International Continuing Education and Clinical Practicum Opportunities in Speech Pathology

1
International Continuing Education and Clinical
Practicum Opportunities in Speech Pathology

• Katandria Love Johnson, MA MS-CCC SLP/ITA KK
  Services
• University of North Texas Health Science Center
  Public Health Department (UNT HSC)

2
Abstract

• An increasing number of culturally and
  linguistically diverse (CLD) populations live in
  the US. Yet, the field of speech-language
  pathology faces a shortage of professionals with
  the competencies requisite to service such
  populations. In this presentation, several
  national and international clinical practicum and
  continuing education opportunities will be
  discussed to address these competencies.

3
Statistics

• The U.S. Department of Labors Bureau of Labor
  Statistics (2001b) reports speech pathology is
  one of the 30 fastest growing occupations for
  2000-2010. Yet, increasing shortages of
  qualified speech pathologists are available to
  serve the 69.9 of non-English speaking US
  children in elementary and secondary schools.

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Statistics, cont.

• One of the greatest challenges faced by the
  United States healthcare system is how to provide
  cost-efficient, culturally and linguistically
  competent healthcare services to racially and
  ethnically diverse populations.
• This challenge is due to several issues ranging
  from disparity of healthcare services among such
  populations, to language barriers, and to the
  dearth of bilingual and bicultural healthcare
  professionals who can provide these services.

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Statistics, cont.

• Between 1991 and 1998, the U.S. admitted 7.6
  million immigrants, 3.1 million of which were
  Latin American (2006).
• A more striking statistic is the 8.7 million
  unauthorized migrants living in the U.S., 5.4
  million, or 62 percent of whom are Hispanic.
• Mexican descent immigrants comprised 3.9 million
  (45) of these immigrants.

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Statistics, cont.

• These communities are usually low-income and most
  susceptible to a disparity in services because
  they lack the residency status and financial
  means to access healthcare.
• Mullan (2005) reported that an estimated 1.5
  million legal and illegal immigrants arrive in
  the United States each year.
• Of this number, about 43 percent of immigrant
  children live in low-income families, and nearly
  one-third do not have health insurance (p.2).

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Educational and Professional Issues

• Problems including increase healthcare costs,
  decreased health among these populations creates
  a great impact on the future of healthcare
  professionals effectiveness in the communities
  served. In response to these issues, degree
  programs and professionals are seeking ways to
  improve healthcare access and services.

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Educational and Professional Opportunities, cont.

• There are various ways a professional can develop
  the skills needed to work with CLD populations.
• Even though the current ASHA database of speech
  pathologists who practice internationally is
  sparse, contact with these professionals via
  e-mail and conventions can create mentorships and
  live chats regarding speech-language-hearing
  issues among CLD populations.

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Educational and Professional Opportunities, cont.

• These contacts may be international professionals
  as well as Americans who are temporarily or
  permanently working abroad.
• Another choice may include traveling abroad to
  develop or sharpen your linguistic and cultural
  competencies through language immersion or
  volunteer work.

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Educational and Professional Opportunities, cont.

• There are many agencies which provide varied
  services requisite to travel abroad (language
  courses, internships, volunteerships,
  international health insurance, housing airport
  pick-up, etc.) for a one-time fee. AmeriSpan was
  my choice and comes highly recommended. You may
  choose to go through your university or a local
  travel agency. Regardless, it is imperative to
  obtain all contacts and information needed to
  complete the project type and length.

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State and National CEU Opportunities

• Our state and national organization provide
  several options
• 1) Independent study
• 2) Continuing education-approved workshops
• 3) International article journal reviews
• 4) University coursework and
• 5) Self-study article submittals, under the
  listed special interests divisions provided by
  ASHA.

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State and National CEU Opportunities, cont.

• My travels resulted in a research paper titled
  Cross-cultural perspectives of disability views
  among culturally and linguistically diverse
  populations. Additionally, at the conclusion of
  the experience in Mexico, I was invited to
  continue volunteering at a private clinic in
  Puebla, Mexico, which provides occupational,
  physical, special education, and psychological
  services for community families.

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State and National CEU Opportunities, cont.

• The first consideration any student or
  professional must consider when traveling abroad
  is whether one is mentally and physically
  prepared for the cultural and linguistic changes
  that accompany such an assignment.
• Secondly, you must collaborate with university
  advisors when carefully evaluating continuing
  education programs, your career objectives and
  the feasibility of traveling abroad.

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State and National CEU Opportunities, cont.

• In other words, what are the pros and cons for
  international experiences/studies in comparison
  with those within the United States?
• Will continuing education credits be awarded?
• Who will supervise and ensure that the tasks
  scheduled will be fulfilled?

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State and National CEU Opportunities, cont.

• When entering a foreign country, one must be
  prepared for cultural and linguistic differences.
  Reading about countries ahead of time and
  becoming aware of their customs is pertinent for
  successful and less stressful experience abroad.
  
• Information regarding cultural immersion may be
  found on Amerispan.com, the United States website
  on travel website www.travel.state.gov and
  www.cdc.gov/travel/.

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Private Practice Opportunities

• Speech pathologists may opt for volunteer work at
  a particular site within a foreign country. This
  opportunity is currently offered at a private
  clinic in Puebla, Mexico. Mrs. Leticia de la
  Llata is the coordinator of CEDI clinic, which
  provides occupational, physical, musical, special
  education, and psychological services for
  community families of Puebla.

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Private Practice Opportunities, cont.

• Her clinic is comprised of a small elementary
  school, individual and group therapy treatment
  rooms, and a gym. Over ten therapists and thirty
  patients are housed in this facility. We are
  collaborating with local private school, the
  University of the Americas (UDLA), to formalize
  an international exchange program that will allow
  universities and professionals access to more
  volunteer, clinical practicum and continuing
  education hours (CEUs).

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Private Practice Opportunities, cont.

• The pilot program was implemented in summer 2005,
  allowing students from the University of Texas at
  Austin to obtain 1) Observation, assessment and
  treatment hours 3) TSHA-approved CEUs.
• The international contacts mentioned in this
  presentation were obtained from research
  conducted in Europe, Canada, the Caribbean,
  Central and South America.

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Discussion

• As economic and immigration ties continue to grow
  among other countries, the US will need to
  prepare itself to service CLD populations. If
  development efforts are successful in offering
  more continuing education and clinical practicum
  opportunities in our profession, the prospects of
  meeting these needs will increase. As
  professionals, we must continue to

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Discussion, cont.

• Encourage training and collaboration of personnel
  in general fields such as allied and public
  health, medicine, education and vocational
  rehabilitation through local and international
  mentor programs and continuing education
  teleconferences (www.un.org, n.d.)
• Increase sociocultural and sociolinguistic
  content in undergraduate and graduate coursework,
  practicum and CEU workshops/conventions

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Discussion, cont.

• Advocate for the establishment of state licensure
  board regulated programs which provide the
  healthcare professional with opportunities to
  attend international conferences, teleconferences
  and international mentorship programs for CEU
  credit and
• Increase the number of and accessibility to
  affordable immersion and exchange programs.
  These programs will provide service professionals
  innovative methods to increase linguistic and
  cultural competencies as well as the opportunity
  to improve the services provided in less
  developed countries.

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Conclusion

• A working proficiency in the language and culture
  of the CLD populations we serve is requisite to
  effect long-term treatment outcomes. More
  importantly, understanding critical cultural
  differences will give healthcare professionals
  insight on how populations needs can be met.
• In order for a healthcare professional to meet
  the current challenges requisite to provide
  culturally and linguistically appropriate
  assessment and treatment to various racially and
  ethnically diverse clients, they must 1) learn
  more about their own culture and how it
  compares/contrasts to the culture with which
  services are being rendered

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Conclusion, cont.

• 2) Cultivate mentorships through electronic and
  written forms of communication with individuals
  who can serve as cultural informants, (people
  whom one can question their perceptions of a
  culture with one who is a native of that
  culture) and
• 3) attend continuing education events that will
  sharpen their professionals skills for the
  various issues that may arise while working with
  CLD populations.

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References

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