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Message from the President
Slower paced summer moves into faster moving fall, both filled with successful actions of MSHA 2015!
MSHA has a new executive director, Dr. Ricki Garrett, who is already in full swing fulfilling her many duties.
Pearson sponsored MSHA in providing our first statewide webinar at no cost to our membership with CEU’s available. Watch for announcements of another MSHA webinar coming this fall!
An online MSHA Operational Manual (MOM) is in the development stage. It will serve as a comprehensive guide to all policies, meetings, agendas, minutes, contracts, forms, newsletters, financial documents; etc. filed behind a table of contents for ease of locating information 24-7! Volunteer hours will complete this project with no fees incurred for placement on the MSHA website! Updates will be provided as needed.
MSHA president of 2012, Darlene Gore, has been appointed to the MS Advisory Council of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, and the 2016 MSHA Conference Chair, Dr. Kimberly Ward, has received an appointment to the ASHA Medicaid Committee. MSHA congratulates you on these outstanding professional accomplishments!
MSHA’s VP of School Issues, Claudette Edwards, has made a presentation with MDE regarding the SLP Evaluation document and has held discussions with MDE concerning statewide school-based issues.The VP of Healthcare, Jeffalyn Trammel, and past president, Beverly Ray, have made significant gains in negotiations with health plans to expedite SLP services. MSHA’s past president, Dr. Rachel Powell, continues in the communication process with the MS Superintendent of Education regarding the 216 licensing. VP Audiology and Advisory Council Chair, CG Marx, was instrumental in gaining support from the state health officer for Medicaid student assisted therapy. VP Finance, Karen Price, has worked diligently assisting in efforts to guard MSHA’s income and expenses, and MSHA’s VP Public Relations and Marketing continues to develop and produce a quarterly online newsletter of professional information.VP Continuing Education, Leslie Hammond, has spent additional time assisting members regarding CEU reporting. Amazing efforts and progress are visible in the work of MSHA committee chairs and state representatives, some attending national and statewide meetings to gain the information you need!
These are only some of the ways that MSHA is working for you and thus, is evident the benefits of MSHA membership. If one were to ask me how MSHA has benefited me professionally and why I am a MSHA leader, I would have to say it has enhanced my network of professionals beyond the local professional work environment, revitalized and enhanced my career opportunities, and broadened my knowledge base. All of us have seen dedicated professionals who provided outstanding services above and beyond the call of duty on the job and received payment and praise for these services, but I have never in my life seen such passion and commitment to the profession as I have seen in MSHA leadership who are strictly volunteers! As a MSHA leader, I have had the privilege of growth and fulfillment as a result of serving the needs of professionals and clients all across the state, being able to accomplish so much more than I ever imagined in the profession because of the ‘power in numbers’ and the productive collaboration with highly motivated professionals who are truly filled with a servant spirit. Become a part of this progressive professional association by renewing or applying for membership today. Join and become a part of our well-respected, nationally recognized state association at www.mshausa.org.
Camille Williams
2015 MSHA President
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During the summer of 2015, the MSHA presidential committee has been working diligently on the creation of the MSHA Operational Manual. This will be an online manual which outlines the policies and procedures and governing structure for MSHA. In this manual will be pertinent documents accessible to all the members, i.e. job descriptions of each executive board member and committee chair as well as parliamentary procedure for all meetings of the association. This manual is just one more benefit of membership in the Mississippi Speech Language Hearing Association.
This year also marks a membership drive for MSHA. So many benefits to joining our state organization exist, and I would like to highlight a few. I believe one of the most important advantages to being a member of MSHA is the outstanding networking opportunities to professionals across the state that membership in MSHA affords. Networking with other professional experts in our field offers diverse perspectives granting all more insight. Also available are the online resources to the MSHA members on the website. Accessible to the MSHA members are various trainings that can be downloaded and used to train others in areas such as: auditory processing management of children in the classroom, hearing aid care and maintenance, and cochlear implant troubleshooting. All this is available, not to mention the professional educational opportunities in which one can participate for reduced costs through the annual conference and online webinars. One last benefit to be mentioned is the voice one can have on a state advocacy level to help promote client welfare and professional concerns. This year alone, two of the great legislative accomplishments MSHA supported were: the hearing aid tax credit bill and the loan forgiveness bill, which is afforded to students who qualify. These two critical legislative bills that were supported through the efforts of MSHA were passed in the spring of 2015 and considered to be great accomplishments on the state level.
To be a part of making such a dramatic difference for our clients and professionals is a worthy reason to join, in and of itself. We would like to encourage you to renew your MSHA membership and invite a professional friend who has not been a member before to join our state association! Together we will grow stronger!
Rebecca Lowe
President-Elect
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Ricki R. Garrett, Ph.D.
Ricki Garrett, Ph.D. is an association management professional who currently manages the Mississippi Speech-Language Hearing Association, the Mississippi Association of Nurse Practitioners and does consulting work for the American Nurses Association. Previously, she was Senior Vice-President for Public Affairs for Hayes Dent Public Strategies where she started an association management division of the firm. She was the Executive Director of the Mississippi Nurses Association from 2004-2011, during which time the association became one of the preeminent nursing organizations in the country and expanded its influence with nurses, the policy makers, and the public. Previously, Ricki served a twelve-year term on the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning, where she was president from 1999-2000. During her term on the College Board, Ricki was instrumental in developing the annual College Fair, legislative lobbying, and creating partnerships between the educational and business community.
A graduate of Mississippi University for Women, the University of Mississippi, and Jackson State University Ricki has degrees in English and a Ph.D. in higher education. She has taught on both the secondary and university levels. She is a businesswoman and has co-owned Etiquette and Protocol Associates, a company that designs and presents training seminars in business etiquette and international protocol.
Ricki has held membership in numerous civic and community groups, including the Council of Board Chairs of the National Association of Governing Boards, vice-president, Mississippi Ednet Board; president, Mississippi Stadium Commission; commission member, Mississippi Commission for Volunteer Service; treasurer, Mississippi Humanities Council, national president, Mississippi University for Women Alumnae Association; secretary, Mississippi Society of Association Executives, vice-president, Information Quality Assurance Board, and president, Junior Auxiliary of Clinton. She is a board member of the Mississippi Economic Education Council.
Ricki is the recipient of a number of awards, including the Medal of Excellence, Alumnae Achievement Award, and Woman of the Year 2004 from Mississippi University for Women; and a finalist for the Business Woman of the Year 2005 by the Mississippi Business Journal. In 2013, she ran for mayor of Clinton, MS.
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We are excited to report that preparations are well underway for the 2016 MSHA Annual Continuing Education Conference to be held on March 2-4, 2016, at the Hilton Hotel in Jackson!
The 2016 Conference Committee is dedicated to bringing you a large variety of hot topics, world renowned speakers, and great networking opportunities!
We appreciate all of the knowledgeable professionals within our state organization and invite you to submit a Call for Papers proposal for this year’s conference!
The MSHA Call for Papers is out and proposals will be accepted until November 1, 2015. We need YOU to help make this the best conference yet!
Please submit your conference proposal no later than November 1st, as this will be a tremendous help in scheduling speakers! Remember each speaker needs to complete his/her own form.
We are extremely excited about the 2016 MSHA conference and thank you in advance for your participation!
Kimberly Ward, 2016 MSHA Conference Chair
Amy Rosonet, 2016 MSHA Conference Co-Chair
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MSHA congratulates, Darlene Gore! She has been appointed by the MS State Board of Health to serve on the MS Advisory Council for Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists as SLP representative, district 3. Her numerous and varied current and past professional experience and accomplishments are listed below.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:
2014-Present: Founder and President of Essential Play, LLC (www.essentialplay.org)
2007-2014: Owner of Therapy Dynamics, LLC, providing SLP consultative services.
2001-2011: Quality Monitor and Provider Liaison for First Steps Early Intervention Program: Included training of SLPs, OTs, PTs and Special Instructors and author of quarterly newsletter for providers.
1996-2001: Administrative Director: Grenada Lake Medical Center
Director of Outpatient Rehabilitation, Home Health, Transitional Skill Unit (SNF), Respiratory Therapy. Secured grant for GLMC’s Medical-based Fitness Center.
1994-1996: Rehabilitation Director for Beverly Enterprises at local nursing home.
1992-1994: University of MS Department of Communicative Science Disorders: Clinical Supervisor of SLP graduate students
1982-1992: Owner of Speech Pathology Services, PA, with offices in Greenwood and Grenada. Services provided for Home Health Agencies, Head Start Agencies, hospitals, Vocational Rehabilitation, and private clients.
1977-1981: Grenada School District: Speech-Language Pathologist
1976-1977: West TN Speech and Hearing Clinic: Speech-Language Pathologist. Lambuth College: taught undergraduate speech-language courses
EDUCATION:
1976: Masters of Communicative Disorders: University of Mississippi
1975: Graduate courses in Speech/Language Disorders: University of Miami. Clinical practicum: Mailman Center, Miami, FL
1974: Bachelors of Education: Speech Pathology: University of Mississippi
1971: Graduate of Halls High School, Halls, TN
HONORS AND OTHER ACTIVITIES:
Author of book released September, 2014: I Have Cancer I Want To Live published by Westbow Publishing and available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble online and Westbow.
University of MS Alumni Board (2014-2017)
2012 President of the MS Speech-Language-Hearing Association
Member of American Speech Language Hearing Association: Certificate of Clinical competence
Distinctive Woman Award presented by Grenada Junior Auxiliary: 2011
Past Mentor of Grenada Schools Mentoring Program
Leader of weekly Ladies Bible Study Group
PERSONAL:
Married to Jay Gore III for 38 years
Two adult children: Meredith Gore Warf of Madison, Doctorate of Physical Therapy and Grace Gore Sturdivant of Jackson, MS, Doctorate in Audiology
Member First Baptist Church, Grenada, Mississippi
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I want to inform you of the very successful MDE meeting in which I presented the newly mandated SLP Evaluation Instrument. Tarance Hart, Director of the Teacher Center to whom I have been working closely on the evaluation instrument, asked me to present it to the group made up mostly of administrators, including principals and superintendents. The meeting was well received and will help in the implementation of this instrument throughout the state.
At the meeting, the newly hired SLP at MDE, Teresa Laney, attended the meeting so that she could be versed on the SLP Evaluation Instrument. I was delighted to meet her, and at her request we had lunch together. Teresa and I discussed all of the issues of MSHA's concern. Teresa has worked in the public schools for many years and is very familiar with many our concerns because she has lived it!!!! I am thrilled to have someone now at MDE who can advocate for MSHA members and be a liaison for us. By the way, she is a MSHA member and called me a few years back appalled that her district had hired a person who had an SLP undergraduate degree, had no observation or training with students whatsoever, and yet was issued a 216 license.
Teresa and I covered just about everything you can think of affecting school based clinicians. We discussed 216 licensure issues. I discussed linking MSHA's job listing page to MDE's page and visa-versa so that both resources will contain the same information as far as job listings for school openings for SLPs.
I have already given her access to the final results of the survey completed with school SLPs. She stated she would not share this survey with her colleagues; however, she has told me that the information was very helpful to her as she prepares for her work for MDE and knowing the pertinent items she should address in her job to try and reduce the frustrations SLPs are feeling.
We discussed the new IEP's and the frustrations/concerns of SLPs. She is very aware of inconsistencies within districts about data collection and the confusion about this part of the IEP. She plans on scheduling workshops addressing this issue and many more pertaining to IEP's.
We discussed the confusion about the dismissal process when a student has a duel ruling. She understood this issue because she stated this was very confusing to her in the school setting. I gave her the background on all the discussions about this issue with Camille, Rachel, Melissa and Georgene, as well as, my discussions with Keisha and Susan. She feels that this is an issue worth investigating and making "clear" to all SLPs.
We discussed disseminating all pertinent information to all SLPs, at the same time for all districts. I told her she could utilize our list-serve to MSHA school based clinicians and send out this information.
Teresa is very strong on literacy/dyslexia/language and will be working to give in-service to SLPs on how to improve language/reading scores of SLP students in the schools.
Needless to say, Teresa and I had a very constructive/informative lunch! I really like her, and I know all of you will too. She is excited about her new job and I believe will be a great contribution to the SLPs in the school setting.
Claudette Edwards
VP: School Issues
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Your Membership Committee would like to welcome all new members! We hope you find this newsletter informative. MSHA could not function without its members, so thank you for being an integral part of your state’s association.
Results from the November, 2014, online survey sent to the MSHA membership revealed the following information from most preferred to least:
Question 1: What work setting graduate students are interested in seeking job positions?
- School Setting
- Hospital
- Outpatient Clinic/Private Practice
- Rehabilitation
- Skilled Nursing
- Developmental Disabilities Centers/Homes
- University Setting
Question 2: Which factor(s) will lead you to decide upon the job setting you choose:
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Money
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Insurance
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Relocation Assistance
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Signing Bonus
We are also targeting our students for MSHA membership since they are the future of our profession. It is vital we provide awareness of our profession and state association soon after they enter college. Establishing a relationship with our university students currently enrolled in the professional programs, will allow us to inform them about MSHA. Becoming a member and participating in MSHA as a student, will allow them to gain more knowledge about the profession and increase networking with other students and professionals in their field.
If you ever have questions regarding Membership, please feel free to contact MSHA Membership Committee Chair membership@mshausa.org.
Heather Card, M.A. CCC-SLP
Chairman Membership Committee
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Public Relations & Marketing
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The Benefits of Professional Association Membership
Given the number of responsibilities that you juggle on a daily basis, joining a professional organization may not be one of your top priorities. After all, what Speech Language Pathologist or Audiologist has time for more meetings and activities? But such thinking can cause you to miss out on the numerous benefits that membership in your professional association offers. You will make valuable professional contacts and gain access to a wealth of useful information.
Exclusive online resources
The MSHA website has a “members-only” section that provides access to a variety of professional information, as well as on-line CEU courses that may not be open to the general public. Some feature content on a variety of topics, advancing your career or boosting your technology expertise.
Networking opportunities
When you join the MSHAS professional organization, you’ll deepen existing business relationships and make new contacts on a regular basis. Such networking goes beyond the exchange of business cards – as you attend periodic meetings, become active on a committee or take a prominent leadership role, you’ll forge lasting ties with others who have common professional interests and similar business concerns. These relationships will be a rich, ongoing source of inspiration and ideas.
Education
MSHA offers their members the chance to update their knowledge of business and trade basics or acquire new therapy skills through seminars, workshops, break-out sessions at conferences and online courses. Typical subject matter can run the gamut from new billing requirements to IEP changes in the school system.
Conferences and seminars
MSHA members are given priority registration for the MSHA convention and receive discounts on conference fees or special rates on related expenses, such as hotel reservations.
Support systems
MSHA members can often take advantage of mentoring relationships with more experienced professionals who provide guidance and useful insights. Even on an informal basis, such relationships can be a source of answers and solutions when you’re facing a challenging situation in your field. At the very least, the feeling that you have a support network behind you can boost your confidence when problems arise.
Political clout
MSHA has committees to track federal and state legislative developments that will have an impact on our industry. MSHA has a significant political presence that far exceeds that of individual members. MSHA enables you to tap into the association’s political influence and resources.
Civic leadership
As an individual, you may not have the time or resources to sponsor a charitable event, partner with an educational institution or otherwise participate in community activities. However, MSHA is active in civic and philanthropic ventures which helps you become involved in many worthwhile projects. MSHA contributes to their communities in a variety of ways.
Joining MSHA is beneficial for your own professional development and the future of your profession. The connections you’ll make, the resources made available to you and the ideas and advice you’ll discover represent an outstanding return on what amounts to a modest, manageable investment of time and effort. It could turn out to be one of the best things you could do for yourself and your profession.
Edie Jones
VP: PR & Marketing
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A favorite speaker at the 2015 ASHA Healthcare and Business Institute in Phoenix, Arizona, was Dave Isay. A radio announcer for NPR, Dave travels throughout the country listening as people tell their stories. Mr. Isay’s approach prompted travels (via phone visit) from north to south Mississippi, making records of colleagues’ speech pathology and audiology stories.
Visit number one was in Tupelo, Mississippi with Landon Wallis. She has a job of great scope, working for North Mississippi Medical Center, housed primarily in Tupelo. Landon’s main work site is a community hospital in Pontotoc, MS. She works at a skilled nursing facility, an outpatient clinic and an acute care setting, all affiliates of the Tupelo hospital.
When asked about MSHA, Landon said, “MSHA is very helpful.” She wishes there were breakout groups for the larger healthcare meeting and training sessions at areas like Tupelo. The biggest challenge in healthcare today is “keeping up with coding and insurance changes,” according to Landon.
Next stop was the mobile office of Delisha Speech. She travels to Canton, to Jackson and to Brookhaven. Ms. Speech says she likes to “be in the home and the daycare in order to show caregivers what to do with their children.” She likes the natural environment for therapy.
Delisha applauds MSHA for getting in front of the MSCAN changes. She would like to see us as a profession use Better Hearing and Speech Month to promote our profession and to increase community awareness about how communication deficits can have a profound impact on families and the communities we serve as a whole.
A brief visit occurred with Janie Luter, a clinical supervisor for USM in Jackson. She has eight graduate students who she is preparing to work with hearing impaired children. Mrs. Luter talked about the remarkable changes in our field as we can get a hearing impaired baby at seven weeks rather than two years. The future success of this client is “incredible.” “We have come so far,” Mrs. Luter said. She said her biggest concern is the lack of full time, fully qualified persons to serve the hearing impaired population in Mississippi.
Ending the north to south travels was Jan Shook in Gulfport, Mississippi. Jan has founded Jacob’s Ladder. LADDER is an acronym for language and dyslexia diagnostic and educational resources. Her mobile office may visit parochial schools or homes of early intervention clients.
Jan says “as long as I can get up off the floor after doing therapy with a client I will keep doing treatment.” “I am so proud of MSHA and the impact we have had on legislation with early infant screening for hearing being a case in point.” She is concerned that MSHA needs to communicate better with those serving the visually impaired.
Jan emphasized the collegiality of MSHA, recalling the fineness of the keenly intelligent men and women who make up our field. She states, “The friendships are a high point of my life.”
So on the note of collegiality, this north to south jaunt will close. Each story was memorable. Each was different from the others. The achievements of the persons toiling in healthcare is our news. Not giving up till we get that first word, supporting the families as they come to accept the strengths and weaknesses of their loved ones, and getting up from the floor with pure joy of one more client served that is the news.
Beware, in the future, the healthcare cam my focus on you.
Jeffalyn Trammell
VP: Healthcare
MSHA Co-STAR
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I want to attach added significance to the topics of MSHA membership and conference participation by Audiologists in our state by beginning this quarterly update with those topics. Each of you reading this, as a member of MSHA, probably have some reasons why membership in this organization is important to you personally and professionally. I, for one, have enjoyed the ability to network with colleagues from across our geographic area, to participate in meaningful continuing education offerings throughout my years of participation, and to have the potential opportunity to make a real and lasting contribution to our chosen profession. I hope you will join me in encouraging others who presently may not be members to join MSHA now and in the coming year so that collectively we can continue to play a positive supportive role for Audiology in Mississippi. Along those lines, I will once again encourage you to participate in next year’s conference and to suggest speakers or content that interest you. You can email those suggestions to me at vp.audiology@mshausa.org or Dr. Kim Ward at conference@mshausa.org or Kimberly.Ward@usm.edu.
On the legislative front, we have seen recent calls to action by ASHA on two particular pieces of federal legislation, HR 353 and the re-authorization of EHDI. As you will recall, HR 353 would allow the Veterans Health Administration to formally recognize hearing aid dispensers as a provider of veterans’ hearing health care. This legislation is opposed by ASHA and you are encouraged to express your sentiment regarding this pending legislation to our congressional delegation. Currently, this legislation is considered held at the subcommittee level. I am including the following excerpt from ASHA’s call to action regarding the EHDI legislation: “Right now, we need your help to put more pressure on members of Congress to cosponsor this legislation so that congressional leadership can bring it up for a full vote in the House. We are confident this legislation will pass if ASHA members take action and send a strong message that this legislation is important to us as well as the parents of newborns. Continued federal funding is necessary to ensure that state EHDI programs become fully operational and successful and that they properly link screening programs with diagnosis and early intervention. Please ask your Representative to cosponsor this legislation today!” I hope you will agree that it is essential to support continued federal funding of state EHDI programs and take action accordingly. I thank you for your willingness to be a part of the process to insure that our congressional delegation is responsive to these important issues.
As always, if there are issues or concerns, that you would like the Audiology committee to address or if you wish to serve on this committee, please contact me at vp.audiology@mshausa.org.
C. G. Marx
VP: Audiology
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The University of Mississippi
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Save The Date!
The Department Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of Mississippi cordially invites you to join us for the 2015 Ole Miss Fall Institute and CSD 50Th Anniversary October 1-2, 2015 at The Inn at Ole Miss.
The conference will be Educationally Relevant Process: Assessment, Goals, and Service by Perry Flynn, M.Ed., CCC-SLP.
Keynote speakers will include Gloria D. Kellum, Sue T. Hale, and Tommie L. Robinson, Jr.
Other activities include a 5k run/3k walk; a silent auction; and department tours.
We look forward to seeing you there.
The Department of Communication Sciences
and Disorders
The University of Mississippi
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The National Student Speech-Language Hearing Association (NSSLHA) chapter at the University of Mississippi is excited to celebrate the 50thanniversary of the Communication Sciences and Disorders department. We have planned many exciting activities for the upcoming year in conjunction to celebrating this monumental occasion. Throughout the year, our members earn service hours by participating in local buddy walks, tutoring at local elementary schools, hosting spirit nights to bring awareness to the mission of our organization, and many other events. The graduate members also hold a meeting to help undergraduate members understand the processes for applying for graduate schools. The organization is planning to participate in a food drive called Oxford Lovepacks, which provides for children in the Oxford area.
Each year, our graduate students plan and host the Ole Miss Fall Institute, a continuing education conference. This year, the conference will be held on October first and second. The first Annual UM Chapter of NSSLHA 5k Run will occur on the first day of the conference, with proceeds from the run benefitting the UM CSD Sarah Wheat Voice Laboratory Fund. Registration for the run can be completed at racesonline.com/events/1st-annual-nsslha-5k. A silent auction is held at the conference and funds received aid in financially supporting graduate students in attending the annual ASHA convention. The students will be traveling to Denver this November and have planned many fundraising events for their trip. We are excited to see what this year holds for the Ole Miss chapter of NSSLHA!
Anne Reagan Cox, B.S.
Graduate Clinician
Graduate Assistant
University of Mississippi
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January - March 2015
During this period, the following ASHA members and /or certificate holders were presented the Award for Continuing Education (ACE) by the Continuing Education Board. The ACE is a formal recognition of professionals who have demonstrated their commitment to lifelong learning by earning 7.0 CEUs (70 contact hours) within a 36-month period. For those individuals who have received more than one ACE, the number of awards is indicated in parentheses.
Ashley Alexander
Linda Allen
Kimberly Barnes
Ann Bryan
Brooke Eaves
Carolyn Higdon
Lynn Holifield
Sarah Myers
Kitzi Norman
Apryl Odom
Angela Ramsey
Aathirai Sharma
Laura Sistrunk
Felicia Skipper
Kelly Spence
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