NSSLHA OFFICER DUTIES


President (Jan – Feb*) Graduate Student
*Carries over to new cabinet year to assist in planning of various functions
Completes the officer position form (submit to Center for Student Development and Programs- KHD148)
Changes the names on the bank accounts (with Treasurer)
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)
Attends required student organization meeting (for dates/locations see http://www.calstatela.edu/usu/csdp/studentorg.htm)

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
Hangs posters/makes announcements for meetings
Attends required student organization meeting (for dates/locations see http://www.calstatela.edu/usu/csdp/studentorg.htm)

Treasurer (Jan – Dec) Graduate Student
Accepts/records quarterly dues
Changes the names on the bank accounts (with President)
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
Attends required student organization meeting (for dates/locations see http://www.calstatela.edu/usu/csdp/studentorg.htm)

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
Attends required student organization meeting (for dates/locations see http://www.calstatela.edu/usu/csdp/studentorg.htm)

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
Create forms, applications, bulletins, and flyers
Makes copies of newsletter/ other flyers at ASI (KH D-138) [maximum 100 copies per month]
Circulates newsletter by placing in grad student mail boxes, giving copies to undergrad rep to pass out, placing remaining copies in plastic holder on the department office counter, and posting one copy on the prep room wall
Assists Secretary with website
Attends required student organization meeting (for dates/locations see http://www.calstatela.edu/usu/csdp/studentorg.htm)

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)
Attends required student organization meeting (for dates/locations see http://www.calstatela.edu/usu/csdp/studentorg.htm)
Recycles cans in prep roomPasses out newsletter to undergraduate classes

NSSHLA October Meeting

Thanks to Sharon Hendricks for her informative presentation on the California Speech Language Hearing Association (CSHA).

So, what is the difference between CSHA, National NSSLHA and Local CSULA NSSLHA?

California Speech-Language-Hearing Association (CSHA).

CSHA is a professional organization of speech-language pathologists and audiologists advancing services to children and adults with communication and related disorders. CSHA is chartered under California law as a non-profit corporation and qualified by federal IRS as a 501(c)(6) organization for tax-exemption purposes. CSHA is the officially recognized professional association for California speech-language pathologists and audiologists by the national American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA).

Visit http://www.csha.org/ for more information

The National Student Speech Language Hearing Association (NSSLHA)
NSSLHA is a pre-professional membership association for students interested in the study of communication sciences and disorders. National membership is available to undergraduate, graduate, or doctoral students enrolled full- or part-time in a communication sciences program or related major. National NSSLHA membership provides benefits that help students stay current on advancements in the field, enhance their academic knowledge, find internships and employment, network with other students with similar interests, and save money on products and services.
Visit http://www.nsslha.org/nsslha/ for more information


Local Cal State LA NSSLHA The National Student Speech-Language Hearing Assoon at iversity, Los Angeles is an active chapter of NSSLHA
That’s us! We are the local Los Angeles Chapter of NSSLHA. We organize monthly meetings, fundraisers, charitable events, and publish a quarterly newsletter -All to advance awareness of Communication Disorders.

Come hang out on our blog at http://nsslhacsula.blogspot.com/

Job Opportunity

Hey everyone!
Is anyone looking for a job? This is a great opportunity for all. Check it out....

Pasadena Unified School District is in desperate need of speech aids! Hourly wage is 12.26/hour. Call Ilene Clingman at (626) 795-6981 x281

NSSHLA Minutes from May 7, 2007

For those of you who were unable to join us, here is the enlightening information you missed:

The meeting was led by one of our professors and clinical supervisors, Dr. Sonia Aller.

Dr. Aller is affiliated with The USC University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD) Childrens Hospital Los Angeles.

Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (LEND) is an Interdisciplinary Training Program.

USC UCEED MISSION
-Provides leadership in strengthening family-centered culturally-component services and systems for the benefit of individuals with, or at risk for developmental, behavioral, and/or special health care needs and their families in partnership with those who utilize the programs.
-USC UCEED is Interdisciplinary.
-In order to serve individuals with disabilities, we must be trained with discipline and knowledge of intervention and service. There are about 12 different disciplines that come to participate in the program for 9 months out of the year.

UCEDD Funding Sources
=Maternal and Child Health Bureau
=Administration on Developmental Disabilities
=Federal Agencies
=CA Regional Centers
=Foundations
=State Council on Developmental Disabilities
=Universities

Core Functions
+ Pre-Service Interdisciplinary Training
+ Continuing Education/Technical Assistance/Dissemination
+ Services: Clinical; Community
+ Research
+ Information Technology/Knowledge Management

Clinical and Community Services
Mental Health Services
Feeding Development Clinic
Spina Bifida Multiple Disabilities Program
LEND Interdisciplinary Teams
Early Childhood Clinic
Learning Abilities Clinic
Behavioral Pediatrics
Community Based Clinics

Continuing Education/Technical Assistance
Responds to the need for:
In-service training for Professionals
Parent training
Collaboration and coordination with local, state and regional agencies.

LEND PRE SERVICE TRAINING
-Responds to the national need for increased number of professionals trained to assume positions of leadership in the care of children with special health care needs and their families
-USC was one of the original UAP’s in 1966
-Now 23 LEND programs: 64 UCEDD’s
-USC UCEDD has affiliations with 11 schools/departments at USC and elsewhere.
-Additional affiliations with 7 universities
-Fifteen disciplines

Training Programs
*Train leaders who will provide and assure provision of quality services for children and their families.
*Professionals must:
-----Attend to special needs of children and their families
-----Provide and assure provision of interdisciplinary, family centered, and culturally-competent services
-----Focus on improving the health of entire population
-----Goal is leadership

Telehealth/Telemedicine grant to provide training/consultation to the Regional Centers in California.

TRAINING IN EIGHT DOMAINS
Neurodevelopmental and related disabilities
Interdisciplinary Team Process
Public Policy
Systems of Care
Research
Leadership Skills
Family Centered Interpersonal Skills, including Cultural Competence
Discipline-Specific Skills

LEND covers the following content areas:
v Neuromotor Disabilities
v Learning Abilities
v Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities
v Autism-Spectrum Disorders
v Genetic Disorders
v Sensory Impairments
v Chronic Illness

LEND Certificate Requirements:
Long term trainees complete a minimum of 300 hours of LEND training and demonstrating competency in the eight domains of training.
(Immediate and short-term training opportunities are available depending on participant qualifications, interest, experience, and time commitment)

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/

SUPPORT FOR CHILDREN AFFECTED BY HURRICANE KATRINA

SUPPORT FOR CHILDREN AFFECTED BY HURRICANE KATRINA

By Rachelle DeVore

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.

I tutor eight elementary age children in the Los Angeles Unified school district through government sponsored, "No Child Left Behind", program. The reality is that the majority of these children are from low socio-economic communities that struggle to provide the motivation, support and educational materials that these children need in order to do well in school. I couldn't help but wonder what would become of these children if the little they have was taken from them in and instant. I could not imagine my students without a school to attend or a home to go to at the end of the day.

With the children in mind, I set another goal for my trip. 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 hope is to raise enough money to purchase basics such as pens/pencils and paper as well as books and educational materials/games. I know that the scope of this project is limited however if I am able to help even one child in need, it will be worthwhile.

My goal is to raise a minimum of one-thousand dollars by June 1st. 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.

Please feel free to contact me at any time:

Email: rnd200@aol.com

Mailing address:

Rachelle DeVore
14 Caleb Brewster Rd
East Setauket, NY 11733

Response to question from NSSHLA meeting.

Hello Everyone-

Kelly followed up with a response to the question he was presented with during the meeting. Here is what he had to say:

Thank you again for the opportunity to speak. I wanted to provide an answer for the person who asked about the prevalence number for boys. It is 1 in 94, vs, the 1 in 150 for all children. Keep up the great work and I will be looking for you at the Walk!

NSSHLA minutes from April 9, 2007

For those of you who were not able to join our insightful meeting tonight, this is what you missed:

Statistics: 1 out of 150 have Autism
About 1.5 million people under the age of 17 have Autism

-In California, there has been a 238% rise in Autism cases over the last 14 years.
-The earlier you diagnose a child and the earlier you start intervention, the better the progression.

WHAT IS AUTISM?
=Autism affects the developmental brain and the nervous system
=Autism affects boys more than girls
=Usually diagnosed by 3 years of age
=Deficits in 3 core areas: 1. Language
2. Social Communication
3. Repetitive Behavior
=Autism is a spectrum disorder
=Autistic individuals have sensory deficits
=Autism is the third most common developmental disability after Mental Retardation and Cerebral Palsy.
=No two children have the same symptoms or behavior profile, making it difficult to categorize children into coherent symptom groups.

WHAT ARE SIGNS OF AUTISM?
+ Children do not respond to their name by 12 months of age
+ They fail to meet certain developmental milestones
+ They fail to make eye contact, have absence of pointing and gesturing
+ They have an absence in imaginative and social play.+ Use toys in odd ways+ Their language is imitative or repetitive (echolalia) + They are obsessed with objects

WHAT ARE CAUSES OF AUTISM?
: Genetics
: Environment
: A number of genes associated with Autism
: Stress, pollution, and vaccines--- when exposed during pregnancy


Clinical Research
AGRE-Autism Genetic Resource Exchange
This program is the world’s largest collection of clinical information. They have over 1600 families with two or more autistic children. They set the standards for collaboration and data sharing in autism research. Information is standardized and available to scientific researchers.

Autism Research Network (TRN)
This research program provides diagnosis and treatment and provides a medical home for children with ASD. This program develops standards for medical care. It also develops protocols for multidisciplinary assessment.

Autism Tissue Program (ATP)
This program makes brain tissue available for research. ATP increases out ability to learn about diagnosis of Autism. Over 42 studies have been possible though ATP.
CTN- Clinical Trails Network
This is the first multi-site network of established clinics and researchers with expertise in running clinical trails. The first trial is this year. This network works with the pharmaceutical/nutraceutical industry.
Autism Genone Project
This project is looking at human genone and looking at what genes are susceptible. Phase 1 of this project was completed and was published in Nature Genetics.


WALK NOW!!!
~This year there are over 60 walks in the US, Canada and the UK.
~Los Angelwes was the first walk to raise over one million dollars.
~Resource Fair provides valuable information about current research and treatment options for parents.
~Cal State LA raised $1,500
>>>>Log onto Walknow.org and sign up for the walk.
Log onto autismspeaks.org for more information on Autism.

Autism Awareness Month

Hey Everyone-

The speaker for the April 9th meeting is Kelly Alston from Cure Autism Now.

Also... if you have not done so yet then PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE sign up for the Cure Autism Now walk.

Thank You Everyone
See you April 9

Autism Awareness Month

Hey Everyone-

It is Autism Awareness Month and NSSHLA is having a guest speaker from Cure Autism Now at the next meeting which will be held on Monday April 9th at 6:10-7pm.

Just A Reminder: Don't forget to register for the Walk Now event taking plave on Sat April 28th.

Thank you and hope to see you all at the April 9th Meeting and the Wallk on April 28th. NSSHLA

And the Post-Bacc Representative is....

Rachelle DeVore.

Thank you to all the candidates and to everyone who participated in the voting process.

NSSHLA minutes from March 5, 2007

For those of you who were not able to attend our meeting this evening, here is what you missed:

Guest Speaker: Susan Simon -Speech Language Pathologist for LAUSD

Susan Simon began the meeting telling us a little about herself. She graduated from CSULA about 20 years ago and now works for the LAUSD.
Susan led the meeting using a Power Point Presentation giving us insight regarding working for the school system:

Speech and Language Program (ADVANTAGES):
~CYF/RPE supervision
~Direct Sponsor Continuing Education
~Prevention and Intervention Services
~Leadership Opportunities- LAUSD is always looking for this.
~Web Based IEPs and daily documentation
~Provided Laptop
~Students with variety of disabilities- large age group

SALARY- brand new just negotiated starting salary!
+++With Masters Degree and CA License start at $58, 000 for 180 days
$66, 479 for 210 days
+ 6% for the new negotiated salary.
+++With Credential start at %43, 564-$68,483
In 5 years, you will be at $72,000 for 180 days
In 5 yrs, you will be at $85,000 for 210 days.


Employment Requirements
~Online application
~Masters degree
~Eligibility for CA license in Speech
~CBEST
~Successful Interview
~Letters of Recommendation
~Health and TB clearance
~Fingerprint clearance
~Transcripts

More benefits
~Paid Holiday and illness leave
~District-paid medical, dental and vision insurance for employee, spise or domestic partner and dependents.
~District-paid life insurance
~State Teachers Retirement System Membership
~Loan Forgiveness Programs available (for individuals who work in low income school for 5 years, you can be forgiven as much as $17,000)

Additional Incentives
~Lots of Special Assignments
~Collaboration with School Professionals
~The latest assessment and curriculum based tools.


CONTACT INFORMATION:
Susan Simon
213 241 3333
susan.simon@lausd.net

Jeeda Gabriel
213 241 5300 ext. 29176
jeeda.gabriel@lausd.net


Visit the website at http://www.teachinla.com/ for additional information.

MORE CANDIDATES FOR POST- BACC REPRESENTATIVE

Rachelle DeVore

Rachelle DeVore is a first year post-bacc student running for NSSHLA Post-Bacc Representative. A native New Yorker, Rachelle relocated from NYC to LA in May of 2005 with the intention of studying at Cal State LA! Prior to her move, Rachelle graduated from NYU where she majored in musical theater and worked as an ABA therapist. Today, Rachelle tutors nine children in English and Language Arts through the "No Child Left Behind" program and will be helping to build homes in the St. Bernard Parish area of New Orleans (one of the communities most devastated by Hurricane Katrina) with "Habit For Humanity", in June, 2007.
Rachelle feels she is the perfect candidate for taking on this new and developing role while learning from and assisting the current board members. If elected, Rachelle will incorporate her diverse interests and experiences into fullfilling the responsibilities of this position. Rachelle offers a unique and creative perspective, a positive attitude, and a dedication to ensuring that her fellow classmates are as enthusiastic about participating and contributing to NSSHLA at Cal State LA as she is.



Carol Nga Ching Wong

I will get the job done! Vote for Carol!! Hi! I am carol. We are probably in the same class together now or have been once before. If you still don't remember me, I'll give you a hint, I am the one who always comes up with weird questions for the professors. Well, I promise that I will continue to ask the questions you don't want to ask once I am elected. I will get my job done! I will represent all post-grad students in the Communication Disorders department to other graduates and professors. I will be the bridge between the department and the whole post-grad student body.

CANDIDATE FOR POST- BACC REPRESENTATIVE

JULIE HAN

Julie is a full-time student studying Speech-Language Pathology; this is her second quarter here at CSULA. Her undergraduate degree was in Visual Arts Media from UCSD, and she claims that was way too long ago to mention the year! She still enjoys the arts but several life-changing experiences have led her to SLP, and she is glad she made the switch. Julie is interested in becoming the post-bacc representative for the CSULA chapter of NSSLHA because she wants to experience all aspects of the field, and not just the academic part. She also knows that she would be able to help spread the word about the meetings and events to her fellow post-bacc students because she shares their class schedule.

First NSSHLA meeting of 2007

Thanks to everyone for attending the first NSSLHA meeting of the year! If you couldn’t make the meeting, or if you loved it so much that you want to re-live the highlights, here is what went on:

New president Toni Francisco introduced the new 2007 NSSLHA officers:

President: Toniann Francisco
Vice President: Jacqueline Gudis
Treasurer: Brenda De La Rosa
Secretary: Jacqueline Gudis
Newsletter Editor: Anne Preddy
Undergraduate Representative: Emily Garcia

Thanks so much to the 2006 officers who did such a fantastic job in making NSSLHA the outstanding organization we all know and love. Your hard work and dedication did not go unnoticed.
· President: Kimberly Ng
· Vice President: Andrea
· Secretary: Cheryl Liang
· Treasurer: Suzanne Sassoon
· Newspaper Editor: Kristin Reisch

A reminder to everyone to consider joining local NSSLHA (five dollars per quarter, or twenty dollars for the year), as well as National NSSLHA (for more information go to www.nsslha.org )

We have decided to hold elections for the position of the post bac representative, if you are interested in running, please contact an officer.

To date, we have speakers on deck to present on the following topics: tongue thrust, GLAD (Greater Los Angeles Agency on Deafness), Autism, and the SLP in the rehabilitation hospital setting. Please share your ideas on what speakers and events you would like to see this year.
Get involved in Walk Now Los Angeles to rasie money for autism research. The walk is at the Rose Bowl on April 22. For more information, go to www.walknow.org and click on Los Angeles.
Don’t forget to visit out blogspot at http://nsslhacsula.blogspot.com for more updates and information.

We look forward to a great year together!

Mid Quarter Announcements

Congrats on making it through the first half of the quarter! Keep working, keep studying, keep on keeping on! You will make it! We know you can do it!

Reminders:
Tuition for returning students for Spring Quarter is due February 19th - so make sure you pay by next Monday!

If you are taking the Praxis on April 28th or June 9th you must register for it under Spring Quarter when registering for classes.

NSSLHA at CSULA is participating in the Cure Autism Now Walk on April 28th. To join our team visit the Walk Now website.

Have a great rest of the quarter!

Free Publications

The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) offers free publications under the following subject areas:

• Hearing
• Balance
• Smell and Taste
• Voice, Speech, and Language
• Publicaciones en español
• General Information
• Research Reports

For more information and/or to order, please visit: http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/order/ or click on one of the above links.

Presenting NSSLHA 2007

And the winners are...

President Toniann Francisco
Vice President Jacqueline Gudis
Treasurer Brenda De La Rosa
Secretary Jacqueline Gudis
Newsletter Editor Anne Preddy
Undergraduate Representative Emily Garcia

Congratulations to NSSLHA's new cabinet for 2007! We are so proud of all of the candidates for stepping up to the plate and seeing the value in becoming an officer. We were also impressed with the number of post-baccalaureates who inquired about a possible position. Our organization truly benefits and appreciates the enthusiasm and support received from everyone.

NSSLHA 2006 wishes the 2007 cabinet the best of luck!
For all NSSLHA members, be prepared for another fabulous year!

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.

.·:*¨¨*:·. .·:*¨¨*:·..·:*¨¨*:·. .·:*¨¨*:·. .·:*¨¨*:·. .·:*¨¨*:·. .·:*¨¨*:·.

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!