NSSLHA proudly participates in Holidays from the Heart!

Since 1993, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) has sponsored “Holidays from the Heart,” a program that provides their “most financially challenged families with basic tools to enjoy a fuller and happier holiday season.” This program provides an opportunity for individuals and organizations to purchase gifts for families who have children who are chronically ill or injured, and who are financially unable to provide for themselves and their children during the holiday season. According to CHLA, “The program is unique because it identifies and acknowledges patients as well as all family members who live in the same home and thus are impacted by caring for a child who is ill.”

For the first time, NSSLHA at CSULA has adopted a family to support, thanks to Rebekah, our talented and brilliant colleague who also works at CHLA – and who also designed our NSSLHA logo.

The family we are fortunate to help consists of a mother, father, and two-month old boy named Jairo. Items on Jairo’s family’s wish list include baby blankets, a portable play pen, musical toys, a bathtub, clothes, gas and grocery gift cards, bed sheets, and bath towels. In addition to making their holiday wishes come true, we would like to purchase some educational toys and story books for Jairo and a gift card to a restaurant for his parents to get a break. Gifts are not limited to their wish list, and all gifts will be most appreciated. The only request is that the gifts be new and unused for health and safety reasons. Please see below for a complete (but not inclusive) wish list.

NSSLHA extends our deepest appreciation to those of you who have already donated to Jairo’s family. We are extremely excited to participate and we know that you are, too, as you have already helped raise $150 in just two days!! Rest assured, we will spend your monetary gifts wisely to purchase items his family needs…and a few “fun” things that they may want (more than need). ;) Our adopted family will be overwhelmed this holiday season, thanks to you.

We will continue to collect donations and gifts from the wish list until November 30^th. Donations will continue to be collected in class. Please contact a NSSLHA officer regarding donating a gift; upon receipt, all new gifts will be wrapped free-of-charge by the NSSLHA officers. ;) All gifts will be inventoried, photographed, and published on this website so you can see how much you have impacted Jairo’s family. We will keep you updated on this so continue to check back!

For many families, this will be the only holiday that they receive gifts, and for some of CHLA’s patients, this will be their last holiday season. NSSLHA wants to ensure that Jairo and his family share a wonderful first holiday together amidst their troubles, so NSSLHA is matching each dollar donated up to $200.00! We are just $50 shy! Together, we can do it!

If you have questions please contact any NSSLHA officer. Thank you, again, for your generosity and for helping NSSLHA help Jairo! Have a wonderful holiday season.

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Wish List

Mom is 19 years-old. Her preferred color is pastel blue. She wears size 2 pants, medium-sized tops, and size 5 shoes. Mom needs:

• Sweat suit
• Winter jackets
• House slippers
• Bath robe
• Bath towels (the more the better! Less trips to the laundromat...)
• Queen-size sheets
• Nightgown

Dad is 20 years-old. His preferred color is black. He wears 40x30 pants, XXX in shirt-size, and size 10 shoes. Dad needs:

• Pants
• Flannel button down shirts
• Gas gift cards
• Pin-striped dress shirts

Jairo is 2 months-old. His preferred colors are yellow, brown, and orange. His clothing size is 6-9 months (but keep in mind that babies grow fast within their first year or two so buying 12 months+ is okay, too!). Jairo needs:

• Bath tub
• Portable play pen
• Musical toys
• Baby blankets
• Baby clothes (e.g., booties, mitts, knit caps, onsies, twosies, etc.)
• Other baby necessities (e.g., diapers, baby wipes, baby powder, baby oil, bottles, bottle liners)

Lastly, please continue to check the comments under this post to see which gift items have been purchased. Keep in mind -- just because a gift has been purchased does not mean that you cannot purchase the same item! The more the better!

It's Time to Vote (Again)!

It is time to cast your ballot for the 2007 NSSLHA Board!

We are pleased to announce that we have candidates running for each position and four candidates running for the Undergraduate Representative. Each candidate can bring a unique and important perspective to your NSSLHA chapter. Please carefully read each candidate’s profile (available in the sidebar on our website and in the COMD hallway outside of the Clinician Prep Room) and vote the week of November 27th.

How will voting work? It's easy!

1. You may vote for one person for each position. Even if the candidate is running unopposed, vote for her anyways!
2. All students in the COMD department are encouraged to vote for all positions.
3. We will pass ballots out in COMD 170, COMD 462 and COMD 554 on Monday, Nov. 27th, and Tuesday, Nov. 28th.
4. If you are not in class those days you may stop by the Clinician Prep Room to pick up a ballot and place it in Locker 23.
5. Please vote only once – the honor system is in effect.
6. Voting will close Thursday, November 30th at 5:30 P.M.
7. Selected candidates will be posted online on Friday, December 1st and posted in the COMD hallway December 4th.

Thank you for participating in the selection of your 2007 representatives! May the best candidates win!

EPIC's 32nd Annual Toy and Food Drive

NSSLHA at CSULA is proud to be a participant in CSULA's Educational Participation in Communities (EPIC) Program's 32nd annual Toy and Food Drive!

From their website~

The Toy and Food Drive is a campus-wide event that has taken place for the past 32 years. E.P.I.C. has coordinated this event centered on three main objectives:

• To provide food and toys to low-income families during the holiday season
• To give students, clubs, organizations, and all members of the campus community the opportunity to make a positive contribution in their community
• To place students in an environment that allows them to integrate classroom theory with real life experiences

These goals are achieved through a collaboration of students, staff, and faculty, who come together to collect toys and food. After the collection is completed, the donations are distributed to families who are selected from the caseloads of agencies that E.P.I.C. works with throughout the year. These agencies serve the Asian, African American, Latino, and Native American communities. The expected outcome of the event is to provide a much needed service to the community, as well as instill a sense of the importance of community service.

NSSLHA has actively participated in donations over the past few years. We hope that you will join us in continuing the spirit of giving as the holidays approach. The donations received will greatly benefit low-income families in the Greater Los Angeles areas.

We are currently accepting new and used toys in good condition, non-perishable canned goods, and monetary donations. Located directly across from the NSSLHA Student Store in the Clinican Prep Room is the very local drop-off box (you can't miss it! It's a huge box completely gift wrapped on the outside!). Donated goods must be received by December 8, 2006. Alternatively, the main drop off location is at the EPIC office located in the lower level of the Career Center. For more information and a complete list of drop-off sites, please contact the EPC office at (323) 343-3380.

Lastly, NSSLHA officers will visit at least one of your classes next week to collect any donations. We appreciate your support and generosity. We are, after all, in a giving profession! ;)

Thank you to all who have already made contributions!

Your Department Needs You

Nomination forms for NSSLHA officers are due this Monday, November 13^th at 6pm. Being a NSSLHA officer is a wonderful opportunity to make a difference for our department, for your colleagues and for our field.

If you are interested in running for President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, Newsletter Editor, or Undergraduate Representative please take a few minutes to complete the nomination application and send it today!

Thank you for your commitment to NSSLHA at CSULA!

October Word Search Key

Did you solve the word search from the October Newsletter? Did you find all the words? We found an extra one!

click image to enlarge

The words were: cochlea, decidouos, fricative, goals, heschls, hyperkinetic, masking, neuron, nodule, palatal, participation, presbycusis, reinforcer, reliability, repetition, rollover, stapes, validity. And the extra word was “gag.”

We hope you enjoyed this little break from studying!

NSSLHA thanks Suzzane and Sandy for the solution.

Want Ad: NSSLHA Officers for 2007!

It’s time for NSSLHA elections!

During the week of November 27 through December 1, NSSLHA is holding elections for the 2007 cabinet. Please be sure to vote! Candidates will be featured on the website as well as the COMD bulletin board.

Application forms are available in the Clinician Prep Room or in MS Word or PDF from the side-bar menu. If you are interested and meet the eligibility requirements, please complete an application form give it to any NSSLHA officer or drop it off in Locker #23. Application forms must be received by Monday, November 13.

A few incentives for becoming an officer include recognition both on campus and off-campus (i.e., resume!). In addition, special scholarship opportunities arise from time to time that favor NSSLHA officers. For instance, the California Speech-Language-Hearing Association (CSHA) will ask CSULA professors to select a NSSLHA officer for nominations.

The following positions are available:

NSSLHA OFFICER DUTIES

President (Jan – Feb*)

• Graduate student
• *Carries over to new cabinet year to assist in planning of various functions
• Schedules cabinet and monthly meetings (e.g., reserves room, coordinates snacks)
• Greets and makes announcements at meetings
• Coordinates all club functions (e.g., fundraisers, first year “meet and greet,” mentor/mentee program)
• Schedules guest speakers
• Delegates/oversees all other responsibilities
• Carries over to new cabinet year to assist in planning various functions
• Various other duties (e.g., assist Dr. Manasse with NSSLHA-related tasks)

Vice President (Jan – Dec)

• Graduate student
• Interfaces with COMD department faculty
• Plans assistance for department functions
• Interfaces with ASI
• Oversees monthly calendar of events
• Organizes refreshments for NSSLHA events

Treasurer (Jan – Dec)

• Graduate student
• Accepts/records quarterly dues
• Restocks and maintains Student Store merchandise (helps if one cabinet member has a Costco card)
• Collects and records proceeds from Student Store
• Balances checking account
• Organizes reimbursement
• Makes deposit at bank

Secretary (Jan – Dec)

• Graduate student
• Maintains chapter membership roster (and records quarterly dues)
• Sends meeting and event notices via E-mail
• Interfaces with national NSSLHA
• Record meeting minutes and publish on website
• Publish announcements, meeting minutes, events, etc. on NSSLHA website
• Oversees department bulletin boards

Newsletter Editor (Jan – Feb*

• Graduate student
  
• *Carries over to the new cabinet year to assist with development, layout, editing, etc.
• Gathers content (e.g., information about the department, field, etc.), enters type, edits copy
• Prints newsletter at least once a quarter
• Creates forms, applications, bulletins, and flyers
• Assists Secretary with website

Undergraduate Representative (Jan – Dec)

• Undergraduate student
• The voice for bachelor’s students in both Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology
• Gather undergraduate/post-baccalaureate E-mail addresses to assist Secretary
• Make meeting announcements in undergraduate classes
• Assist all other positions as requested (e.g., suggesting speakers)

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Thanks to NSSLHA members, the Robert L. Douglass clinic now has a First Aid kit! Funds collected from members are allocated in many ways such as purchasing “Thank You” gifts for our guest presenters, donating to national advocacy organizations, and purchasing items for the clinic.

NSSLHA Elections

Are you interested in being a leader in the Communication Disorder Department? Are you interested in bringing speakers and news to your classmates? Are you interested in making a difference? Are you interested in beefing up your resume?

If you answered yes to one or all of the above, then you should run for a position on the NSSLHA Board at Cal State, LA. There are six positions available (five for graduate and one for undergraduate students) for 2007.

These positions can be as big or as small as your board decides! Get involved! Make a difference! Be a leader!

Download the application form and submit it by Monday, November 13^th at 6pm. (Available under Local Forms in the right sidebar)

Questions? Ask one of your current officers (links to the right) or leave us a comment!

And don’t forget to vote in the state and local elections today, November 7^th!

NSSLHA presents Ms. Anne Davis from PCDA

On Monday, November 6, NSSLHA hosted a special guest, Ms. Anne Davis from the Pasadena Child Development Associates, Inc. (PCDA). We were pleased to have Ms. Davis share about her background and current experiences as well as information on PCDA. Ms. Davis has over 20 years of experience working with children and adults. Shortly after receiving her Masters degree, she worked in a special needs school for children with neuromusculur and physical challenges. Following, she worked at a school with children with autism and emotional impairments. Ms. Davis also provided services in a hospital setting (rehabilitation and acute care) and offered private services before arriving at PCDA. She is currently the lead speech and language pathologist at PCDA and is a Hanen certified instructor for parents.

PCDA is a private clinic serving children from birth to 12 years of age. This private child development group provides evaluation, consultation, and intervention services through a multi-disciplinary team that includes a developmental pediatrician, child development/parenting clinical nurse specialists, marriage and family therapists, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, child development specialists, behavior specialists, dietitians, developmental interventionists, and music therapists.

Although PCDA is a private group, they differ from a private therapist in many ways. First and foremost, their philosophy drives them to “include the families in all aspects of care, work across disciplines and in a collaborative way to gain a more complete understanding of the child, and the most effective intervention possible; and use a play-based, relationship approach to promote social-emotional development.” Based on their core beliefs, the organization provides services that are strongly influenced by Dr.

Stanley Greenspan’s DIR Approach, which includes “Floor Time” (a method of incorporating the socioemotional development of a child into the therapy provided).

Their clientele includes children from a variety of disabilities, and therapy is provided in either individual or group sessions. Primary caregivers are required to attend every session to receive coaching in helping their child in daily routines.

A unique opportunity for professionals employed at PCDA is attending their weekly meetings. In general, the professionals from all different disciplines get together for discussions. Once a month, a speaker will present on a topic of interest. On other occasions, a clinician will bring a videotape of one of their 50-minute sessions, and the professionals present will discuss what they see. This time of clinical reflection enhances growth and knowledge, as professionals from different disciplines share their perspective on the child’s socioemotional development and collaborate for therapy to provide the best services available. PCDA is one of the few work settings that practice this method of clinical reflection.

Ms. Davis encourages future SLPs to contact her to tour the facility or observe a session. If you are interested, please contact her at (626) 793-7350 or e-mail her at anne@pasadenachilddvelopment.org.

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Thank you Ms. Davis!

NSSLHA meeting on November 6, 2006 in KH B-111 from 6:15 - 7:00 P.M.

Hello!

Please join us this Monday for our monthly NSSLHA meeting! Sadly, this will be our last NSSLHA meeting for the year (unless there is an overwhelming demand from you to have another one tenth week… ;). To end with a big hoopla, we will once more host a special guest.

We proudly present Ms. Anne Davis from the Pasadena Child Development Associates, Inc.

From their website~

Anne Davis, MS, CCC/SLP is currently the lead speech and language pathologist at PCDA and has over 20 years experience working with children and adults with communication challenges in a variety of settings. She works collaboratively with parents and other professionals to encourage communication throughout the child’s daily life. She is a Hanen certified instructor of parents and has a special interest and expertise in Augmentative Communication, dysphasia, and medically complex children.

We are extremely excited to have Ms. Davis share about child intervention and specific techniques. As the number of diagnoses for disorders and disabilities continue to increase in children, it is important for speech-language pathologists to be well-equiped with various types of intervention (or at least have some knowledge of them). With Ms. Davis' background and experience, we anticipate a great exchange of information.

In addition, we will provide more information on the upcoming NSSLHA elections and what you can expect next year from NSSLHA. We already have many more special guest presenters on the calendar!

We invite you to join us this Monday for an informative get-together. Our meeting will be in King Hall B-111 at 6:15 P.M. As always, X-hour snacks will be served.

See you there!