April 2022 Monthly E-Newsletter
CSHA Membership:
The first CSHA Chats was held on March 29 at Therapitas Clinic in Lakewood. Attendees had good discussions about bilingual services, shared experiences and made connections.
- Tara Canty, MEd-, CCC-SLP, Clinical Director of Therapitas, presented on bilingual speech-language services. Therapitas has helped educate local pediatricians to understand bilingual development better so they can identify children with developmental delays earlier and refer to appropriate specialists. Bilingual children have different needs and require therapists that can assess and treat in their language.
- Per ASHA, at the end of 2021, 17,373 (8.2 percent) of ASHA members are multilingual service providers. There were 83 spoken languages other than English.
- Of the 17,373 individuals, 66.5 percent were Spanish-language service providers.
- According to this report, there are 4 audiologists and 234 speech-language pathologists in the state of Colorado who are Spanish-Language service providers.
Stay tuned for more information on the next CSHA chats to be held in June in Colorado Springs.
☆ Are you a CF? Do you know any CFs? Check out information on the website to learn about CSHA’s NEW CF Supportive Peer Program, which includes a membership discount for CFs!
Education Update:
We are excited to announce the CSHA 2022 Conference theme is Elevate: Focus on the Future. It’s been a rough 2+ years, but Colorado SLPs and AUDs have taken it in stride.
Join us October 7-8, 2022 to “up your SLP and AUD game” and keep working toward better care for our students, patients and clients! This year’s conference will be held at the Parker Arts Culture and Events Center in Parker, Colorado. If you would like to peek at this location, please check out their website: https://parkerarts.org/meeting-venues/pace-meeting-venues/
More information will be provided about nearby hotels and restaurants in the coming months, but we are looking forward to enjoying this lovely space in the Fall!
Public Policy Update:
This past month, board members and CSHA’s lobbyist, Megan Wagner, continued meeting with legislators to support increases in reimbursement rates.
Members of the board also met with HCPF regarding the upcoming claims requirement set to go in effect on July 1, 2022. This regulation requires that claims for speech therapy and audiology services MUST have the referring provider NPI number. For policy details, please visit https://hcpf.colorado.gov/opr-claims.
Additionally, small group conversations have continued alongside HCPF in order to address the issues raised by our members. As noted before, please reach out directly to Kepro with any immediate concerns. If this has been completed and your issues have not been resolved, escalate these concerns to the UM inbox (hcpf_um@state.co.us) and make sure you CC your legislator! This helps them better understand the challenges we are facing so that they can continue to help us in our efforts. *To find your legislator, click HERE. And as always, please be mindful of HIPAA.
If you have not already done so, please complete this brief survey to help us identify trends regarding denials and other issues with PARs that you have experienced. Please encourage your colleagues and peers to complete this as well, whether or not they are members of CSHA. With enough information, we can use this to help guide our conversations with HCPF and provide data about the challenges we face as providers.
The sunset review of the Speech-Language Pathology Practice Act continues to move through legislation, now heading to the Senate for a second reading.
As always, thank you for your continued support and engagement! It takes a village.
Communication/Social Media:
Do you have a job listing, survey, research study or fundraiser pertaining to our professions? Send the information to csha@cshassoc.org for an opportunity to be highlighted on our social media accounts and/or E-Blast.
Stay updated with the newest CSHA news and information by following CSHA on Facebook (Colorado Speech-Language and Hearing Association), Instagram (csha.co), and LinkedIn (Colorado Speech Language Hearing Association). Give us a like, share and follow!
Audiology Update:
Save the Date!
The Colorado Academy of Audiology is hosting a virtual Spring seminar about assistive devices on May 26, 2022 from 2:00 pm – 4:30 pm. Keep an eye out for more information!
Job Opportunities:
San Juan BOCES
- San Juan BOCES in beautiful southwest Colorado is seeking Full or part time SLP/SLPA positions for the 2022-2023 school year.
- Website: SJBOCES
- Salary: Salary Schedule
- Contact: Stephanie Pham at 970-769-2163 or spham@sjboces.org or Stacey Baxter at 970-570-9157 or sbaxter@sjboces.org.
Straka Speech Castle Rock
Provide quality, evidence-based, fun speech and language therapy and assessments to children ages 0-20 years old as a speech language pathologist in a fun, dynamic private practice! You will carry a full-time caseload and have the opportunity to work with some of Colorado’s best SLPs, OTs and PTs.
- Documentation requirements:
- Evaluation reports, re-evaluation reports, daily SOAP notes and creating Plans of Care (goal planning).
Location and Time Requirements:
- Therapy is provided at our office in Castle Rock, CO. Our office is open from 8-6, Monday-Friday. After school availability is required.
- Materials Requirements:
Evaluation and therapy materials will be provided by the employer.
- Knowledge and ability requirements:
- Experience in a pediatric therapy setting is required
- Ability to manage kids, and an affinity for working with kids is required
- A friendly, happy, personable demeanor is required
Qualifications:
- Undergraduate degree, or leveling degree in Speech Language Pathology
- Graduate degree in Speech Language Pathology
- Pass a background check and provide references
- CCCs or working toward CCCs required
- DORA or CDE license required
- Well-qualified Clinical Fellow candidates will be considered.
Competitive salary based on experience.
- Job Type: Full-time
- Pay: $60,000.00 – $70,000.00 per year
Contact Amber Rea, Clinic Director-Straka Speech Castle Rock with additional questions and to apply at 720-398-8806
Lewis Palmer School District 38
- Location: Bear Creek Elementary School
- Date Available: As soon as possible
- Apply at: Lewis-Palmer School District 38 – Frontline Recruitment (applitrack.com)
- Contact: Kristen Stueber, Chief Human Resources Officer 719-785-4236
Lewis-Palmer School District 38, located in Monument, CO, is seeking a full-time Speech Language Pathologist for the 2022-2023 school year. This position will work at Bear Creek Elementary School. Must have, or be eligible to receive, a Colorado Special Services Provider license with endorsement for Speech/Language. Must be willing and able to be a strong team player with flexibility, have strong collaborative skills and have the ability deliver speech/language assessments and services to students grades PreK-12. In order to receive consideration, please complete the online application as soon as possible. Applications will be reviewed as they are received. The start date is as soon as possible.
Full-time employees, employed at least thirty hours per week, of Lewis-Palmer School District are eligible for health insurance plans that include medical, dental, vision, and life insurance. Lewis-Palmer does provide one plan that is of no cost to the individual. However, employees may choose from a selection of plans that include coverage additional options for individuals, employee plus spouse, employee plus children, and family plans. All employees are eligible for participation in the Colorado Public Employees Retirement Account, PERA. Paid leave is accrued in accordance with District policies and afforded to all persons in accordance with Colorado law.
Poudre School District
Poudre School District in Fort Collins is recruiting for an additional speech-language pathologist to begin in the 2022-2023 academic school-year. Join a wonderful team of highly motivated professionals in an outstanding school district to provide services preschool-12th grade. Responsibilities include assessment and intervention of communication skills; development of Individualized Education Plan that align with Common Core standards; intervention using varied service delivery models; collaboration with special and general education teams, ongoing monitoring and reporting of progress, and communication with families. Colorado Department of Education Special Service Provider license required. Poudre School District offers many professional development opportunities, manageable case load size, and excellent benefits.
Contact Information: Donna Boudreau, Team Lead (970) 692-6901; Dboudrea@psdschools.org
Link to Human Resources (application, salary structure): https://psdschools.tedk12.com/hire/ViewJob.aspx?JobID=4351
Salary schedule: https://www.psdschools.org/careers/working-at-psd/salary-schedules
Research Study Opportunities:
Children’s Hospital Colorado/University of Colorado and the Hearts & Horses Therapeutic Riding Center Study:
The Children’s Hospital Colorado/University of Colorado and the Hearts & Horses Therapeutic Riding Center are working together to test if measures of physiological states of arousal, heart rate and electrodermal activity, can help to tell us why therapeutic horseback riding (THR) can be helpful for children and teens with autism.
There is increasing evidence that human-animal interventions such as therapeutic horseback riding can lead to improved emotional health and social wellness outcomes in children. However, what we do not know is how or why these positive outcomes occur. It has been proposed that being with an animal or riding a horse can produce a physiologic state of alert relaxation or mindfulness in humans that can then lead to positive outcomes.
We are looking for children with ASD, ages 6-16 years old, who might be interested in participating in our study!
What are the benefits to being involved in this study?
• Your child will receive 10 weeks of group sessions at Hearts and Horses Therapeutic riding center, free of charge
• Monetary compensation for pre- and post-intervention testing.
If you are interested in learning more or to see if you qualify, please contact: Hannah Christensen, study coordinator by calling 720-777-9255 or by email hannah.christensen@cuanschutz.edu
QUESTIONS
Contact the CSHA Office at csha@cshassoc.org
