The FCLB augmented its 53 membership by welcoming three new international members: New South Wales and Victoria (Australia), and the Canadian province of Nova Scotia.
The keynote speaker was Roger Firestien, PhD, an associate professor at the Center for Studies in Creativity (State University of New York College, Buffalo), who presents programs in creative problem solving. Other speakers taking the dais included:
- Vernon Alleyne, vice chairman and consumer member of the New York State Board for Chiropractic, who presented the board's newest resource, A Consumer Guide to Chiropractic in New York State, of which he was the primary author. He also gave a presentation of the minority access program in New York for clinicians and patients.
- James McDonald, DC, vice president of institutional development at Northwestern College of Chiropractic, offering the 6th annual Joseph Janse lecture, "Calculating the Value of Education."
- Four representatives from Australia's regulatory community: Bruce Walker, DC, Michael Walsh, Edwin Devereaux, DC, and Professor Andries Kleyhans discussed the similarities and differences between Australian and US chiropractic regulation.
- CCE Board members Drs. William Dallas, Meredith Bakke, and Randolph Harding presented attendees with the CCE's accreditation process from a licensing viewpoint.
- Shaun Callahan, vice president of marketing for ChiroServe and Patte Kent, executive director of the Texas Board of Chiropractic Examiners, spoke on exploring communications technology solutions for regulatory agencies
- Larry Spicer, DC, executive director of the Minnesota Board of Chiropractic Examiners, warned board members about how doctors' conduct can slide into sexual misconduct, and what the appropriate board responses could be.
- Victor Harris, PhD, executive director of the Colorado Health Professions Panel, represented the Pew Commission's new model of health regulatory boards, with an alternative view presented by Jennifer Bosma, RN, executive director of the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, and David Brown, DC, FCLB appointee to the Pew Response Coalition.
Resolutions
Six resolutions were passed by the FCLB membership at the annual business meeting, held in conjunction with the conference:
- urge the state boards to use the "Uniform Continuing Education" application to streamline continuing education providers' application for board recognition of programs;
- oppose weekend teaching of chiropractic to non-chiropractors (especially in overseas programs), and urging boards to act within their legal authority to sanction licensees who participate in such programs;
- modify the FCLB bylaws to make the Professional Standards Committee a standing committee, rather than a special committee;
- urge boards to accept the "Certification of Pre-Chiropractic and Chiropractic Education" form developed by the college registrars for part of the application requirements for licensure;
- urge boards to carefully review the pre-chiropractic educational backgrounds of applicants for licensure until such time as candidates who may not meet CCE standard admissions requirements are so noted by the colleges; and
- establish general guidelines for licensing Australian chiropractic graduates in US jurisdictions, including recognition of the Joint Education Committee's accreditation (the accreditation authority under parliament for Australian chiropractic programs after 1994).
Elections
The results of the FCLB elections:
Robert Vaughn, DC (North Carolina) and Lawrence Gerstein, DC (Missouri) were both re-elected, as president and vice president, respectively. Both will be serving their last terms this year.
David Brown, DC (Virginia), was elected to his first full two-year term as treasurer.
Peter Ferguson, DC (Ohio), district II director, was re-elected as chairman of the executive board of directors.
Retiring district I director, Tony Lammers, DC (South Dakota) was recognized for his six years of service to regulation, and his successor George Phillips, DC (Wyoming) was seated.
Directors who will continue on the board include: DCs Carroll Winkler (North Dakota), immediate past president; Vernon Temple (Vermont), district III director; Kenneth Cherry (Oklahoma), district IV director; and Jan Harbour (West Virginia), district V director.
Special Recognition and Awards
Recognition for outstanding service to licensure was given to the Minnesota State Board of Chiropractic Examiners. The George Arvidson Award, the Federation's highest individual honor, was presented to co-recipients Paul Tullio, DC (Illinois) and Frank Hideg Jr., DC (Kentucky) for their vision and leadership in chiropractic regulation.
Goals and Next Year's Conference
FCLB's primary goals for 1996-97, according to FCLB president, Dr. Robert Vaughn, will be to focus on expanding the CIN-BAD program (a "disciplinary databank") to include other reference databases, and to provide support for the NBCE's Part IV practical exam.
Next year's FCLB conference is scheduled for May 25-June 1, at the Breakers Hotel in Palm Beach, Florida.
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