job. I wasn’t a manager, I wasn’t published, I don’t have a Ph.D. I felt that perhaps I wasn’t a “real” speech pathologist, maybe I was more of a dabbler. I went to work a few hours a day and anything going on in the world of speech-language pathology didn’t involve me and if it did, what could I do about it? I was only one person. I felt that everything going on outside my silo was none of my business and someone else would take care of it. 

   How wrong I was. I had a nice "come to Jesus" meeting with myself and really thought long and hard about the journey I had gone through to get to where I am now. I had great experience in diffuse environments and with wonderful people that could do nothing but contribute to understanding many issues within MSHA. There is a wonderful board of people that would support me which made me think of baseball…one person steps up to the plate but it’s the team that wins the game. Of course, Elaine kept at me, encouraging me. I finally told her…I’m in.

   You may be wondering why I’m sharing my MSHA story on accepting the nomination to be MSHA President. Traditionally, the first message from the president discusses details of the most recent annual conference (Tried and True…and Something New in Kalamazoo was amazing and a huge success!) or updates on hot topics such as issues in the political arena, insurance reimbursement and/or licensure. All issues such as these are extremely important and are being monitored and addressed by the MSHA team on an ongoing basis. Details and updates can always be found on the MSHA web site: www.michiganspeechhearing.org or by contacting the MSHA office or board members directly.

   I’m sharing my story because the message I want to reinforce with you is what I came to realize: It’s not the level of education, or the location of your job or whether you work full-time, part-time or PRN that should determine your ability to contribute to this organization. It doesn’t matter if you’re an audiologist or speech-language pathologist, or whether you are school based or clinically based. This is your profession and MSHA is the organization that represents your profession. Support it. Nurture it. Contribute to it. Be on a committee. Ask a non-member to join. Don’t be a dabbler. One person CAN make a difference to a team. Be a part of where your profession goes in the future.

   So, I ask again…are you in? 

  Deanna Klein, M.A., CCC-SLP, MSHA President

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Thanks for making the MSHA Conference a Success!

Terry Lange-Winkel, M.A, CCC-SLP and Jan McCosky, M.A.

   Thanks to all of you who attended the March 22-24, 2012, MSHA Annual Conference in Kalamazoo!  Judging  from our experience and from our evaluations, people were pleased with our speakers and enjoyed the annual gathering for the chance to network and enjoy the company of friends and colleagues from around the state.  Thanks to all of you MSHA members out there who presented, helped plan, and worked very hard to make our annual event meaningful and worthwhile. 

   We had almost 200 graduate and undergraduate students this year and we hope they found the experience relevant - thanks to all of the students who prepared Poster Sessions and served as volunteers all throughout the conference.  You bring an energy and vitality to our meeting that is wonderful.

    We take very seriously your input and evaluations from the conference and we've read through all of them, and will print several below with answers and with some plans for changes in the near future.  We are already negotiating with invited speakers for next year's conference:  March 21-23, 2013, at The Henry Hotel in Dearborn, Michigan.  Our theme is:  Feed Your Passion:  Knowledge, Networking and ResourcesIf you have any suggestions for speakers or changes you would like to see - or not - just drop us a line at msha@att.net

    The Call for Papers for the MSHA Annual Conference is on-line now.  Let us hear from you!     We're hard at work planning next year's conference so in the meantime, enjoy the summer and put the MSHA Conference on your calendar for March 21-23, 2013, next year in Dearborn!

      Questions & Answers regarding the MSHA Annual Conference

Q: Could we please have shorter sessions than 3 hours? It is so hard to sit for that amount of time.

A:  We agree that 3 hours is too long for a Thursday night class, and in 2013 we will try the 2 hour format and will offer 2 classes on Thursday evening, from 6:30 – 8:30, thereby giving you a little more time to have dinner, if you attended the Thursday afternoon session from 1:00 – 4:15, or if you are coming in after having worked all day. But during the day we just can’t justify shortening classes that we pay speaker fees & travel for to offer our members these wonderful speakers from around the country. And of course there is the CEU issue…shorter class times means fewer CEUs. We need to make sure that for each day you are at the MSHA Conference, you can earn the maximum of between 6-8 hours of CEUs.

Q: Why can’t we have tables to write on during the classes at MSHA?

A:  This question gets asked a lot, and we understand why it would be so much easier to sit through any length of class with a writing surface in front of you. The trouble is to do this would cut in half the amount of people who could be in the room for the session. It would just not be fair to our members to have our seating capability so decreased.

Q: Why was the MSHA Registration Desk in the back of the Exhibition Hall? I had to walk through all the Exhibitors.

A:  Your question contains the answer. We purposely placed the registration area at the rear of the Exhibition Hall to ensure that MSHA members would have exposure to the exhibitors. All of the companies and individuals who exhibit at MSHA are charged an exhibit fee in order to participate in the conference. Their fees defray the cost of the conference and thereby reduce the registration fee MSHA members pay. With their support, MSHA is able to present a higher quality of conference to its members and we are better able to afford the refreshments given at no additional cost to attendees.

Q: Why aren’t there more time breaks between sessions?

A:  The MSHA Executive Board and Program Committee plan the program in order to bring attendees the most continuing education units for the time and money spent at the annual conference. ASHA rules for continuing education allow counting only time spent in the session as continuing education time. Time for breaks is detracted from each session. So for example, if a three-hour short course has a 15-minute break in the middle, then we have to have an additional 15 minutes so that the amount of CEUs awarded for that session will be .3.   Balancing the time spent in sessions versus the time between sessions for breaks is not an easy task and one that the program committee tries to improve every year.  But  10 minute breaks would add up over the day, and would mean a decrease in the amount of CEUs possible.

However we know it is tough to get to sessions that go back- to-back and that is why we like the Radisson in Kalamazoo and THe Henry in Dearborn – everything is close together and our speakers all know you may be rushing from one to another and everyone is very accommodating.

Q: Please remind us that we have to download speaker handouts – and could you please ask the speakers to get their handouts to you sooner?

A:  We apologize for not including the reminder to download handouts in more places – like on the MSHA Registration Form. We will do better next year. We give all of our speakers’ deadlines to get their handouts to us – some of our speakers actually wanted to wait until the conference was over to post their handouts to reinforce what you all hopefully learned in class. But most of our speakers met our deadlines. Some of you complained that the handouts were too long or used up too much ink and we suggest you print in draft form or in black & white.

Q: Why does MSHA keep going to just a couple of hotels in Michigan – why not Grand Rapids or Soaring Eagle or Traverse City?

A:  Ok, let’s answer the 1st part of this question. The MSHA bylaws require the MSHA Conference to be in the Detroit metro area every other year – this is where a majority of our members live and work. But we are also committed to reaching the western and upper part of our state as well. We have a couple of issues that we have to consider when choosing hotels: we need an adequate number of sleeping rooms and we need a relatively large number of meeting rooms to hold classes – and this is the tricky part. Many hotels do not meet both of these requirements. Some hotels that do, are too expensive for us.

Now for the 2nd part: we used to go to the Amway Grand in Grand Rapids, but they began to require us to book 5 years in advance, and they are an expensive hotel. Those 2 factors alone made it risky to go there. We will research other hotels in the Grand Rapids area, but again we have the other requirements we have to meet.

We used to go to Soaring Eagle, but many of you complained about the smoking – it was impossible to keep it out of our meeting rooms, registration area, and banquet rooms.

We have gone to the Grand Traverse Resort and to Shanty Creek in northern Michigan. However, we always have lower attendance at these locations and it is just not cost-effective. We wish we could offer a closer venue for our members in the Upper Peninsula and upper lower Michigan, but we just cannot afford it in these times.

Q: Why can’t MSHA offer conferences free to its members – or why can’t it be cheaper for us to attend?

A:  MSHA is committed to bringing the highest quality, evidence based, affordable continuing education and professional development to its members. We are also committed to creating the atmosphere for our members to learn from each other, renew friendships and acquaintances, and revive energies and enthusiasm in the informal networking activities such as our annual luncheon and receptions. In order to fulfill this promise, MSHA must pay the bills. Even with our best efforts to negotiate the best rates and to keep costs low, thereby increasing participation by our members, here are some concrete examples of costs associated with the annual conference and these costs do increase every year as do all our purchases:

Meals and refreshments
Coffee and tea average $3000 per conference.
Audio visual fees average $700 for each meeting room, every day.
Conference meals and receptions are a great convenience enjoyed by all. The meals provide the time to meet with colleagues and provide professional networking opportunities. Catering bills are costly especially when service charges and taxes (26% in most hotels) are added.   For the Awards Luncheon and Forums, MSHA charges members $25 but MSHA pays $27 per person (includes tax and service charge).

MSHA conference fees are comparable – in many cases less – than all of our surrounding states such as Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Minnesota, or Missouri just to name a few.

Q: Why do we have to pay $10 to MSHA, and also pay ASHA for CEUs?

A:  MSHA pays ASHA $830.00 per year to be eligible to sponsor CEU activities such as the MSHA conference. MSHA also has its own administrative costs associated with awarding CEUs such as postage, copying, attendance certificates, and staff time. The minimal $10 fee helps to offset this cost to MSHA.

Because CEUs – both State Board (SB) and ASHA – are new to some, and can be confusing for others, and because we get asked so many questions about both, we plan to offer a class next year: Continuing Education 101. A basic level course; Targeted audience: students,CFYs, anyone really.  The course will include basic information on CEUs and clinical maintenance hours, how to earn them and document them, submitting them, why MSHA and ASHA charges for them, etc. We will offer this class twice during the conference. Stay tuned for more details!

Q: Why didn’t we get email confirmations prior to the conference?

A:  We apologize – we had hoped to do so but a combination of factors prevented us from doing so – including technological problems and a tremendous influx of late registrations. We promise to do better next year.

Q: Could we have more time to visit Poster Sessions and Exhibitors?

A:  Yes we will schedule this better next year.

Thank you for all of your comments and questions! They will help us as we plan for future conferences!

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Licensing Applications Available Online

Julie Pratt, M.S., CCC-SLP

 The Speech-Language Pathology license application is online and many of you have begun the process and are currently licensed SLPs in our state!  A link to the LARA website to download the application when available is: http://www.michigan.gov/lara

   Here are some of the questions and answers we put together for the recent MSHA Annual Conference in March:

State of Michigan Licensure

Answers to the Most Frequently Asked Questions

1. Important Dates:

● Licensure went into place December 7, 2011.

● All individuals currently working MUST be licensed by December 7, 2013.

● All individuals graduating after January 1, 2012 MUST hold an educational limited license prior to seeing any clients during their clinical fellowship.

● All individuals supervising someone in their clinical fellowship (beginning after January 2012) MUST hold full licensure (even if the fellowship is being completed prior to December 7, 2013).

2. Cost:

Initial Licensure Fees:

Initial license is good for only one year or less, and will be renewed in September of 2012 REGARDLESS of when (i.e. what month) you were granted your initial license.

Criminal Background Check: $62.50 (one-time fee).

Application fee: $20.00 (one-time fee).

1st Year license fee: $75.00

Renewal Fees:

Renewal fees are for 2 years and will always renew in September.

2 Year license fee: $150.00

Educational Limited License (Clinical Fellowship Year)

License fee: $170.00

3. Types of License:

Full Speech-Language Pathology License (by examination or endorsement)

If you have your Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCCs), had them and dropped them, or completed all requirements to obtain CCCs and never got them, you qualify for this license.

Limited Speech-Language Pathology License

If you have a Teaching Certificate with an endorsement in Speech-Language Impairment and do not qualify to obtain your CCCs, you qualify for this license.

You may ONLY practice in the school setting.

You may NOT supervise someone completing their clinical fellowship experience.

Educational Limited License

Those graduating after January 1, 2012 and starting their clinical fellowship experience, must apply for this license.

You MUST be supervised by a fully licensed Speech-Language Pathologist.

4. Licensure Lapse

● If your license has lapsed less than 3 years you may reapply and qualify for a license.

● If your license has lapsed for greater than 3 years, you may reapply for licensure if you re-take and pass the Praxis Examination or show that you have been licensed in a another state.

● If you have a limited license to work only in the schools and your license lapses less than 3 years, you may re-apply as long as you have employment or a contract with a school district, non-public school, or a state department that provides these services.

● If you have a limited license and your license lapses for greater than 3 years, you will have to meet the requirements for a full and unlimited license in order to renew.

5. ASHA CCCs

● The law does not and cannot mandate that you continue to maintain your Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC).

● An employer, insurance company, or third party payor can however, mandate that you have your CCCs in addition to licensure.

● ASHA and MSHA encourage all professionals to continue maintaining their CCCs for many reasons.

*************************************************************

This document is for informational use only, prepared for MSHA members at the 2012 MSHA Annual Conference. For further information contact the State of Michigan, Licensing & Regulatory Agency, at www.michigan.gov  or  bhpinfo@michigan.gov

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ASHA Advisory Council Notes

Margot Beckerman Au.D., CCC-A & Karen Kurcz, M.A., CCC-SLP

  Margot L. Beckerman, Au.D., CCC-A (Audiology) and Karen B. Kurcz, M.A., CCC-SLP (Speech-Language Pathology) participated in the 2012 ASHA Advisory Council Meetings from March 15-18, 2012 at the ASHA National Office. The ASHA Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Advisory Councils provide recommendations and information “from the trenches” to the ASHA Board of Directors about issues of interest to the Association and its members. Councilors from each of the professions are elected by each state and the District of Columbia, with one representative from the international territories and NSSHLA.

   On March 16, 2012, Margot and Karen, accompanied by fellow Michigander Jaynee Handelsman, ASHA Vice-President for Audiology Practice, (pictured here with Deanna Klein l-r) went to Capitol Hill to meet with staff in the offices of Senator Debbie Stabenow, Senator Carl Levin, and Representative Tim Walberg. During each of these legislative visits, support was requested for legislative issues important to Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists:

• Hearing Aid Assistance Tax Credit (Senate Bill S. 905 and House Bill H.R. 1479)
• Repeal of the Medicare Outpatient Therapy Caps (S. 829 and H.R. 1546).                                                                                                             

• Allow states to include Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists as providers in federally funded Literacy Programs
• Recognition, under Medicare law, of the full scope of diagnostic and rehabilitative services provided by Audiologists
• Protect IDEA funding from sequestration. Sequestration would reduce spending on IDEA each year when in fact IDEA has never been fully funded. The funding burden then shift to each state, poising particular difficulty for cashed-strapped states such as Michigan.
• Reduce the paperwork and administrative burden on Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists in the schools to allow more time for direct service provision

   During the Advisory Council meeting, councilors provided feedback to ASHA on a variety of topics:

• Maintaining ASHA’s financial health in a fiscally responsible manner. Member feedback has shown need to continue the Leader publication in hard copy form but many other savings have been realized with online journals, SIG publications, etc.
• Envisioning the future of ASHA in 2030. The overriding vision is to maintain leadership in research/science of communication/swallowing disorders and continue to evolve the training of professionals in both fields, as well as providing state of the art service to all clients. Recognition of and work with fellow professionals internationally is another future vision.
• Practice Resource Project: Pediatric Dysphagia is the prototype under development with multiple disorder topics to be launched once the template is finished. Designed to allow members to find latest research and general information along with resources for client education on topics of communication and swallowing disorders.
• NSSHLA update on recruitment of members and status of merging functions with ASHA, such as administrative tasks, to save costs.
• ASHA Governance Structure. After a 3-year moratorium, the councils discussed the current ASHA governance structure and modifications that might be recommended for the future. Advisory Council members requested more frequent web-based meetings and online interaction to discuss issues prior to each ASHA Board Meeting

Each Advisory Council met separately to discuss issues within the respective disciplines. Highlights of these discussions are below:

Speech-Language Pathology

• Discussion of training/credentialing of support personnel (assistants).
• Status of supervision: looking at requirement for CEU’s in order to provide supervision of interns and CF personnel. It was recognized that this is a contentious issue in that many feel this would reduce number of certified members willing to supervise.
• Clinical Doctorate in Speech-Language Pathology as an optional degree. This is now offered at a few universities. A group of 4 universities will meet this year to work on protocols for education to be employed across universities for more uniform degree. Other concerns regarding the cost of the degree, future of the MA/MS degree, salaries, etc. were discussed.
• Work setting breakout session to discuss concerns in healthcare, schools, and academic settings highlighted both similar and diverse issues across settings.

Audiology

• Impending changes to the healthcare landscape. With the future of healthcare reimbursement a topic of national concern, the Audiology council discussed the impact to the profession, including implications reimbursement, cost containment, value-based purchasing, and pay for performance/outcomes. The council provided feedback and recommendations for engaging more audiologists in discussion around this topic. A major stepping off point for this discussion will take place in the fall of 2012 when ASHA hosts a Summit on the Changing Healthcare Landscape.
• Internet-based hearing tests and direct to consumer hearing aid sales. Significant (and lively!) discussion took place on this topic and the implications for the less-than-ideal care delivery system it provides for patients. Councilors offered suggestions and recommendations for dealing with this many levels. ASHA has played a key role in advocating for audiologists to be involved in the delivery of both diagnostic and rehabilitative services for health plans with a hearing aid benefit.
• Plans for the Chief Staff Officer (CSO) Transition with the April 2012 retirement of Vic Gladstone, ASHA’s CSO for Audiology

   ASHA’s Board of Directors (BOD) encourages feedback and direct contact with the BOD regarding issues impacting the professions. All members have direct access to the BOD to bring up concerns and issues, simply go to www.asha.org/about/governance/membersintouch.htm to provide your feedback.

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Save the Date for our First Fall Conference

Bev Jaynes, M.A., CCC-SLP, MSHA VP for SLP Healthcare

You Don't Have to Know Everything to Do Something: Using Mobile Technology in the Treatment of Adults and Children

    The Health Care Services Committee is pleased to announce its first Fall Program event to be held Thursday evening November 1, 2012,  4:00 - 7:30 pm, at Beaumont Health System, Main Campus, in the Auditorium, Royal Oak, Michigan. You Don't Have to Know Everything to Do Something conference will feature speakers Lisa G. Bardach, M.S., CCC-SLP, Communicating Solutions LLC, and Patricia Nizio, M.A., CCC-SLP, Children's Hospital of Michigan, on the topic of using mobile devices with pediatric and adult clients. .3 CEUs are available, and the cost is $40 for MSHA members and $55 for non-MSHA members. The event listing and registration instructions  for this conference are online now at www.michiganspeechearing.org

       In Other News from the Health Care Services Committee...

    Also in the works is planning for the 2013 and 2014 speakers. The committee has reviewed suggestions provided by our members at the 2012 Conference.  We continue to track reimbursement concerns as presented. Ann Comstock at U of M Health systems has volunteered to be our lead pediatric resource. The committee as a whole, with the help of our STAR and SMAC representatives will monitor as Michigan transitions from NGS to WPS as our Medicare intermediary. Also, we are looking at the MDCH proposed policy on Integrated Care (for those Michigan residents who are Medicaid and Medicare eligible.)

   This fall we will return to work on the Clinical Service Award, which we hope will make it easier for individual SLP’s to be nominated. (Pictured here are l-r: Sandy Glista, Ellayne Ganzfried,
and Robin Pollens, MSHA 2012).
    We also hope to increase our exploration of supervision concerns as we consider issues regarding graduate student internships.  

    A caveat to all: continue to monitor what our legislators are supporting or opposing. Regardless of the issue, the buzz is we should be vigilant as the lame duck session (post Nov’s election) is when the push to pass a lot of unpopular legislation may occur. 

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Scaffolding for Success & M.A.C. on MAC

Angelique Boerst, M.A., CCC-A, VP for Audiology Services

  Thanks to all those who attended “Scaffolding for Success” workshop Friday, April 27, 2012. There were over 60 people in attendance. As always, it was great to see so many new and familiar faces. 

As promised, here is some information related to Friday’s discussion. If there is other information not included in this email, please feel free to contact me. 

The recent Medicaid policy update related to bilateral cochlear implants and auditory osseointegrated devices can be found at: http://www.michigan.gov/documents/mdch/MSA_12-05_378131_7.pdf

 CSHCS provider information page: http://www.michigan.gov/mdch/0,1607,7-132-2942_4911
_35698-157534--,00.html

Who to contact at CSHCS” http://www.michigan.gov/documents/mdch/CSHCS_Directory_199880_7.pdf

Local health department contacts by county (ask for CSHCS nurse): http://www.michigan.gov/mdch/
0,1607,7-132--96747--,00.html

Payment agreement guide for CSHCS: http://www.michigan.gov/documents/MSA-0738-B_Payment_Guide_165990_7.pdf

The websites discussed in the last portion of the workshop included:

Success for Kids with Hearing Loss: http://successforkidswithhearingloss.com/

Guide to Access Planning: http://www.phonakonline.com/MyGap/GapMain.html

Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM): http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/omim

Deaf/Hard of Hearing Educational Impact Matrix: http://mde-lio.cenmi.org/Services/StudentsWhoAreDeafandorHardofHearing/Instructionaland
RelatedServicesResources.aspx

 Don’t forget to mark your calendars for these upcoming meetings!

 October 25 - 26, 2012
Michigan Audiology Coalition
East Lansing Marriott
East Lansing, Michigan
 

 

 

 

 March 7 - 8, 2013
Gear Up! A conference for Families and Professionals Working Together for Michigan’s Children who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Lansing

 March 21-23, 2013
Annual MSHA Conference
The Henry Hotel
Dearborn, Michigan

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et cetera - May 2012

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