NSSLHA NEWS at CSULA

Support for Children Affected by Hurricane Katrina
By Rachelle DeVore
rnd200@aol.com

In June I will be joining the New Orleans chapter of Habitat for Humanity and a partner family in constructing a new home in New Orleans. After visiting New Orleans for the first time this past January, I was astounded by the extent of Katrina’s devastation and the still impoverished living conditions of many of its residents. Each individual I encountered on my visit had a different experience to relate although it was clear that all stories had a similar theme. Help was woefully insufficient and thousands of families, while still waiting for assistance, remain homeless.

In addition to helping in the construction of a home for a family in need, I want to purchase school supplies and other educational materials for local children that are still living in shelters. My goal is to raise a minimum of one-thousand dollars by June 1st to purchase basics such as pens, pencils, paper, books and educational materials and games.

Any amount that you, or someone you know can contribute, will be useful and greatly appreciated. I will be taking lots of pictures and keeping a journal so that I am able to share my experiences with you. Please do whatever you can to help. I know that the families and especially the children will be thankful for your support.

For the full article and instructions on how to donate, visit http://nsslhacsula.blogspot.com/



What Do You Know About Autism?
April is Autism Awareness Month, and
here is what we learned about autism from this months meeting with Kelly Alston from Cure Autism Now.
What are the signs of Autism in young children?
- No response to their name by 12 months of age
- Failure to meet developmental milestones
- Loss or lack of speech around 18 months of age
- Loss or lack of gestures such as pointing or waving
- Little or no eye contact
- Absence of imagination and social play
- Use of toys in unusual ways
- Repetitive speech or actions/insistence on sameness
- Unusual reactions to the way things look, feel, smell, taste or sound

U.S. Statistics
- 1/150 children will be diagnosed with autism
- 1/94 boys will be diagnosed with autism
- A new case of autism is diagnosed nearly every 20 minutes
- 24,000 new cases of autism are diagnosed in the U.S. each year
- In California, there has been a 238% rise in autism cases over the last 14 years.
- About 1.5 million people in the U.S. under the age of 17 have autism


Congratulations!
The Communication Disorders Department would like to congratulate Dr. Manasse and Kristin Reisch who both recently received awards from the California Speech Language and Hearing Association. Dr. Manasse was recognized for ‘Outstanding Service’ for District 6 of CASA, and Kristen Reisch received the ‘Outstanding Student’ award for the same district.

Salaries for Positions in LA County Hospitals and Rehab Centers
Information Contributed by Alan Ashkenazy

SLP II- Supervisor: $65,904-$81,876

SLP I: $55,596- $69,072 per year

CFY: $3,967- $4,667 per month for the first 6 months (then SLP I)

Save $$$ on Printer Ink
We all know the sinking feeling: you print a document, and –gasp- the writing comes out a light shade of gray…it’s time to shell out for a new ink cartridge. Save your hard earned money any have your ink cartridge refilled for a quarter of the price of a new ink cartridge.
Ever Saint Inc.
615 E. Main St.
Alhambra, CA 91801




WALK NOW!
If you don’t know what this means, you are one of the few who has escaped NSSLHA’s unending pleas, prods, bribes, blackmail, and begs to sign up for the Cure Autism Now Walk taking place this Saturday April 28th at the Rose Bowl. Visit http://www.walknow.org/
For more information and to register with team CalState LA.

$ ASHA Award Programs $
To help encourage leadership and promote careers in academia and research, the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) has created several finantial award opportunities. These opportunities are available to undergraduate, master’s, AuD, and PhD students enrolled in communication sciences and disorders, as well as new faculty. For applications and deadline information visit http://www.asha.org/students/awards.htm

Support Virginia Tech
The effects of the Virginia Tech tragedy were felt by students across the country and around the world. To remember and honor the victims of those tragic events, Virgina Tech has established the Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund to aid in the healing process. The funds will be used to cover expenses such as assistance to victims and their families, grief counseling and memorials. For more information, visit http://www.vt.edu/tragedy/memorial_fund.php
To contribute articles and/or event information to the newsletter, or to praise the editor for a job well done, simply click the ‘Newsletter Editor’ link on the website http://nsslhacsula.blogspot.com/