The 18th Annual Spring Conference is just around the corner! This year's conference is The Magical Faces of Case Management held at the Arlington Convention Center on March 22nd to 24th. Early bird registration is underway until March 1st. Conference brochures have been mailed out! If you have not received one please download it from the chapter's web site http://www.dfwcmsa.com/conference.htm.

The exciting schedule will dazzle you with topics such as Understanding How CMAP Can Reduce Unnecessary Admissions and Potentially Mitigate RAC Denials by Ferdinand Richards, III, MD, Status Determination for One-Day Stays in the RAC Era by Andrew Dombro, MD, System Induced Disability, by Phil Walls, R.Ph, Ethical RTW Dilemmas in Worker's Compensation, by Mary Zersen, MS, CRC, CDMS, Federal Health Care Reform Efforts, the list goes on with incredible and dynamic speakers on a variety of topics to entice, inveigle and allure. You also don't want to miss out on the incredible exhibit hall that will be packed with magic & illusions.

New this year, the Conference will offer pre- conference workshops in addition to the full day CCM Prep class. Save the date of March 22nd for these specialty workshops. The luncheon will have a guest speaker, Jeffery Stone, D.O., MPH, FCCWS.

We will also be having a Members Only Meeting on Tuesday March 23rd at 8 AM. All members are invited to hear the State of the Chapter, hear the platform for the New Year and meet the incoming board for next year's term. We encourage you to come and participate, dialogue with the board members so they can better serve your needs.

Need to conserve money, we have the answer. Calling all Volunteers here is a great opportunity to participate and pay less. The conference committee is currently looking for volunteers to help out with track hosting. Volunteers selected to participate will be given a 25% discount on the conference registration. If you wish to be considered for hosting, you must sign up by March 1st. Contact Julie Carroll at julie_carroll@bcbstx.com to obtain more information.

As a reminder to nurses and social workers, the DFW CMSA Chapter provides continuing educational offerings at the monthly dinner meetings, Fall Seminar and the Annual Spring Conference to meet the requirements of continuing education for certification and/or licensure in the state of Texas. Case Managers practice in a unique specialty role in the delivery of health care. Because of these unique roles, it is vitally important that every case manager maintain current knowledge and practice abilities through attendance at continuing education events.

The February 16th dinner meeting will be held at the Grapevine Convention Center and our topic is The Care Transitions Project presented by Jennifer Markley, RN, and BSN. For the last six years she has worked as a project director for TMF Health Quality Institute, the Quality Improvement Organization for Texas. TMF Health Quality Institute was awarded the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) contract for the Care Transitions project.
You still have a chance to win! Bring a guest and put your name in for the drawing. The drawing for a winner of a free Annual Conference registration will be made before the speaker starts. Attendees must make reservations to attend and reservations must be received by February 12th. Requests received after the deadline will be placed on a waiting list and charged a $3.00 late fee. Remember, CEU's will no longer be handed out, but emailed to attendees that provide a valid email address.

Election of new board members will be this month. Please respond to your ballot election. You have a voice in the chapter and we want to hear from you.

DFW CMSA will offer a new award this year, the Award of Service Excellence (AOSE). This award will be given to a practicing case manager who exemplifies the essence of case management: innovation, creativity, collaboration, and resourcefulness! This award recognizes an "in-the- trenches," grassroots case manager whose day-to- day case management practice has transformed the field and contributed to the greater good, not only for their clients but also for their community. Through this distinguished honor, DFW CMSA chapter desires to recognize the extraordinary importance one individual can make through outstanding initiative, inspiration to others, and significant contributions to improving the quality of practice. Nominations are open and we are looking for those persons you think would deserve this award. I know there is more than one case manager in every discipline of case management that could qualify. Please contact me for more information at sthrelk@gmail.com.

It is that time again to vote for the leaders of the DFW Chapter. The ballots will be posted soon on the internet. I am requesting that each and every one take the opportunity to participate in your democratic right and select the candidates for our chapter leadership. We have some very competent candidates and wish to extend my appreciation to each and every one for agreeing to commit to the DFW chapter. We are extending ample time for you to select leadership that you believe will benefit the future of DFW Chapter. Please be sure to cast your ballot when they appear on the website www.dfwcmsa.com.

Volunteer to be a room moderator at the upcoming 18th Annual Conference and receive 25% off your conference registration. Please contact Julie Carroll at julie_carroll@bcbstx.com or BK Kizziar BKANDASSOC@WORLDNET.ATT.NET if interested!

Horses for Heroes
There's nothing like the outside of a horse to make the inside of a man feel better., John Wayne.

There have been several articles in the local newspapers lately about the benefits of therapeutic riding and Hippotherapy for children with physical, developmental and emotional challenges. The benefits are this therapy are many. The metroplex has several stables that provide therapeutic riding programs. The North America Riding for the Handicapped Association (NARHA) believes that the benefit of therapeutic riding and hippotherapy are not limited to children. They have developed a riding therapy program specifically focused on adults. Most specifically on the returning veteran.

The obvious injuries to be expected from the current war are obvious; traumatic brain injury, amputations, burns, multiple trauma and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Often these veterans are left with life altering impairments. During the acute phase of their recovery they receive ongoing treatment in inpatient and outpatient facilities. Typically, a very clinical environment. But what about after the acute phase? What about dealing with the sequele of their impairment?

The Horses for Heroes program is intended to provide an alternative to clinical therapy while continuing to work on improving physical and cognitive deficits. Especially good for lower extremity amputees, the motion of the veterans pelvis while astride a horse is very much like that of ambulating. Balance is challenged. Improvement in muscle strength and tone, coordination and posture are seen. Cognitive impairments are improved through repetition, problem solving, motivation, attention and increased self-confidence. Veterans with PSD experience a inner serenity that increases coping ability and self reflection. The veterans in the Horses for Heroes programs are treated by professional physical, occupational and speech therapists, certified by NARHA as therapeutic riding therapists. Each is evaluated prior to entering the program with periodic re-assessment. Outcomes are measured at scheduled intervals.

The metroplex is very limited in the ability to offer this program to our veterans. One therapeutic riding stable that is starting a program is the Stajudhar Stables in Colleyville. And while the idea of implementing such a program is a noble one, it is also a costly one. A cost that most stables cannot meet on their own. Grants for these programs are only available after the program has been in existence for several months and has objective outcome data.

Your Chapter's Board of Directors has chosen to make the Horses for Heroes program a project for all of us. Your Chapter will donate $5,500 to establish the Horses for Heroes program at the Stajduhar Stables. Your Board will be actively involved in monitoring the implementation, ongoing data gathering and analyzing outcome results. An ongoing commitment that the Board believes will reap immeasurable return. This is the largest project in the history of your Chapter. And the Board believes that by giving back to the men and women who put themselves on the line day in and day out it will make your Chapter stronger and give our membership a common vision as we move into the future.

If you would like more information on the Horses for Heroes program and the Stajduhar Therapeutic Riding program or would like to consider volunteering your time for either program, please contact me bkandassoc@att.net.

The compact state RN license concern has been an ongoing issue for several years. As you are aware, CMSA National has been working diligently across the U.S. with the assistance of local chapter liaisons to facilitate the process of implementing the compact licensure bill in all states. The focus is to provide appropriate interstate managed care communication with clients in the direction of case management. It has been a major concern that nurses practicing interstate without proper licensure. Some advances have been made as discussed on our Task Force conference call this week. There were 33 attendees on the call from Alaska to Florida, California to New Hampshire demonstrating national interest. Illinois and Alaska have recently introduced bills to their legislature asking for compact state legislation. Minnesota, again, is working through the process with hopes of success this time around. Pennsylvania, Oklahoma, Florida and Washington are also in the process with legislation. Georgia and New Jersey are in the investigative stage. I believe this demonstrates the feasibility and interest of taking compact state licensure nation-wide. There is one managed care company investigating the legalities behind interstate case management and the employee has asked for documentation in relation to the interstate practice. I will bring this information to you as I receive updates. CMSA has successfully driven the importance on interstate licensure nation-wide. I believe we can be proud of our CMSA leadership driving this important issue and continue to assist in following through assisting each state.