The ArSHA Ballot for selected positions on the 2008-2009 Executive Board is now available.  You must be logged in to view the full election information and to access the ballot.  Please download the ballot, indicate your preferences, and mail your ballot to: ArSHA Office, PO Box 12334, Tempe, AZ  85284.  Your ballot must be postmarked by Saturday, March 15, 2008 to be counted.  Election results will be posted on the ArSHA website and through an ArSHA listserve e-mail.   

Your vote is also important in the proposed changes in the ArSHA by-laws.  You can view the proposed by-law changes, resolutions, and rationale by logging into the member only section and viewing the documents at: http://www.arsha.org/index.php/Proposed-2008-By-Law-Changes.html

This year, you have a choice of voting electronically OR at the annual business meeting at the ASU/ArSHA conference.  IF YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO ATTEND THE ANNUAL MEETING ON APRIL 5, 2008 WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO VOTE ELECTRONICALLY FOR THE BY-LAWS CHANGES BY USING THE ABOVE LINK.  All votes will be tallied and crosschecked with the conference registration to ensure that each person’s vote is only counted one time.  All electronic voting will be closed as of midnight on March 28, 2008 to allow the Executive Board time to tally the votes and cross check with registration prior to the business meeting on April 5, 2008. 

Use May Is Better Hearing and Speech Month (BHSM) to educate your consumers, educators, referral sources, current clients, parents, and the media about the services you provide. Using the tagline “Helping People Communicate” for this year’s BHSM program, ASHA has developed nearly 60 promotional products to help you promote your services and the professions. Products include an all-new screen saver, customizable advertisements, BHSM specialty items, activity books, and so much more! Visit the BHSM page on the ASHA Web site http://www.asha.org/bhsm.htm  to access the many free and for-sale BHSM products and resources.

Have you heard about the Autism Insurance Bill that is happening this session?  This bill for the 2008 legislative session will require private insurance policies covering groups with more than 50 employees to provide coverage for the diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorders (i.e. Asperger syndrome, Autism and PDD-NOS) and medically necessary treatment associated with the disorders. Treatment slated for coverage includes behavioral, speech, occupational and physical therapies. The bill will be introduced in mid-January when the legislative session begins. Please visit www.azautisminsurance.org  for more information and to learn how to become actively involved in ensuring the bill becomes law.

ArSHA’s Executive Board has determined that there is a need to update the By-Laws of the Association.  In compliance with Article XIII, this is the 30 day notice set forth in Section 1B ii of the current By-Laws.  We have provided you with the proposed changes and a copy of the current By-Laws. ArSHA members will be given the opportunity to vote on the proposed By-Law changes at the Annual Business meeting that will be conducted at the ASU-ArSHA Speech-Language-Hearing Conference held April 5, 2008 at Arizona State University. 

An important part of any career is participation in professional activities that go beyond the walls of a place of employment. Volunteerism is needed to forge ties with the community by spreading the message of the work we do and sustaining the vitality of our professions.

(Rockville, MD-January 4, 2008)  With President Bush recently signing into law H.R. 2764, the American Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation (ASHFoundation) has received a one-year and one-time grant of $268,000 from the U.S. Department of Education to address the critical shortage of doctoral level students studying in the field of communication sciences and disorders.