Strategic Objective (SO) 7: Enhance International Engagement

Objective Owner
Lily Waterston, MA, Director, International Programs (lwaterston@asha.org)

Outcome

ASHA is engaged internationally with service providers, educators, scientists, and other groups to proliferate research, and improve professional preparation and service delivery.

Highlights

Partnering with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Regional Office for the Americas of the World Health Organization (WHO): to strengthen knowledge and build capacity of professionals and organizations in selected countries.

In 2013: Honduras, El Salvador and Guyana.
In 2016: Paraguay.
In 2017: Belize.
In 2019: Ecuador.

PAHO approved ASHA's application to renew its official status as Non-State Actor (NSA) in 2018.

ASHA received a 2018 American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) Summit Award for its Country Capacity Building Initiative with PAHO/WHO.
Increasing the outreach and numbers of the International Affiliates (IAs): Increased to 553 IAs in 58 countries as of 12/31/18. Developing resources and regional strategies to better serve this audience improve exchanges and increase affiliation.
Collaborating with WHO and the International Communication Project (ICP) for public awareness campaigns: ASHA continues to advise WHO on its "Make Listening Safe" global campaign. For the third year in a row, an ASHA social media campaign is promoting World Hearing Day (March 3). ASHA continues to play a strategic role with ICP; publishing a quarterly e-newsletter and developing social media campaigns.
Partnering with international organizations for joint conferences in different regions of the world: ASHA partnered with the Brazilian Academy of Audiology and the Brazilian Association of Speech-Language Pathology and brought ASHA speakers to their annual conference on April 11-13, 2019 in Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil.
Participating in WHO and PAHO high-level meetings: ASHA, as NSA in official relations with PAHO, is invited as "observer" to these meetings.
ASHA is a founding member of the Global Rehabilitation Alliance.
Increasing publications from authors outside the U.S.: As of 12/31/18, there were 529 international authors. ASHA Journals Academy includes information on translation services and resources for non-English speakers.