Articles from prior issues of The Advocate

November/December, 1999

Summary and Excerpts of Annual Committee Reports

Awards

Nominations were solicited and reviewed, from which national award winners were selected by the committee. Committee reviewed and recommended changes to the award criteria. It suggested the criteria be more specific as to the amount of involvement is required to be considered for national awards. Committee also felt that more emphasis should be made to follow the criteria when making nominations. The Earl B. Thomas should require only three years of DDS tenure, rather than five as is currently written into the national guidelines. The committee recommended an additional award be given for the “Rookie of the Year” for individuals with less than 2 years of NADE membership, regardless of there years of serice in a DDS and has made substantial contributions to the local, regional, and/or national levels of the Association. - Sharon Summers

Certification

A total of 59 members completed certification requirements this year. There has been a renewed interest this year in certification and there were more packets mailed out this year than in the past. Interest in certification for State Agency Medical Consultants (SAMCs) was explored and referred to another committee. - LaJuana Burgess

Constitution and Bylaws

Drafted the necessary Bylaws change to make the Hearing Officer Committee a standing committee as requested by the Board. Also recommended the deletion of the Program Committee as a standing committee since it served no function. Programs fro National conferences are developed by the host chapter. - Frank Giordano

Continuing Education

This committee will be surveying the NADE membership to obtain feedback on having Continuing Education requirements as part of ongoing NADE certification. - Anne Graham

DDS Administrator’s Liason

Provided updates and reports to the Administrators as requested. Sent letters of welcome to new administrators and farewell notes to those, who have retired or left DDS employment. There has been significant turnover in the ranks. -Karen Gunter

Elections/Credentials

Notified the membership at large of the voting rules via an article published in the Advocate. - Bruce Johnston

Legislative

“On January 25, 1999 the Chair of the Subcommittee on Human Resources, House Committee on Ways and Means, wrote requesting NADE’s comments on a draft bill designed to combat SSA fraud and abuse….Although the bill was relatively uncontroversial, it did contain a provision on CE oversight which was not only unclear but which, if enacted, would have had an enormous impact on DDS workloads. We were able to document this for the Subcommittee and that provision was deleted. (copies of all Congressional and NADE correspondence on this have been published in the ADVOCATE.)”

In March, a NADE delegation of Debi Gardiner, David Lovingood, and Martha Marshall met with the Staff Director of the House Subcommittee on Human Resources, Rep Jim McCrery’s Legislative Assistant, and the Chief counsel for the House Subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative law. Kim Hildred, Staff Director for the House Ways and Means, Subcommittee on Social Security, addressed the NADE Board at the mid-year board meeting. She afforded NADE the opportunity to discuss issues and legislative initiatives with the individuals responsible for drafting much of the legislation, which affects the disability program. In June Jeff Price, Terri Spurgeon and Martha Marshall were privileged to meet with SSA Commissioner Apfel and Principal Deputy Commissioner John Dyer. This visit to Washington also offered the opportunity to meet with staff members from other House subcommittees, not previously visited in March. The legislative committee assisted with NADE’s responses to NPRMs or other SSA initiatives and NADE’s Position Paper on the Five Month Waiting Period. “The Position Paper has received a very positive response from both our members and SSA Officials.” -Martha Marshall

Long Range Planning

No revisions were suggested this year to the LRP. The consensus of the committee is that consideration should be given to revising the LRP in the near future. Program and technological changes make fine tuning necessary. - David Lovingood Nominations

An article requesting nominations for 1999-2000 NADE officers appeared in the March/April NADE Advocate and candidate profiles were included in the May/June issue of the Advocate. Nominations received by the committee were: President-Elect Sue Heflin (Mississippi); Secrtary Shari Bratt (Nebraska); and Treasurer Lyle Larson (South Dakota). A “Meet the Candidates” program was held at the National Training Conference. - Donna Craig

Organ Donor/Transplant

Each year the membership is informed of Organ Donor Transplant Awareness month and is encouraged to become involved at the local level. Chapters can start thinking about a local campaign to get donor cards signed, speakers, etc. Tell your family your wishes and pass life on! - Maureen Halsey-Wright