President’s Message
Terrie Price, PhD, ABPP
Greetings!
The Annual Conference approaches and I encourage members to register before July 1 for the best registration rate. The Program Committee has organized an excellent venue of speakers and will be providing additional information regarding the Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center, area amenities, activities, and events. We are also fortunate to have the band, The Incredible Shrinking Heads (featuring many of our members) performing on Tuesday night. We anticipate an excellent conference experience.
I want to take this opportunity to address one of the ways we are networking to enhance the conference. Paralyzed Veterans of America has reached out to our association, APS & AASCIN expressing their commitment to our core mission of providing education on SCI care. For the 2007 conference, PVA has agreed to sponsor a plenary speaker and reception to facilitate member access to VA administrators and they are also funding an honoraria, thereby stretching our resources and allowing us to invite excellent speakers. PVA is also providing members who are employees of the VA 30 registration scholarships per association. Information about accessing the scholarships will be posted in Dr. Margaret Hammond’s June/July newsletter. Most happily, we have been assured that PVA wants to continue to be a source of assistance moving forward.
Our dialogue with PVA is part of a broader strategic plan to enlarge our circle of support. PVA provided funding for a Tri-Association Strategic Planning meeting, April 27-29. Four members of each Board participated in addition to United Spinal President & CEO Paul Tobin; United Spinal Associate Executive Director Vivian Beyda; PVA Director of Research and Development Thomas Stripling; and PVA Deputy Executive Director Maurice Jordan. AASCIPSW representatives were Helen Bosshart, Patti Rogers, Lester Butt and I. The major points of agreement among the three Associations include commitments to:
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1) Moving toward greater interdependence, collaboration, and communication between associations;
2) Maintaining dynamic conversations to respond to vital issues and trends, such as decreasing membership;
3) Collaborating on fund raising;
4) Expanding partnerships with other associations;
5) Acknowledging that United Spinal and PVA will be our principal partners;
6) Maintaining separate Boards of Directors at each association to ensure decision making rights for each Association;
7) Expanding and improving the conference and The Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine, which is core to the Tri-Association mission.
The Tri-Association Strategic Planning group will meet immediately following the annual conference for expanded dialogue on our goals. We anticipate seeking funding for future planning meetings as well.
In March, the AASCIPSW Board of Directors held discussion about our association’s strategic planning. We affirmed our principal mission of providing our members with access to the most comprehensive education and networking opportunities within SCI psychosocial rehabilitation care. The core of the plan includes:
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1) Education: Strengthening and integrating the annual conference with APS and AASCIN, exploring development of an SCI 101 course, online CEU’s;
2) Web development as a portal to introduce mental health professionals to our Associations and member-only access to vital information/networking;
3) Collaboration with our partners that may include, among other possibilities, preparing White Papers on policy issues, preparing consume tip sheets, or providing articles for association publications.
4) Financial viability: We are exploring collaborative fund raising with APS & AASCIN and looking into revenue generating projects. A major part of this plan is the creation of a finance committee and a Board of Directors position of Treasurer.
I trust that it is apparent that AASCIPSW is positioning itself for growth. Growing pains are inevitable, yet I am greatly encouraged by the number of individuals who renewed membership, our members’ interest in participating on our committees and the Board, and the steadfast commitment of our sister Associations and partners, most notably, United Spinal and PVA.
You are aware that funding changes at United Spinal have necessitated the elimination of grants for conference attendance from 2009 forward. United Spinal, however, remains resolute in working with the three Associations to create the best conference. They are reaching out to occupational, physical and respiratory therapists, as well as consumers to enhance our rehab team model and they are committed to ensuring that the conference remains affordable. They will also maintain our Association’s infrastructure to allow our ongoing growth and activities in pursuit of our mission. By cultivating partnerships, we stand the best opportunity for growth and meeting our goal of providing access to an outstanding conference.
Before closing, I want to take a moment to introduce new leadership:
Board of Directors-Sara Klaas, MSW; Sigmund Hough, PhD, ABPP; Alan Goldberg, PhD, ABPP.
Clinical Practice Committee-Shirley Jackson, MSW; and Cathy Williams-Sledge, PsyD.
Membership Committee-Carey Pawlowski, PhD, Bill Finger, PhD.
Research Committee-Glenn Curtiss, PhD, Michelle Meade, PhD.
Program Committee-Robin Kohn, MSW, LSCW; Stan Ducharme, PhD.
Electronic Communication Committee-Karen Boswell, PhD, Emily Scott, LCSW; Elizabeth Letsch, PhD.
We welcome their creativity, ideas, and energy!
At the close of the annual meeting, we will bid farewell to several Board members: Helen Bosshart, Chuck Merbitz, Pam Fitzpatrick and Scott Richards. Each has served our Association well and will be greatly missed. We know that Helen, Chuck, Pam, and Scott, with their deep appreciation for our mission and work, will remain available to help as needed. Words are inadequate to express our thanks for your hard work and you’re your numerous, valuable contributions!
Have a wonderful summer. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any question or comments. I look forward to seeing you in Orlando in August!
Best Regards,
Terrie Price, PhD, ABPP
President