Day 1 :
Keynote Forum
Regina L Enwefa
Southern University Baton Rouge, USA
Keynote: The impact of poverty, homelessness and mental health on language skills of children
Time : 09:00-09:40
Biography:
Regina L Enwefa is a Professor in the Department of Speech Language Pathology at Southern University A&M College, Baton Rouge, USA. She has taught both undergraduate and graduate courses and is frequently invited to present at national, international and state conferences, community groups, medical facilities and school districts. She has extensive experience in neurogenic disorders, dysphagia, AAC, autism and sensory processing disorders. She is board certified in Holistic Health and specializes in herbs, nutrition and functional medicine. She has published extensively that includes articles, books, monographs and book chapters. She is an Oxford Round Table Scholar, University of Oxford, Oxford, England and a Fellow of Office of Special Education Programs, Fellow of the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services and Fellow of Office of Maternal and Child Health.
Abstract:
This presentation will report findings on poverty, homelessness and mental health of children within the United States as compared to other countries. The presentation will define poverty; identify types of poverty, homelessness and mental health, highlighting prevalence and incidence of poverty, homelessness and mental health to include language skills that are affected by these conditions. Additionally, the presentation will delineate strategies for speech language pathologists and other professionals who provide therapeutic intervention to these children. Furthermore, the presentation will provide essential framework for strategies and implementation of language skills and behavioral characteristics that will have a positive impact for generational diversity in children. Lastly, the presentation will make recommendations for culturally responsive approaches for educators and community partners on how to effectively reach children who are homeless, in poverty and have mental health needs.
Keynote Forum
Kerri Phillips
Louisiana Tech University, USA
Keynote: Defining Ethics Education
Time : 09:40-10:20
Biography:
Kerri R Phillips is a Professor and Program Director of the Graduate Program in Speech-Language Pathology at Louisiana Tech University, USA. She holds the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology (CCC-SLP) from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and is licensed to practice Speech-Language Pathology in the State of Louisiana. She has practiced as a speech-language pathologist in a variety of settings including public schools, hospital/rehab, private practice and higher education. She is a Past Member of the Louisiana Licensure Board, having served as Chair and Vice Chair. Currently she serves on the ASHA Continuing Education Board. She is a Member and Past-President of the Board of Directors of the National Council of the State Boards of Examiners for Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology. She has been actively engaged in state and national associations where she has served in various leadership capacities.
Abstract:
As compared to other allied health disciplines, the profession of speech-language pathology appears to be in its infancy regarding a comprehensive education-based approach to ethics and related decision making protocols. Empirically-based ethics education is apparently lacking and to strengthen the profession, speech-language pathologists should investigate additional instruction and education relating to ethics and the SLP. Academia’s primary purpose is to prepare professionals for practice in real world settings. As such, there is a need to examine how Speech-Language Pathologists define ethics education and engage in ethical decision-making. In particular, one might ask, Is instruction with regard to ethical decision making limited to understanding a set of guidelines, or do SLPs need to be taught how to apply ethics to a decision making process? As the scope of practice in speech-language pathology increases, the need for formal ethics education is needed within the field of speech-language pathology. In providing education, the profession must become aware of the basic definitions that exist. Professionals need to understand ethics, values and their relationship to the decision-making process. Examination of moral values can assist with ethical decision-making and broaden the understanding of diversity. It should be recognized that codes of ethics only serve as guidelines for making decisions, clinically and ethically. Professional codes of ethics are policies set forth to govern professional conduct, they are not exhaustive or all-inclusive.
Keynote Forum
Celeste Roseberry-McKibbin
California State University, USA
Keynote: Building Literacy Skills of At-Risk Children in Poverty
Time : 10:40-11:30
Biography:
Celeste Roseberry-McKibbin has received her Doctorate from Northwestern University. She is a Professor of Communication Sciences and Disorders at California State University, Sacramento. She is also currently a part-time itinerant Speech Pathologist in San Juan Unified School District, where she provides direct services to students from preschool through high school. She has worked in educational and medical settings with a wide variety of clients ranging from preschoolers through geriatric patients. She serves homeless persons in her community through direct work on the streets. Her primary research interests are in the areas of assessment and treatment of culturally and linguistically diverse students with communication disorders as well as service delivery to students from low-income backgrounds. She has over 70 publications, including 15 books and has made over 300 presentations at the local, state, national and international levels. She is a Fellow of ASHA and winner of ASHA's Certificate of Recognition for Special Contributions in Multicultural Affairs. She has received the national presidential Daily Point of Light Award for her volunteer work in building literacy skills of children in poverty.
Abstract:
It is a well-known fact that children raised in poverty are at risk for a number of challenges. One of these challenges is literacy deficits that can create long-term academic failure accompanied by negative life outcomes. This presentation describes a project to collect books and distribute them to at-risk children in poverty. Entitled Love Talk Read, the project has collected and donated books to children in poverty in the greater Sacramento area of California as well as other countries including Honduras, Samoa, the Philippines, Ecuador, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Nepal, the United Kingdom, China, Ukraine, Australia and Micronesia. The program encourages caregivers to daily show love to, talk to and read with their children to enhance their literacy skills for a brighter future. The World Literacy Foundation states that access to books is the greatest factor in academic success; without access to books, it is impossible to build adequate literacy skills. Statistics indicate that in some areas, the average middle-class child has 13+ books in the home while in areas impacted by poverty; there is one book for every 300 children. For fourth graders who reach the end of the school year reading below grade level, approximately 2/3rd of them will end up in prison or on welfare. The average prisoner in the United States does not read above the fourth grade level. This session describes how to collect and donate books to at-risk children in poverty, with an emphasis on practical strategies for doing so. Audience members will leave with specific suggestions for how to start their own book drives and donate the books to at-risk children in their local communities.
Keynote Forum
Sandra M Grether
University of Cincinnati, USA Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, USA
Keynote: Effective communication skills are essential for better quality of life
Time : 11:30-12:10
Biography:
Sandra M Grether is a Speech-Language Pathologist III at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center in the Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics and Adjunct Associate Professor at the University of Cincinnati, College of Allied Health Sciences. She is responsible for interdisciplinary student leadership training and research in prelinguistic communication with individuals with significant intellectual disabilities, impact of cognition on language in pediatric hearing loss and cognitive disabilities, childhood apraxia of speech and augmentative communication. She has been with CCHMC and UC for 17 years and a Practicing Clinician for 43 years.
Abstract:
Communication is more than just being able to verbally pronounce words and sentences. We communicate to participate in a conversation, asking and answering questions and commenting. We also communicate to regulate the behavior of others and to interact socially. But to achieve these purposes effectively we need to be competent across multiple areas. Linguistically, we need to know what words to say and how to organize them into grammatically correct sentences so our communication partners understand us and perceive us as a competent communicator. Socially, we need to know when it is our turn to speak and how to introduce a topic, maintain it and redirect it if we want to talk about something else. We need to be able to share our stories and know how to effectively end a conversation. Strategically, we need to know when someone does not understand us and we may need to clarify or add more information. We need to be effective, multi-modal communicators across our day and use speech and gestures, as well as our phone and written technology to communicate our messages. Our lives are adversely affected when we cannot do these things competently. To maintain, regain and/or achieve a better quality of life, we need to determine what is preventing us from being an effective communicator and what we can do to make things better.
Keynote Forum
Marivic Beebee and Cynthia Constance Brewster
Tobii Dynavox Regional Consultant, USA Integra Rehabilitation, USA
Keynote: Workshop on
Time : 13:55-14:55
Biography:
Cynthia Constance Cee Cee Brewster has worked in the field of speech language pathology for well over 27 years. She has a BS in Speech Language Pathology from Illinois State University and MS in Speech Language Pathology from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois. She has a background in adult neurological disorders specializing in the areas of swallowing disorders, cognitive language disorders and use of augmentative communication devices with stroke patients. Her work as a traveling Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) has allowed her to work in many areas of the country and in a variety of clinical settings: Acute, outpatient, day rehabilitation, acute rehabilitation, skilled nursing and home health. She has served as an Adjunct Faculty and as a Clinical Supervisor. She has also served the Huntsville Community in providing speech services to the Mentees of the 100 Black Men of America-Huntsville Chapter, participated in local health fairs as well as lectures to educate the public regarding speech and language disorders through the Alpha Kappa Alpha, Rho Chi Omega Chapter as a Member. She has been employed with Integra Rehabilitation as a Regional Traveler for more than 4 years in Greensboro, Georgia.
Abstract:
Many residents in skilled nursing facilities (SNF’s) will not get an augmentative alternate communication (AAC) or a Speech Generating (SGD) device, unless they or their families pay for it. Medicare currently does not fund these devices unless residents are members of the community and are not SNF residents. States such as Georgia have technology departments that will offer permanent loaners for such residents. This session will be hosted by a SLP and a representative from Tobii Dynavox who have carried out joint assessments and interventions for SNF residents with Tobii Dynavox AAC devices. Participants will be given ideas for carrying out assessments to determine when a resident is eligible for a device. Examples of how the SNF SLP, the Tobii Dynavox representative and the Georgia state technology department work together to obtain a successful assessment, as well as treatment using the AAC, permanent loaner device in the SNF for ADL’s will be illustrated. Information will also be provided on what not to do to obtain successful out comes. Lastly, 3 case studies will be presented to illustrate the response of SNF residents to the AAC devices.