Table of Contents
President's Corner
Shannon Rose, MA CCC-SLP
SCCSHA President 2023–2024
Thank you so much to all the members and students who attended our in-person workshop this Fall. It was terrific to hear from Dr. Marcella McCollum about best practices when assessing emergent bilingual students. We are grateful to have received so many helpful resources, and for the opportunity to connect with our colleagues to kick off the school year. Dr. McCollum is engaged in very important work in our field, and it was a privilege to learn from her.
Our SCCSHA board cannot wait to see you all again at our Winter Workshop, where we will be welcoming Rachel Dorsey, an Autistic SLP, who will educate us about Neurodiversity Affirming Practices in the field. With the rise of knowledge of the Neurodiversity Movement in speech-language discourse, SLPs often find themselves tasked with affirming their autistic students' identities through creative, compassionate, and patient speech-language practice. In this presentation, Rachel Dorsey, MS, CCC-SLP will examine the roles of mental and sensory well-being in linguistic, social-pragmatic, and socioemotional development for autistic clients. This promises to be an extremely informative workshop!
Join us on Friday, January 26th for our virtual workshop to welcome this fantastic presenter. Tickets are on sale December 1, 2023; and we are pleased to now offer bulk ordering for larger groups who wish to attend.
Visit us at www.sccsha.org to purchase your tickets today!
As the holiday season approaches, I would like to extend my warmest wishes to each and every one of you. May your days be filled with joy, laughter, and the company of loved ones.
Legislative Corner
Ann England
Legislative Liaison
California Department of Education Funds Free Resources Helpful for SLPs!
CalECSE Network
This grant project supports local educational agencies (LEAs), Special Education Local Plan Areas (SELPAs), special education divisions within County Offices of Education, and other agency partners in Part C to Part B transitions under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
As part of their work, they are developing free resources and trainings that can be accessed by educators and agencies throughout the state. One example is: Jan 25, 2024 | 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM Best Practices for Assessing English Language Learners in Early Childhood
For more information: https://www.calecse.org/events
Open Access Project
This grant project is all about ensuring access to quality curriculum and instruction so that students with disabilities can engage, actively participate, and learn within inclusive settings. The project supports the implementation of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) across all learning environments by incorporating digital tools and/or accessible technologies (AT) into designing instruction and providing access to augmentative alternative communication (AAC) strategies and supports for students with complex communication needs. One example of their free resources is the AAC Flipkit: https://www.openaccess-ca.org/aac-resource-flipkit
For more information, go to https://www.openaccess-ca.org.
Student Corner
Lana Ballou
Student Representative
I want to extend my appreciation for the success of our fall workshop, expertly led by Dr. Marcella McCollum. We were delighted to have numerous SJSU undergraduate students in attendance, all of whom thoroughly enjoyed the event! Notable moments included Jackie Nieves sharing, "I enjoyed networking and talking to different speech-language pathologists about their fields, schools, and preferred work environments," and Natalie Cortes expressing, "Very useful tips/resources were shared by Dr. McCollum on how to approach these challenges."
As we progress through the year, I'm pleased to provide updates on a couple of goals we've been diligently working on. One significant request from students has been the development of a comprehensive list of clinics for networking and observation opportunities. I'm thrilled to announce that we are one step closer to completing this list, and students with a membership will soon have access to this valuable resource! Additionally, I'm actively fostering connections between students and the fantastic resources and workshops offered by SCCSHA, by strengthening ties with the SJSU NSSLHA organization.
I eagerly anticipate the upcoming winter workshop and the opportunity to hear from Rachel Dorsey in the upcoming winter worksop. Here's to another year of growth and collaboration, Happy Holidays!
Winter 2024 Workshop:
Neurodiversity Affirming Practices in Speech Pathology
Details
January 26, 2024
7:50 AM - 3:00 PM
0.6 Professional Development Hours
Virtual via Zoom
Seminar Description
With the rise of knowledge of the Neurodiversity Movement in speech-language discourse, clinicians find themselves tasked to affirm their autistic students' identities through creative, compassionate, and patient speech-language practice. Simultaneously, educator, clinician, and student burnout post the Covid-19 Pandemic is rampant, making such a radical shift in practice and outcomes difficult to realistically obtain.
In this presentation, Rachel Dorsey, MS, CCC-SLP will examine the roles of mental and sensory wellbeing in linguistic, social-pragmatic, and socioemotional development for autistic clients. Clinical analysis, goal writing, and problem-solving will be demonstrated through several case studies. Discussion will focus on the complexities and nuances of real life clinical decision-making, ultimately landing on plans of care that are both client and clinician-affirming.
At conclusion of this workshop, a certificate will be provided to each participant reflecting 0.6 professional development hours.
About Our Presenter: Rachel Dorsey M.S., CCC-SLP
Rachel Dorsey, a Gainesville, FL native, pursued a dual degree in Linguistics and Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of Florida, graduating Summa Cum Laude. Continuing her academic journey at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Rachel earned a Master of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders.
Post-graduation, Rachel immersed herself in community-based Early Intervention, working with various age groups in preschool, school-age, and post-secondary settings. For four years, she also provided services to clinic-based clients in upstate New York.
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Rachel made the move to Massachusetts and joined a small private practice until August 2021. Taking the entrepreneurial leap, she established Rachel Dorsey: Autistic SLP, LLC in September 2021.
Throughout her career, Rachel has passionately assisted individuals with various neurodivergencies and medical conditions. Her expertise lies in supporting children of all pediatric ages, addressing speech, language, social connections, self-advocacy, emotional and sensory regulation, and communication of regulatory needs, along with tackling feeding challenges.