State Association Leadership Call Provides Information Exchange

Submitted by Teresa Johnson, NADSA Communications Director and Executive Director of NC Adult Day Services Association

The National Adult Day Services Association responded to member requests for more opportunities to network among state association leaders by scheduling a conference call for leaders in state associations (and states with no association). The call, held on Tuesday, February 17, was designed for call participants to interact and share ideas. About 25 people registered for the call and participated, representing 15 states.

Agenda topics and highlights of some of the input from call participants included:

Suggested Topics for Fall Conference

• Discuss reimbursements nationally. Allow for interaction, e.g., facilitated sharing such as round tables, and rotate between all topics, such as public funding, private funding, grants, etc.
• Repeat state association presidents' roundtable session. Liked strengthening state association session.
• Highlight effective partnerships that exist among adult day centers and other community resources
• Best Practices Nationally (would also like to see a system for sharing best practices throughout the year, e.g., website, listserv).
• Negotiating better rates with your state, realizing that additional follow-up on negotiating rates may be two-fold: how to advocate effectively AND how to do cost analysis with providers.

Structuring Membership in the National Association

• Some centers cannot afford the high dues associated with a system based on revenue/budget.
• One state is considering forming their own association to unite adult day providers, since they've lost a considerable percentage of providers over the years when affiliated with AAHSA affiliate; very interested in how to create association and provide benefits to their members.
• One state association is disbanding and affiliating with state AAHSA affiliate, since it will be more cost-effective and can provide more services to their members than operating their own state association.
• Some NADSA members spoke highly of benefits received through national membership. Encourage marketing to centers directly about the value and validate the costs to members instead of lowering the membership fee.
• The discounted rate through State Association Partnership proved the benefits of national membership that centers otherwise would not have pursued due to prohibitive cost. Once people join at a discounted rate, gradually increase rates, but still keep affordable.

Feedback about State Association Leadership Call

• Multiple requests to offer quarterly calls for state association leaders.
• Invite participants on call to email questions prior to the call, which would be answered on the call.

All of the input received during the call was forwarded to the NADSA Board and respective committees for consideration in their work plans. The conference committee included suggested topics in the Request for Proposals recently distributed for the Fall 2009 Conference to be held in Seattle, WA. Notes from the call were used by the Membership Committee for evaluating the current NADSA membership structure and options for discounted membership if members join their state association, and the state association joins NADSA. 

As a result of the positive feedback for future State Association Leadership calls, a second call is scheduled for Tuesday, May 19, 2009, at 10:00 Pacific/12:00 Central/ 1:00 Eastern.  To register for the call, visit the NADSA website.