Capitol Hill visit 2018 Diane Collins
Diane Collins (American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Speech Language Pathology Advisory Council member and CSUF COMD Adjunct Faculty) and Michelle D'Mello (National Student Speech language Hearing Association (NSSLHA) Vice President of Government Relations and Public Policy and CSUF COMD Graduate Student) participated in ASHA's Capitol Hill visits in Washington, D.C. on March 13, 2018. Ms. Collins and Ms. D'Mello were joined by other California ASHA members, Dr. John F. King (ASHA Audiology Advisory Council member), Dr. Sonja Pruitt-Lord (ASHA National NSSLHA Advisor) and Dr. Arlene Carney (ASHA Vice President for Standards and Ethics in Audiology). The team spoke with legislative staff from the offices of Senator Dianne Feinstein, Senator Kamala Harris, Congressman Mark DeSaulnier, and Congressman Scott Peters, regarding issues of concern to speech-language pathologists, audiologists, and their consumers.
The four main topics discussed during the Capitol Hill visits were:
- Do not support the Higher Education Act as it is currently written
- Support the provision of comprehensive audiology services under Medicare
- Support legislation to expand Medicare coverage of telehealth services
- Support funding for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
