Speaker Message #8: Council on Future Practice

Speaker Message #8: Council on Future Practice

Date: August 21, 2008
Message Priority: High
To:

House of Delegates

HOD Core Function: Governance (Process for Governing the Profession)
From: Marsha Schofield, MS, RD, LD, Speaker
Subject: Speaker Message #8: Establishment of the Council on Future Practice

What Do You Need to Know? The process is starting to establish the Council on Future Practice. We are soliciting names of potential candidates to serve on this organizational unit.

What Do You Need to Do? Share this information with your members and request them to submit names of potential candidates for appointment to the Council on Future Practice.

When Do You Need to Complete It? Names of potential nominees for the Council are due by Tuesday, September 9, 2008.

Background

  • The HOD conducted a dialogue session during the Spring 2008 Meeting on the Phase 2 Future Practice & Education Task Force Final Report and Recommendations, which resulted in the HOD approving motion #1 (which included recommendations #1, #9, #10 and #11) on May 30, 2008.
  • HLT addressed recommendation #1 that requested the establishment of a formalized unit within the HOD to address a visioning process to identify future practice roles and to oversee the implementation/evaluation of the Task Force recommendations.
  • The HOD Leadership team addressed this recommendation during its July retreat and August 6 conference call. As a result of these discussions, the HLT established the new ADA organization unit, Council on Future Practice, to respond to recommendation #1.
  • This Council will work in collaboration with the Commission on Dietetic Registration and Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education to project the future practice needs for the profession of dietetics. Each of these organizational units (future practice, credentialing and accreditation) represent the three critical segments necessary for producing new practitioners, as well as assisting experienced practitioners to move up the career ladder.

Charge to the Council on Future Practice

  • Collaborate with CADE, CDR, DPGs and other organizational units as needed to address issues related to future practice, practitioner credentials and accreditation of educational programs.
  • Establish and formalize an ongoing environmental scanning for the profession and a visioning process to identify/define future practice roles, with focus on specialty and advanced practice, and the broad knowledge and skills needed for these roles.
  • Identify and monitor emerging practice roles, opportunities, and related formal and informal educational needs on an ongoing basis with a focus on the career ladder for the profession.
  • Initiate studies to:
    • Refine the distinction between specialty and advanced practice
    • Define and recognize advanced practice.
  • Identify future specialty practice opportunities and forward to CDR to meet emerging practitioner needs to respond to an evolving marketplace.
  • Coordinate with CADE, CDR, DPGs and other organizational units the implementation and evaluation of the Phase 2 Future Practice & Education Task Force recommendations and provide a yearly progress report to the House of Delegates.
  • Monitor the intended and unintended consequences of implementing the Task Force recommendations.

Composition of the Council on Future Practice

  • The new organizational unit will be comprised of nine (9) ADA members who will represent the practice, credentialing and education communities.
    • One member from the HOD Leadership Team will be appointed by the Speaker to serve as the communication link to the House of Delegates and Board of Directors.
    • One member from the Commission on Dietetic Registration will be appointed by CDR.
    • CADE will appoint one member from the Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education.
    • And, a fourth member will be appointed by the Speaker to represent young members in practice for 5-10 years.
    • The remaining five (5) members will be appointed by the Speaker in consultation with the HOD Leadership Team.
  • The individuals appointed will have the following characteristics:
    1. demonstrated leadership experience;
    2. in-depth knowledge of the profession including broad experiences in dietetics practice, research and education;
    3. knowledge of specialty and advanced-practice within and outside of the profession;
    4. knowledge of the current job market;
    5. strong communication and collaboration skills;
    6. futuristic thinking skills;
    7. awareness of members’ perspectives;
    8. past or present member of the House of Delegates; and,
    9. memberships in DPGs.
  • These appointments will range from one (1)-year to three (3)-year terms and will be staggered to ensure continuity.

Call for Nominations

  • Delegates and members are encouraged to submit the names of potential candidates for the Council on Future Practice at this time.
  • Please submit the names of potential candidates by Tuesday, September 9, 2008 to the HOD mailbox (hod@eatright.org).
  • Each candidate will be contacted to supply background information to submit for use in making the final selections.
  • We anticipate announcing the names of the appointed Council members in mid October 2008.

For More Information or Assistance

Contact Marsha Schofield at mschofield@schd.org or 330/926-5661 or Harold Holler at hholler@eatright.org or 800/877-1600, ext. 4896.