Collaborative Efforts with ASHA

Collaborative Efforts between ASHA and ASHA Recognized State Speech-Language-Hearing Associations  

ASHA collaborates with state speech-language-hearing associations (SSLHA*) to assist them in meeting the needs of their membership through

• ASHA and SSLHAs communications
• Benefits, opportunities, and resources
• SSLHAs recognition

  ASHA and Recognized SSLHAs Communications

ASHA’s state advocacy team facilitates interaction between ASHA and SSLHAs by serving as liaisons, each designated for four regions of the United States as well as the Overseas Association. State advocacy liaisons provide information and assistance on legislative, regulatory, and association administrative issues through regular contact by conference calls, e-mail, and onsite assistance. Information helpful to SSLHAs is also available on the State-by-State section of ASHA’s website at www.asha.org/advocacy/state. Each SSLHAs link includes contact information for SSLHA, state governments, and regulatory agencies. There are also summaries on the characteristics of licensure laws; teacher requirements; support personnel laws and regulations; and hearing aid dispensing requirements for audiologists.
 
Additionally, SSLHAs may use various communication systems to relay information to ASHA and to assist in the promotion and publication of SSLHAs activities by ASHA. 
 
Communication opportunities may include:

• SSLHA newsletters and promotional documents;
• e-mail;
• meeting summaries, actions, or minutes from a SLHA board or committee, or from general membership meetings;
• information related to activities, events, accomplishments, issues, or concerns of the SSLHA.

 Benefits, Opportunities, and Resources

A variety of ASHA benefits, opportunities, and resources are available to SSLHAs.
 
Benefits

• education of legislators and key legislative staff on critical state issues during the annual meeting of the National Conference of State Legislatures;

• liability insurance at a discounted rate for SSLHA officers, who are ASHA members, and for SSLHAs through the Association Professional Liability Insurance Plan;

Opportunities

• attend the Council of State Speech-Language-Hearing Association Presidents (CSAP) spring and fall meetings to gain knowledge of federal and state public policy issues, trends, activities, administrative, and leadership issues
• opportunities for invited presentations on translational and evidence-based practice research at SSLHA meetings may be made available as part of ASHA’s commitment towards making the benefits of research to clinical practice more visible;

 Resources
 
State liaisons, through conference calls, webinars and onsite support as part of the State Outreach Initiative provide:

• Assistance on advocating for state legislative and regulatory change;
• Assistance with SSLHA planning, membership recruitment, and succession planning;
• Presentations at your SSLHA meetings;
• Information on state trends in licensure, health, and education policy;
• Access to national position papers, guidelines, and definitions for use in developing state-specific standards of care, quality assurance programs, and state policies;
• Strategic planning

Other useful resources include:

• Guidance from ASHA’s continuing education staff on programming, marketing, and evaluating SSLHA-sponsored continuing education opportunities;
• Access to data (employment information, caseload characteristics, salaries, etc.) from the following four ASHA Omnibus-replacement surveys:
  • school-based speech-language pathologists;
  • audiologists;
  • healthcare-based speech-language pathologists; and
  • a rotating population of individuals in private practice, academicians, researchers, etc;
• Print and audiovisual sale products to assist SSLHAs with their career recruitment and  public awareness campaigns, including:
  • a videotape on the professions of speech-language pathology and audiology;
  • consumer brochures; and
  • products and information for Better Hearing and Speech Month.
• Three national-state networks provide assistance to SSLHAs.

1. State Education Advocacy Leaders (SEALs) to facilitate information exchange on state education issues
2. State Advocates for Reimbursement (STARs) to advocate with legislators, state insurance commissioners, health plans, unions, employers, and Medicaid officials on matters related to private healthcare plans and Medicaid reimbursement and coverage for audiology and speech-language pathology services
3. State Medicare Administrative Contractors (SMACs) to enhance communication and to perpetuate the advocacy and leadership of ASHA members in administrative and policy decisions that influence Medicare coverage, reimbursement, and delivery of speech-language pathology services and audiology services

SSLHAs Recognition

ASHA assures that it shares common purposes and membership requirements with SSLHAs through a formal recognition process. In addition to the above programs and resources, ASHA-recognized SSLHAs may:

• Receive one free set of mailing labels of ASHA members in their locality or have one e-mail blast sent to ASHA members in their locality
• Receive up to five complimentary annual subscriptions to The ASHA Leader
• Use the ASHA e-advocacy system for grassroots letter and e-mail campaigns to state legislators and regulators and to ASHA members in your locality

• Qualify for financial aid in the form of loan and grant programs, subject to availability of funds in the ASHA budget
• Receive compensation, and other benefits from ASHA, when the ASHA Annual Convention is held in your state
• Qualify for up to two complimentary base registration waivers for ASHA’s Annual Convention for active SSLHA lobbyists (non-ASHA member eligible only)
• Request a single waived ASHA Convention registration for use by your SSLHA as a raffle prize or auction giveaway when ASHA’s Annual Convention is hosted in your region (north, south, west, and central)
• Have complimentary consultation on meeting contracts for SSLHA conferences by ASHA
• Request to have an ASHA Board of Directors member present and meet with members at SSLHA meetings by contacting Janet Deppe (jdeppe@asha.org) or their state liaison
• Invite ASHA staff to present at SSLHA conventions without the need for an honorarium  

 
Recognition Renewal
When applying for ASHA recognition renewal, SSLHAs must provide ASHA with the following information:

• copy of the constitution or bylaws and the stated purpose;
• membership requirements;
• code of ethics and nondiscrimination policy; and
• a completed ASHA provided SLHA profile.