VP of  Planning/Administration, Patricia Quattlebaum, MSP CCC-SLP
     This fall, Karen Long resigned as Vice President for Planning and Administration; but she agreed to remain active as chair of the Budget Committee.  Her work on the SCSHA Board has been invaluable, and her knowledge and continued participation will provide an important framework as we look toward the upcoming year.  The Budget Committee met in October to discuss the 2002 budget, long –range planning budget goals, and management contract issues.  Income from the 2001 conference was above expectations; and this provided a solid foundation for funding day-to-day operations.
     Fundraising this year has included sales of items such as tote bags, the silent auction, the 50/50 fundraiser and pursuit of grant and sponsorship funds.  The board will likely pursue more grant and sponsorship opportunities in the future as these avenues will probably generate higher levels of funding than sales of small items.
     Mary Aitchison served as chair of the Membership Committee.  In the fall, membership applications were sent to all the college/university training programs in the state with a letter asking program directors to encourage student participation in SCSHA.  The board approved a motion to allow distance education students to be recognized as student members with reduced membership fees.  As of December 2001, the number of members was 744.  This included 577 regular members, 80 associates, 68 students, and 19 life members.  This represents an increase of 9 members from 2000.
     The bylaws were revised this year and the revision was approved by ASHA.  Mary Steppling led this effort and she did an excellent job.  The Long Range Planning Committee, chaired by Jane Honaker, has met and is proposing ideas to keep our association strong in the future.

VP  of Clinical/Professional Affairs, Grace Elizabeth Fleming, MSP CCC-SLP      2001 has been an exciting year of change for many speech-language pathologists across the state of South Carolina.  Your association has worked all year in an effort to improve the effectiveness, working environments, and rewards enjoyed by those in our profession.  The work is not complete, however, and SCSHA will continue to work for its members by continuing present campaigns as well as initiating new efforts affecting the membership.
     The newest initiative to be pursued by SCSHA is the effort to increase Medicaid reimbursement rates in the state of South Carolina.  A new committee has been formed to work toward this goal.  Sarah Scarborough will chair this committee and would welcome any help from interested members.  This committee will meet to plan and complete tasks toward the goal of improving Medicaid reimbursement.  These tasks will include surveys, meetings with state and agency officials, letter-writing campaigns, meetings with legislators, etc.  Please consider serving on this committee, as we exhibit much more strength in numbers.
     As the facilitator for the National Outcomes Measurement System (NOMS), I continue to compile data, initiate new programs, and recruit new participants.  In South Carolina, there are currently eight adult facilities collecting NOMS data.  There are no South Carolina facilities or school systems compiling data for Pre-K and K-6 populations.  NOMS goals for 2002 include recruiting more facilities and school systems to compile NOMS data and to provide NOMS data to institutions of higher learning in the state.  If utilized, NOMS could provide valuable information about the efficacy and efficiency of many types and models of speech-language therapy.  We must have participants to compile the necessary data, however.  Please contact me if you would like to be considered for compiling NOMS data in your facility.
     In August, the executive board voted to reinstate the SCSHA Student Committee.  The participating students will be ex-officio members of the council, and one representative will serve on the conference planning committee.  It is hoped that this committee will encourage more students to become involved in SCSHA early, thus enabling them to do important networking and become more active in all aspects of the professions before graduation from a speech-language or hearing program.  This will serve SCSHA well as the future leadership becomes interested and involved in professional issues early in their careers.
     In 2001, a new state mandate was handed down providing for all South Carolina birthing hospitals to uniformly test all newborns’ hearing.  A new statewide group, the “First Sounds Advisory Council” will meet quarterly for the purpose of helping the state’s hospitals to implement this program.  The council invited an SLP representative from SCSHA to serve on the council and Carol Lee of Palmetto Richland Hospital has agreed to fill this position for SCSHA. 
     The SCSHA website has been updated regularly and continues to be a valuable resource for SCSHA members.  The SCSHA Code of Ethics is now posted on the website for quick reference and a downloadable ethics violation complaint form will soon be added to the site.  Please consider utilizing this form if you have any concerns about the ethical practices of professionals within our membership.  Forms can be faxed or mailed to SCSHA and will remain confidential at all times.  It is everyone’s responsibility to ensure that professionals in South Carolina maintain the highest standards of professionalism and integrity.
     The SCSHA listserv has been well used this year in sharing job postings, clinical questions, and ideas and concerns regarding the professions throughout our state.  Please continue to make use of the listserv and do your part to act when action is called for.
     As has been demonstrated recently, our membership can effect important changes when we commit to work together.  I hope that every member will choose to serve on at least one committee this year in an effort to improve our profession as well as the circumstances that our professionals enjoy. 

VP of  Education/Information, Leah C. Gore, MEd CCC-SLP
     This is my first opportunity to tell you how honored I am that you elected me to represent you on the Board.  This also is the first time in thirty years that I have viewed the association from a direct rather an indirect advantage.  The mission of the South Carolina Speech and Hearing Association is advocacy.  As speech pathologists and audiologists, we always advocate actively for the welfare of our clients. We must now be advocates for our own profession and share the positive effects that our services have on the lives of the speech and hearing impaired people in South Carolina. The committee for education and public information is directly involved with informing and educating the public of the services offered by the members of the speech and hearing profession.
     As a part of the advocacy for our profession, we wrote a grant in conjunction with the Columbia Sertoma Club to purchase a tri-fold display board. If the grant is approved, the display board will be used for sharing information about our profession at public school forums, conventions, health fairs, nursing centers, and presentations for different organizations.
     Bonnie Journey and the publication committee have created a new format for the InTouch publication.  The InTouch is a newsletter for the members of the association and we are trying to share news on the local, state, and national level.  With the advances in technology, sharing information has been made easy and convenient.  Having a special feature in each issue on different service models from around the state would be interesting to all our readers.  If any member of our profession would like to inform the members of their programs, team, or have innovative ideas about therapy, it would be as easy as emailing a paragraph to Bonnie for inclusion in the InTouch.  This would be a wonderful way for all the speech therapists and audiologists to become familiar with all the varied programs throughout the state and to broaden our horizons.  Bonnie has done an excellent job for us all and would welcome new information from our members.
     The Public Information Committee has been revitalized and will advocate our profession in several forums.  Rhonda Lane and Marva Cannion have agreed to co-chair this committee.  This is an important committee because we need to inform the public of our rapidly changing profession.  'May is Better Speech and Hearing Month' needs to command more of our attention and efforts.  May is a busy month, but it presents us with a wonderful opportunity to educate our legislators, our school or hospital boards, our co-workers, and the general public of the importance of our profession and the standard of excellence that we set for ourselves.  The Department of Journalism at the University of South Carolina was asked to submit 'May is Better Speech and Hearing Month' as a project for a journalism student.  One of the students has picked our profession for her senior project. Her creative and objective view may renew the interest of the general public regarding our services.   More public service announcements on radio and television stations and in newspapers are a top priority.  Governor Hodges' office has been requested to sign a proclamation for 'May as Better Speech and Hearing Month'.
     The ASHA State Education Advocacy Leaders (SEALs) are advocating for our profession and Wendy Wingard-Gay continues to do an excellent job of representing the members on this committee. ASHA continues to promote the full funding of  IDEA.   The major issues that the SEAL is advocating in South Carolina are the following: the recognition of the CCC as equivalent with the National Board Certification, the acceptance of CEUs as re-certification credits, and the reduction of caseloads.  The major emphasis of the reduction of the caseload numbers is to view caseloads as workload rather than numbers of clients. The creation of the SEAL is important to assure direct communications with ASHA and awareness of the different issues that affect our profession on the national level.
     Crystal Murphree-Holden continues to organize our Continuing Education Units and assure that we receive documentation of our credits.  We thank her for the enormous task of sorting through the paperwork after the convention.  Sharon Schroder and Celeste Blackmon have dedicated time and energy into the planning of the convention in Hilton Head. They have made special efforts to offer varied courses that will appeal to all members of our association.
     I look forward to another year of service for the membership as we enthusiastically advocate for our profession.

President Elect, Jane G. Honaker, MS CCC-SLP
     The main purpose of the President-Elect (P-E) year is to continue preparation for the upcoming Presidency.  The P-E assists the Board and the President and attends meetings of importance to learn more about SCSHA business.  In addition, the P-E is the Chair of the Long Range Plan and Technology Committees.
     This year I was privileged to attend the Spring CSAP Conference, which was devoted to ASHA interaction, leadership training, and seminars about effective strategies to improve state association management.  Throughout the year I had the opportunity to be included in many interesting events, such as a meeting with the SCSHA Legislative Team and the State Department of Education (SDE), Legislative Day at the State House, and the writing of our ASHA grant application.  I also attended the Budget Committee meeting to discuss the 2002 budget, and I assisted the President with the renewal of our annual Management Company contract.  I also met with June Maranville, Wendy Wingard-Gay, our SEAL representative, and Joe Bath from the SDE to discuss ideas for projects of mutual interest to SCSHA and the SDE.
     The highlight of 2001 was our Team Building Conference in August.  After a June meeting to determine our association's needs and goals, the Board developed the framework of a Five-Year Strategic Plan.  The purpose of the August conference was to gather interested members together to brainstorm strategies to accomplish our goals.  Currently, the Long Range Plan Committee is working to finalize the Five-Year Strategic Plan for SCSHA.  Following Board review and approval, the Plan will be presented to the membership.
     The SCSHA listserv proved to be a powerful tool for Grassroots Advocacy during the 2001 legislative session.  Under the direction of our Legislative Team, calls to action were posted on the listserv with contact information for Senators and the Senate Education Committee.  Thanks to the listserv, our members were able to respond quickly when needed.  Even so, only about 25% of our membership are subscribers to our listserv.  In an effort to increase participation, SCSHA will provide assistance with enrollment at the annual conference.  Experience this year has also taught us to honor the "members only" privilege of posting messages on the listserv, and attachments are no longer permitted due to the prevalence of virus problems.  Our goal for the coming year is to increase both the access and effectiveness of our listserv.

President Elect-Elect, Melanie I. Anderson, MS CCC-SLP
     The President Elect-Elect served the board and members from February 2001 until February 2002 in the following areas:  updated job duty time line, submitted synopsis of minutes for each board meeting for SCSHA publications, developed slate of nominees for elections, revised the “Committee Pool Data” form, and maintained the SCSHA booth at conference. 
     Position Time Line – The job duty time line was revised so that incoming board members will have a resource to use in scheduling meetings and responsibilities
     Nominations – The following slate of officers was presented to the membership in January of 2002 in a ballot form for the election process:
     President Elect-Elect Nominees:  Debbie Brady and Elaine Norris Mulligan
     Vice President of Planning/Administration Nominee:  Patty Quattlebaum
     Vice President of Governmental Affairs Nominee:  Jane Senn
     Vice President of Clinical and Professional Affairs Nominee:  Carol Lee
     The ballots were counted and the winner of the President Elect-Elect position was Debbie Brady.  Election results were announced at the Business Meeting at the conference.  The President Elect-Elect contacted all nominees the week prior to conference.  Winners were invited to the Feb. Executive Board and Council Meeting.
     Committee Pool Data Forms – The committee pool data forms were revised and distributed at the annual conference in February 2002.  The committee pool data forms were also included in SCSHA publications in an attempt to give all members the opportunity to respond.  After compiling information, a committee pool was developed.  Confirmation letters were mailed to members who signed up to volunteer for SCSHA committees.  Confirmation letters were mailed to all members who completed the form. Vice Presidents and/or Committee Chairs also notified members who expressed interest in serving SCSHA and assigned duties as appropriate.
     Conference Booth – The President Elect-Elect was also responsible for maintaining the SCSHA booth at the annual conference.  The booth was provided for members to obtain more information about the association and current topics.  SCSHA items and raffle tickets were also sold.

Past President, June K. Maranville, MSP CCC-SLP
     WOW!!!  What a year!  This year as SCSHA president has flown by for me.  I am sure you feel the same way as you look back on the past year.  Our lives get so busy even with day to day duties and responsibilities that we wonder where the time goes.  Sometimes we have gentle reminders about the important things in life and sometimes we have earth-shattering reminders.  This year, we have had earth-shattering reminders about what is truly important.
     As a world, nation, state and profession we have seen horrible tragedy along with great comradery and pride as people have come together to support the greater good.  Amazingly, what seemed so important just a few months ago, doesn’t have the same “crucial” need for attention now.  Everything is truly relative.  
     Even with chaos, I am very proud to report great progress for your state association.  Our association is strong and solid thanks to people who have worked for 44 years to secure your association’s foundation.  As a leading advocate for the professions of speech-language pathology and audiology, SCSHA has lived its mission statement.  The group of volunteers who have worked diligently this past year to promote our profession and the people we serve has amazed me.  I don’t think a single day has gone by this year without some SCSHA business being dealt with by a member of your executive board and/or their committees.   As you can see from their individual reports, a lot of issues have been actively targeted and worked on over the year.  I want to thank the executive board, the committee members and the management staff for helping things run smoothly and efficiently this year.
     As usual, the business is never completely finished and there are always new areas to be addressed.  That is where YOU come in!! In order for our association to continue to grow, we need new volunteers, new ideas and new ways to implement the ideas.  Jane Honaker is already planning the 2^nd Annual Team Building Conference where your ideas are encouraged, promoted and appreciated.  We had a great one-day team building workshop last year where members just like you helped lay the groundwork for a new strategic plan for our association.  Please plan to be a part of the next Team Building Workshop in the spring so we can make the next 44 years of our association as strong as the last.  Fill out the committee pool data form (on page 8) and return it to the SCSHA office now so you can be on the list for a fun and exciting day of fellowship.
     Thanks for allowing me to serve as your SCSHA president.  The knowledge and experience I have gained has been invaluable and I know it will serve me well in the future.   I have gained much more from volunteering than giving.  I hope you will consider volunteering and feel the same way.
     Again, I thank the executive board, council and many other volunteers who make SCSHA a great association!!

SCSHA’S FIVE-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN & TEAM BUILDING CONFERENCES, By: Jane G. Honaker, MS CCC-SLP
    The driving force behind all of the goals and plans for SCSHA is our new Five-Year Strategic Plan.  The concept was introduced by Mary Steppling, and under her able leadership last summer the Board began to define our areas of need.  The next step was to identify the strategies that would help us meet our goals.   To work on this process, we had our very first Team Building Conference in August at Columbia College. Everyone who volunteered to become active in SCSHA was invited, and the atmosphere was electric as we all brainstormed ideas.  You couldn’t be in that room without getting excited!  By the end of the day, we had an extensive list of suggestions to present to the Long Range Plan Committee. During the end of 2001, the LRP Committee worked to organize and clarify each section.  The Board approved the final version on March 13, 2002.
     Now, it was time to begin the implementation of our new Plan.  So, again we looked to members who had expressed an interest in being involved.  Everyone who turned in a Committee Pool Data Form at our SCSHA Conference in February received an invitation to our second Team Building Conference on Saturday, April 13^th at Columbia College. 
     During the morning session, groups reviewed sections of the Strategic Plan and started to make plans to achieve some of the strategies this year.  Later, our SCSHA committees pulled together to identify and assign specific tasks to members.  We are very excited to be getting a head start on our projects for this year.  We now realize that our Team Building Conferences are an excellent way to jumpstart our work for the upcoming year.  Therefore, we hope to make this an annual spring event.
     You have an opportunity to join in the excitement, too!   Our association is branching out into new areas of interest, and our committees always need additional volunteers.  So, we are including a Committee Pool Data form in this issue of the Hearsay in order to reach members who were unable to attend our conference this year.  Please take a few minutes, copy this form, and send it to Melanie Anderson.  If you would like more information about a particular committee, we also are including a list of the new Committee Chairs for this year.  I’m sure they would love an opportunity to explain their projects to you.  SCSHA most certainly is growing, and we truly want to represent all of our members well.  To do that, we need YOU to be the eyes and ears to the Board.  We cannot address issues that we don’t know about.  Please consider joining a committee this year and helping us advocate for everyone in our profession.

In a letter dated November 5, 2001, John Bernthal, Ph.D., president of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association writes:
     “This past summer, ASHA met with NBPTS representatives to discuss recognition of ASHA’s certificate. At this meeting, the NBPTS representatives made clear that they have no intentions of establishing a specific credential for audiologists or speech-language pathologists. Instead, NBPTS maintains that audiologists and speech-language pathologists may qualify as master teachers under their Exceptional Needs Specialist program.
     As a follow-up to the meeting, NBPTS provided documentation which indicates that the Exceptional Needs category is appropriate only “if their [school personnel who provide supportive services to classroom teachers] practice as teachers fits the description of the existing standards. One of these standards requires mastery of subject matter  - such as mathematics and science, social studies and the arts, and health/physical education/leisure – that typically is not part of the audiologist’s or speech-language pathologist’s responsibilities.”
     Additionally, in a letter dated April 4, 2001, Charlie Diggs, Ph.D., State Advocacy Director of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, writes:
     “The standards that the National Board has developed for this certificate (Early Childhood/Young Adult Exceptional Needs Specialist) emphasize knowledge and skills required in self-contained classrooms for these children. Selected audiologists and speech-language pathologists may provide services exclusively in such settings, but the overwhelming majority assist students via other models of service delivery, which require a different set of knowledge and skills. Therefore, NBPTS standards for this certificate are not appropriate.”

SCSHA Legislative Efforts Update, By Jane B. Senn, MSP CCC-SLP
     At the end of the 2002 legislative session, bill S.655 (the bill written to award those who have earned ASHA's CCC with the same  recognition and priviledges as those who have earned national board certification by NBPTS) was on the contested calendar of the Senate.  After an unopposed first reading, Senators Warren Giese and Daryl Jackson opposed the bill and placed it on the contested calendar at the second reading of the bill.  Senator Giese opposes the bill not understanding the educational impact that public school speech and hearing services provide in the educational process.  Senator Jackson opposes the bill believing information given to him in a meeting arranged by Lonnie Randolph of the NAACP with some speech therapists that the bill is racially discriminatory.
     If efforts are to continue with this legislation, a new bill must be introduced in the Senate in the 2003 legislative session. SCSHA lobbyists and the SCSHA legislative team expect continued support form all current senate sponsors with a new bill.  The House bill is still current and will not have to be reintroduced as a new bill.
     Please watch for additional information about SCSHA legislative efforts posted on the SCSHA listserv.

2002 Legislative Day, By Jane B. Senn, MSP CCC-SLP
     The 3rd annual SCSHA Legislative Day was held May 1, 2002.  Approximately 50 speech-language therapists, pathologists, students, and audiologists attended.  A well attended breakfast was held for all legislators.  Hearing screenings were offered to the legislators and their staff, also.  The 2002 SCSHA Ambassador, Jhared Frederick, and his family attended as well as Taylor Stephens, a 5 month old girl whose hearing impairment was identified when she was 16 days old, and her family.  Both children and their families were introduced by Jane Honaker, SCSHA president, in her formal welcome to the legislators at the breakfast.  The planned rally on the statehouse steps was cancelled due to bad weather.  The day was a great success in spite of torrential rainfall and loss of electrical power for an extensive time in all statehouse buildings. 
     A special thanks is extended to the approximately 20 students from South Carolina State University who traveled with their professors to Columbia to attend the days events and to the University of South Carolina students who volunteered their time to screen the legislators.  Thanks to everyone who attended and to those involved in the planning and coordinating of this successful event.  Please plan to attend the 2003 Legislative Day!