This is the Newsletter of the
Michigan Speech-Language-Hearing Association

Dawn Kutney, Editor
790 W. Lake Lansing Rd.
Suite 400
East Lansing, Michigan  48823
email address:  msha@att.net
Website: www.michiganspeechhearing.org

For more information, check out:
https://twitter.com/MshaLang
https://www.facebook.com/groups/66120189785/​
https://www.instagram.com/mshalang/
www.pinterest.com/mshalang/
   
   For more information on how you can be involved with MSHA or to contact the board members visit: 

www.michiganspeechhearing.org

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   Thanks to the following MSHA members who are willing to serve this association by holding office!  

Derek Daniels, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, Wayne State University, MSHA President
Amy Prichard Sova, M.A., CCC-SLP, Futures HealthCore, VP-Elect for Programs
Katie LaPerriere, M.A., CCC-SLP, Beaumont Health System, Secretary
Sherry Riedel, M.A., CCC-SLP,  Comprehensive Speech & Therapy Center, Treasurer
Ashley Gatliff, M.A., CCC-SLP, Global Psychological Services, VP for Membership
Rosalyn Davis, M.A., CCC-SLP, Children's Hospital of Michigan, VP for SLP Healthcare

   Thanks to all the MSHA members who recently voted in the election.

  
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   Congratulations to the following students who are the 2019 Recipients of the MSHF Scholarship Awards:

Jamiee Blaharski, B.S., Eastern Michigan University
Danae Brownell, B.S.,  Michigan State University 
Elizabeth Kaurich, B.A., Wayne State University
Brionna Leach, B.A.A., Central Michigan University
Carolyn Mooi, B.S., Western Michigan University
Kayla Welker, B.A.A., Central Michigan University

   These outstanding Graduate Students each received $800.00 presented to them at the MSHA Awards Banquet in East Lansing.  Congratulations!   Thanks to all of you who donated items to the MSHF SIlent Auction, or bid on items, and thanks to those who bought items.  Your support is what makes these scholarships possible!

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MSHA Executive Board:
President:
Gregory J. Spray,  M.A., CCC-SLP
President-Elect: 
Derek Daniels, Ph.D., CCC-SLP
Past President: 
Lisa L. Register, M.A., CCC-SLP
Secretary:
Katharine LaPierriere, M.A., CCC-SLP
Treasurer:
Sherry Riedel, M.A., CCC-SLP
VP for Advocacy:
Kelli Pierce, M.A., CCC-SLP
VP for Audiology Services:
Open
VP for Membership:
Ashley Gatliff, M.A., CCC-SLP
VP for Professional Dev & Education:
Amy Prichard Sova,  M.A., CCC-SLP
VP Elect for Prof Dev & Education:
Amy Prichard Sova, M.A., CCC-SLP
VP for Public Relations:
Erica Neller, M.A., CCC-SLP
VP for SLP/Healthcare:
Rosalyn Davis, M.S., CCC-SLP
VP for SLP/Public Schools:
Alyssa Webster, M.A., CCC-SLP

MSHA Advisory Assembly:
Audiology Practice:
Open
Communications and Networking:
Sarah Killinger, M.A., CCC-SLP
Continuing Education:
Sarah Choss, M.A., CCC-SLP
Ethics & Standards:
Chelsea Ozuch, M.A., CCC-SLP
SLP Healthcare:
Rosalyn Davis, M.A., CCC-SLP
SLP Public School:
Alyssa Webster, M.A., CCC-SLP
Student Affairs:
Danae Brownelll, B.S.
MSHA Members-at-Large
N.W. Michigan:
Michelle Baumgartner, M.A., CCC-SLP
S.E. Michigan:
Courtney Halbower, M.A., CCC-SLP
S.W. Michigan:
D'Jaris Coles-White, Ph.D., CCC-SLP
N.E. Michigan:
Open
Upper Peninsula:
Kelli Pfiester, M.A., CFY-SLP
Member-at-Large Representing Students:
Annie Warbritton, B.S., Western Michigan University
ASHA Advisory Councilors:
SLP: Cary Cekola, M.A.,CCC-SLP
AUD:  Margot Beckerman, Au.D., CCC-A
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     Yvette D. Hyter, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, ASHA Fellow, MSHA member and Professor at Western Michigan University, is one of three candidates running for ASHA's Vice President for Planning. Dr. Hyter thinks that "planning is the backbone of any organization." She has had over 20 years of experience in strategic planning, identifying future trends, and a strong record in interprofessional, culturally responsive and globally sustainable practices. Dr. Hyter is a Professor in the Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences at WMU.

   The ASHA Board of Directors makes decisions that affect every member of ASHA. Please vote! The deadline to vote is Wednesday, May 29, 2019, at 3:00 pm (ET). Click here to have the voting deadline added to your calendar. 

Need more information about the candidates? Go to http://www.asha.org/candidates/

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   Many thanks to the following universities who sponsored featured events at the MSHA Conference.  Here they are, in order of their appearance in the Program:

Eastern Michigan University, Speech Language Pathology Program
Shari Robertson Short Course Thursday
 
Central Michigan University, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders
Friday Morning Pastries

Northern Michigan University, Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences Program
Undergraduate Student Session Friday morning

Wayne State University, Department of Communication Sciences & Disorders
Snack Break Friday afternoon
 
Western Michigan University, Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences
Praxis Trivia Quiz Bowl, Friday Evening
 
Michigan State University, Department of Communicative Sciences and Disorders
Friday Evening Reception
 
Grand Valley State University, Department of Communication Sciences & Disorders
Breakfast Pastries Saturday morning
 
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Dear MSHA members who work in the public schools,

MSHA wants to hear about your caseload. If you are working in the schools, please take our short survey so we can better advocate for you and your clients.

Thank you!

The MSHA Executive Board
 
Link:
 
https://msu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_38Zcs2hEouUYSoZ

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  Thanks to all the wonderful exhibitors who came to the Kellogg Center in East Lansing at MSHA. We hope you had a good experience.  Exhibiting at MSHA allows for networking between those who sell products used by SLPs and AUDs, with those who wish to hire someone, or to be hired.  Educational products and equipment are available and we appreciate our exhibitors who share their time and products with us, and we appreciate our members spending time in the exhibit hall to visit and browse.

   Hope to see you next year in Detroit!  All of the info you need to register online at www.michiganspeechhearing.org
  
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   The MSHA Program Committee is grateful to all of you who filled out evaluations for the 2019 MSHA Conference held at the Kellogg Center in East Lansing.  We read and compile them for the MSHA Board and Program Committee to review.  Here are some comments and questions from this year's events, some answers, and some things to think about:

Q:  Could we have more time for lunch on Thursday?

A:  Yes, in fact we are planning to have a planned luncheon next year on Thursday and all 3 days will have the exact same time for lunches, and for starting and ending times of classes during the day.

Q:  Could we have writing surfaces in the classrooms?

A:  Yes, if it is possible, but no if it means cutting the room capacity by more than half.  The best rooms come with writing surfaces, as in the Auditorium at the Kellogg Center.  

Q:  Can we have coffee available all day?

A:  No, it is way too expensive.

Other comments and suggestions were for more signage, more breakfast items, and more exhibit space.  We will also have a separate room for Poster Sessions if possible.  We try to schedule small breaks between classes, but that is not always possible either.  Another request is to not have any conflicts with our Human Trafficking and Pain Management classes, but remember not everyone needs to take these classes every year.

Thank you for all of your suggestions for further speakers and topics!  We are on it!

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MSHA Conference 2020: 
March 19-21, 2020
MotorCity Convention Center and Hotel, Detroit

MSHA Conference 2021: 
March 18-20, 2021
Kalamazoo Radisson Hotel 

MSHA Conference 2022:
March 24-26, 2022
Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center, East Lansing

The next et cetera newsletter will be emailed to all MSHA members in September.

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    The Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences of the College of Health and Human Services at Western Michigan University is pleased to announce the 37th Annual Van Riper Lecture Series scheduled for October 25, 2019.  The topic will focus on cognitive communicative disorders in aging populations. The keynote speaker will be Dr. Nidhi Mahendra, Associate Professor, Department of Communicative Disorders and Sciences; Director, Spartan Aphasia Research Clinic (SPARC); Associate Director, Center for Healthy Aging in Multicultural Populations (CHAMP), San José State University.  Details for on campus and for remote streaming registration are posted on the Department's website found here - https://wmich.edu/speech-audiology

Questions may be directed to the Van Riper Lectures Committee at 269-387-8045 or spaa-info@wmich.edu

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   Congratulations to the following MSHA members who were awarded the ASHA Award for Continuing Education (ACE) for the period from July through September 2018:

Kathryn Atkinson, M.A., CCC-SLP, Central Michigan University
Derek Daniels, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, Wayne State University
Caroline Haas, M.A., CCC-SLP, McLaren Neuro Rehab
Ronald Kelley, M.A., CCC-SLP, Western Michigan University
Erin Papcun, M.A., CCC-SLP, University of Michigan Health System
Tammy Shilling, M.A., CCC-SLP, Andrews University
J. Scott Yaruss, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, Michigan State University

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   MSHA Life Member James C. Lorenger, M.Ed., retired Teacher of the Speech-Language Impaired in Detroit Public Schools, died on March 28, 2019 at 93 years of age.   Jim was a veteran of the US Navy and retired from Detroit Public Schools after a long career.  He was a MSHA member for many years and was granted Life Membership in 1998.  Our condolences to his family.

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Dear MSHA Members,
    
   I hope each of you enjoyed the annual MSHA Conference in East Lansing as much as I did! Before I formally introduce myself, I would like to thank Lisa Register, Jackie Gale, Amy Pritchard Sova, Kim Wesoloski, and Dawn Kutney for all of the planning and dedication that went into making this year’s conference a success. I also want to thank the MSHA Executive Board, along with the members of the Advisory Assembly, all of whom contributed knowledge, insight, and effort.
 
   As I reflect on this year’s conference, along with MSHA’s 80th anniversary, I think it’s important to show veneration to the pioneers within the fields of speech-language pathology and audiology. As many of you know, I received my Bachelor of Science from Western Michigan University (WMU), and was fortunate to have my first clinical experience at the Charles Van Riper Language, Speech and Hearing Clinic. While attending WMU, I was fortunate to interact with Kathryn Hillenbrand, M.A., CCC-SLP,  Sandra Glista, M.S., CCC-SLP, and Janice Bedrosian, Ph.D., CCC-SLP,  who have each made significant contributions to our field. These women, along with Lisa Register, M.A., CCC-SLP at MSU, provided me with a strong foundation grounded in integrity, scholarship, and service. More recently, I’ve had the opportunity to work with Soo-Eun Chang, Ph.D., CCC-SLP at Michigan State University/University of Michigan, who taught me the importance of evidence-based practice. Reminiscing on these outstanding clinicians, scholars, and scientists, I am filled with gratitude and hope for MSHA’s next 20 years.
 
   Over the next year, I hope to build upon the established goals of MSHA, while also working with members across the Upper Peninsula and Lower Michigan, to develop an organization that reflects our vision, provides opportunities for growth, and allows for greater advocacy opportunities. One of the most recent changes for MSHA is our new logo, which incorporates the Mackinac Bridge. Thank you Amy Prichard Sova, M.A., CCC-SLP, for this great design.The Executive Board hopes that this symbol reminds each of us about our members across the state, while also galvanizing the link between research and clinical practice.

   With this in mind, I would like to tell you that the 2020 MSHA Conference, March 19-21, 2020, at MotorCity Hotel and Conference Center, Detroit, will provide a number of CEU opportunities across the speech-language pathology and audiology scope of practice. We are working to bring exciting change to MSHA and look forward to seeing each of you in the Motor City in March 2020.
 
   It is my honor to serve as your President for the 2019-2020 year. As we move onward, it is my goal to represent MSHA and our members well. Please do not hesitate to contact me, or other members of the Executive Board or Advisory Assembly if you would like to meet or provide input. I look forward to serving you, along with your students and clients, to create an environment where communication serves as a bridge and elevates the human condition.

Greg Spray, M.A., CCC-SLP
MSHA President 
     
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Join us in Detroit!

MotorCity Hotel and Convention Center

   Join us at our annual MSHA Conference, March 19-21, 2020, at the MotorCity Hotel and Conference Center in downtown Detroit, Michigan. MotorCity Hotel and Conference Center offers a full-amenity venue for hosting what is always a packed schedule of conference sessions, events, and activities. Extra Perks: Valet and Self-Parking and WiFi are free this year at the MotorCity Hotel for all of our MSHA conference attendees!  (pictured here l-r: Amy Prichard Sova and Jackie Gale)
  
   Our 2020 Conference will be bursting at the seams with professional development opportunities that you have come to know and expect when attending a MSHA conference. Our theme this year is Revving The Communication Engine in the Motor City: Bridging Research & Clinical Practice. We hope our conference attendees will use this time to recharge your batteries in all things speech, language, hearing, and swallowing.

ASHA Certification Changes
   2 big changes to ASHA’s Certification standards for Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology are coming your way in 2020. Clinical supervisors and CF mentors will be required to have 2 hours professional development in the area of Supervision post-certification. Another change is that beginning with the 2020–2022 certification maintenance interval, certificate holders will have to earn one of their 30 required certification maintenance hours (CMHs) in Ethics.

   MSHA is pleased to announce that we will be offering a 2-hour class on Supervision and a 1-hour class on General Ethics that will fulfill these new requirements at the 2020 MSHA conference.  We will continue to offer classes in both Human Trafficking and Pain Management to satisfy the LARA requirements. Remember, for  the Human Trafficking requirement you only need to complete it once; for the Pain Management requirement, you will need 1 CPD in that area every time you renew your license.  Please note the article in this newsletter on updates from LARA.  For licensure information please visit:  
https:// michiganspeechhearing.org/ licensure.php

   Do you have a  question about licensure?  Please direct all questions pertaining to licensure to LARA at   bhcshelp@michigan.gov

   We already have an exciting line up of invited speakers for 2020 - see the article below - and the Call for Papers 2020 is online along with other conference info.  Save the date and begin to make your plans now for the annual MSHA Conference, March 19-21, 2020.                  
   I hope to see you in the Motor City!

Cordially,

Amy Prichard Sova, M.A., CCC-SLP
MSHA VP for Professional Development and Education
   
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   MSHA is returning to Detroit!  Our last conference was held there in the early 80s, and we are so pleased to come back and be part of the resurgence this great city is experiencing!  (Pictured here, l-r: Amy Prichard Sova, Pam Ansell, and Tamara Baubie at the MSHF Silent Auction, MSHA 2019)

Save the date of March 19-21, 2020, at the MotorCity Hotel and Conference Center.  Revving the Communication Engine in the Motor City: Bridging Research & Clinical Practice is our theme, and here is our wonderful line-up of speakers and topics, in order of their appearance in the Program, thus far:

▲ Kathryn Hillenbrand, M.A., CCC-SLP, Western Michigan University on Thursday will present a 2-hour class: Supervision – Graduate Intern and CF Level. This class will satisfy the new 2020 ASHA requirement on supervision.

▲ Amanda Hopkins, M.S., CCC-SLP, LSLS Cert. AVT, Listening and Language Connections, LLC, on Thursday, will present: Assessment for Children with Hearing Loss and How to Interpret the Results.

▲ J. Bruce Hillenberg, Ph.D., APBB, Director of Psychology, Pain Medicine, Beaumont Hospital will offer a Thursday class on Pain Management in the evening which will satisfy the biennial LARA requirement for Michigan Licensure; and he will also present a Short Course on Friday: Healthcare Provider Stress and Burnout and Suicide Risk Assessment and Treatment.

▲ Carol Flexer, Ph.D., CCC-A, LSLS Cert, AVT, Distinguished Professor Emeritus, The University of Akron, on Friday will present 2 Short Courses: Managing Unilateral, Mild, Moderate, & Fluctuating Hearing Losses in Children and Hearing Loss, Executive Functions, and Theory of Mind: Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists Collaborate. Carol will also present the Friday Awards Lunch Keynote Address on Acoustic Accessibility.

▲ Nancy Telian, M.S., CCC-SLP, Author, Lively Letters, Co-director, Reading with TLC, Adjunct Faculty, MGH Institute of Health Professions, on Friday will present 2 Short Courses: Training and Certification in Lively Letters and Sight Words.  She will also present at the Saturday Public School Luncheon Forum: Efficient, Effective, and Exciting: Practical School Based Therapy Activities that Satisfy the Three Es of Therapy Excellence.

▲ Jonathan L. Preston, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, Syracuse University, on Saturday will present 2 Short Courses: Childhood Apraxia of Speech in Preschool and School-Age Children Part I: Assessment, Treatment Planning, and Motor Learning; and Childhood Apraxia of Speech in Preschool and School Age Children Part II: Evidence-Based Approaches to Treatment.

▲ Bonnie Martin Harris, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, BCS-S, ASHA Fellow, Northwestern University, on Saturday will present 2 Short Courses: The Modified Barium Swallow Impairment Profile (MBSImP™): Optimizing Validity, Reproducibility, and Outcomes from Videofluoroscopic Imaging Across the Lifespan and Respiratory-Swallow Coordination: Implication and Application in Dysphagia Assessment and Treatment.

▲ Sharon Mankey, M.A.T, CCC-SLP and Mariesa Rang, M.A., CCC-SLP, Purdue University, on Saturday will present: Communication: Encouraging Liberty and Justice for All.  This class will focus on instructing SLPs on how to train first responders to communicate with people who are nonverbal.
 
   Look on the MSHA website for the 2020 Call for Papers and share your expertise with your colleagues!  This conference Program is a work in progress!

See you next year in Detroit!

Amy Prichard Sova, M.A., CCC-SLP,
Futures HealthCore
MSHA VP for Professional Development and Education

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   Heather Balog and Peter LaPine were both honored at the  MSHA Awards Luncheon on Friday, March 22, 2019, during the MSHA Annual Conference in East Lansing.  Congratulations to these two outstanding colleagues who received MSHA Awards for their exemplary and unique contributions to our profession and to the association. 

Heather Balog, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, Balog Speech and Language Center, received  MSHA Honors of the Association.  Heather is honored for her many years of service on the MSHA Executive Board as President, for her role working with MSHA students at conference time and throughout the year, her support and participation for advocacy for the profession during key times but also at our Advocacy Day at the Capitol, and for her role as President of the MSHA Foundation (MSHF).  The Honors of the Association is the highest award the Association can bestow. (Pictured here l-r: Heather Balog and Emmylou Garza Prisby) 

  Peter LaPine, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, Michigan State University, received the 2019 MSHA Distinguished Service Award for his work promoting international education during his distinguished career as a Speech-Language Pathologist and Professor at MSU.  (pictured above l-r: Matt Phillips, Peter LaPine, Kristin Hicks, and Danae Brownell).  He was an integral member of the Operation Kindness, a service-learning project that gave students at MSU the opportunity to help those in need in Camargo, Mexico.  He conducted nearly 50 week-long humanitarian medical and educational projects in the Yucatan peninsula.

   Upon accepting the award, Heather spoke of her experience coming to Michigan from Iowa and how she was welcomed by her colleagues at MSHA into not only her profession, but also her new state and community.  She quickly became involved in MSHA and ultimately served as President and was so influential in leading our association through the initial stages of licensure. 

   In his remarks, Peter spoke of the profound impact of serving others that he experienced, and that he saw in the students, parents and children, and colleagues through his work with Operation Kindness in the many years that he participated.  Peter spoke with great emotion about seeing the impact of community, service, and the human connections that he witnessed over time.

     Join us as to acknowledge and celebrate these two outstanding Speech-Language Pathologists and their contributions to the profession of Speech-Language Pathology and the patients and students we serve.

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   Congratulations to Corinne Smyk, B.S., graduate student at MSU, and Andrianna Evangelista, B.A., graduate student at EMU, for their outstanding Student Posters Sessions at MSHA.  Both students received $250 which is funded by the Michigan chapters of the Psi Iota Xi organization (Zeta Theta, Eta Sigma, Eta Omicron, and Theta Tau), the national philanthropic organization that is dedicated to helping others, especially in the fields of speech and hearing.  Thanks to them for their continued support of our students! (Pictured here above: Corinne Smyk, and left, Andriana Evangelista)

   The Student Poster Sessions are:  Assessing Speech-Language Pathologists’ Comfort with Stuttering, Corinne Smyk, B.S., co-authored with J. Scott Yaruss, Ph.D., CCC-SLP; and Parental Involvement in the IEP Process of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder,  Andrianna Evangelista, B.A., co-authored with Audrey Farrugia, Ph.D., CCC-SLP. 

   Thank you to all of those who submitted Poster Sessions and Student Poster Sessions for the MSHA Conference!  We had a great response this year and our members were able to obtain CEUs by viewing the posters.

   Follow this link to the Call for Papers for Student Poster Sessions for the 2020 MSHA Annual Conference.

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    Two Outstanding Clinician Awards were given at the March MSHA Annual Conference in East Lansing.  Alice Silbergleit, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, Director of Speech-Language Sciences and Disorders at Henry Ford Health System and Margaret Tiner, M.S., CCC-SLP,  Senior Speech-Language Pathologist at the University of Michigan Health System, are both recipients of the Outstanding Clinician Award from MSHA. Their distinguished careers specializing in voice disorders, swallowing,  adult neurogenic disorders, head and neck cancer, and a myriad of other disorders and conditions have led to their being honored for their contributions to this profession.

   Shown above, l-r:  Jouel Truesdell-Lewis, Karen Al-Saadi, Margaret Tiner, Bev Jaynes, Alice Silbergleit, Erica Boettcher, Karen Kurcz, and Amy Prichard Sova.  Margaret Tiner and Alice Silbergleit are the Outstanding Clinicians, surrounded by members of the MSHA SLP Healthcare Committee.

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   To keep you updated about rules and regulationss with LARA, here is some information to update you:

R338.621, 338.623, 338.627, 338.629 – Relicensure
►NEW RULE - requirements for continuous professional development (CPD) activities as a requirement for license renewal.
►20 hours required (comparable to other states in the region).
►applying for license renewal constitutes certification of compliance with CPD requirements – no additional documentation required o licensees should retain documentation of completion for 3 years in the event of an audit •   at least 1 CPD credit must be completed in the area of pain management and symptom management.
►acceptable activities for CPD credits: •reading an article related to speech-language pathology (not including articles offered as CEU by ASHA); each article worth 1 CPD, maximum of 5
•presenting continuing education program approved by MI board of audiology, MI board of medicine, MI board of osteopathic medicine and surgery, speech-language pathology board of any state in the US – 2 CPD credits for each 50-60 minutes of presentation; maximum of 10 CPDs
•initial presentation of scientific exhibit or paper at state, regional, national, or international speech-language pathology conference – 2 CPD credits per presentation; maximum of 10 CPD credits
•writing an article that is published in a journal – 3 CPD credits per article; maximum of 9 CPD credits
•writing a chapter in a published textbook – 3 CPD credits per chapter; 9 CPD credits maximum
•serving as an instructor of students, staff, or other licensees at a clinical program – 2 CPD credits for each 50 to 60 minutes; maximum of 10 CPD credits
•serving as clinical supervisor for students completing an internship – 1 CPD credit per 1 hour of instruction; maximum of 5 CPD credits
•providing supervision as part of a disciplinary sanction – 1 CPD credit for 1 hour of supervision; maximum of 5 CPD credits
•participating on task force, committee, board, council or association related to speech language pathology – 5 CPD credits per organization; maximum of 5 CPD credits
•participation in development of national examination – 5 CPD credits for participation; maximum of 5 CPD credits
•participating in an in-service program relating to speech-language pathology provided or sponsored by a MI school system – 1 CPD for each hour completed; maximum of 5 CPD credits.

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   Thanks to all who came and enjoyed 3 days of the 2019 MSHA Annual Conference at the Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center in East Lansing.  We had over 600 attendees, and the Kellogg Center proved to be a convenient location and our conversations with MSHA members and the evaluations told us that the speakers were outstanding and the venue was thoroughly enjoyable!

   We did have a few things that we hope to improve on for the future.   Please see the Conference FAQs article where we answer some of your questions.   Two of our speakers cancelled this year:  Lynn Dudek cancelled in February for health reasons, and we wish her the very best.  We were fortunate to have her topics covered by Sarah Douglas, Ph.D., and Courtney Venker, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, both from MSU.   Our other cancellation was Carol Winchester and Jeanna Winchester, who cancelled just prior to the conference because of a health reason too.  We did not have time to replace them but they offered CEUs to those who had signed up - and showed up - for their class and were disappointed to find it had been cancelled. (pictured here l-r: Katie LaPerrierre and Michele Montmorency.)

   We try to make sure we have our speakers in classrooms to accommodate our conference attendees and sometimes we are a little crowded.  When we are able to, we arrange for the rooms to have writing surfaces for attendees, but that is not always an option. (Pictured left, l-r: Derek Daniels and Tim Weise.)

   When our Program Committee selects a hotel site, the main criteria of our selection choices are: cost to MSHA for the meeting space; cost to our members for hotel rooms and food prices; availability of meeting space; cost of parking, AV, and wifi to our members; proximity to a safe and attractive city where our members can enjoy 3 days of conference activity.  We also rotate between three areas of the state: metro Detroit area, mid-Michigan, and west-Michigan.  Unfortunately we cannot afford to meet in Northern Michigan because of the available hotel costs. (Pictured right is Abhinaya Krishnaraj, University of Michigan).

   As you can see, costs to our members drive our decision.  We have kept our conference registration fees low and stable for many years.  We have outgrown several sites such as The Henry in Dearborn, and the Troy Marriott.    Our Program Committee works very hard to find suitable venues for our MSHA Conference and we know that there is not one place that meets all of our needs perfectly.  We thank you for your continued support of our MSHA Conference and hope you will keep coming and helping to make to conferences so vibrant and meaningful! (Pictured here: MSHA Presidents Past, Present, and Future:  l-r: Heather Balog, Greg Spray, Derek Daniels, Kathy Rigley, Natalie Douglas, Lisa Register, and Tim Weise.)

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   Congrats to the students from MSU who won this year's Praxis Trivia Quizbowl at the MSHA Conference in East Lansing!  This fun event continues to grow, and many thanks to Western Michigan University Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences for sponsoring the pizza and refreshments.  Thanks also to Courtney Halbower, M.A., CCC-SLP and Ashley Gatliff, M.A., CCC-SLP, for facilitating the evening's event.

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   Enjoy these glimpses into another great MSHA Conference!  Hope to see you next year in Detroit!