This is the only time of year when state association officers, executive directors, and administrators have a national forum to compare and relate their specific problems, successes, strategies, and endeavors with their counterparts from across the country.
The COCSA convention directs its energies to provide realistic and pragmatic solutions to state association problems. The convention will prepare your association to deal with:
- the positive and negative aspects of media coverage of chiropractic;
- the unpredictable ramifications of what developing standards of care will mean to the field doctor;
- administrative and policy issues unique to chiropractic.
Program of Events
Thursday, November 7thOn Thursday, one day before the general convention begins, a special afternoon working seminar exclusively for chiropractic state association executive directors and administrators will be chaired by Jim Martin, executive vice president of the Colorado Chiropractic Association. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet and mingle with their peers while learning new management techniques. There is no extra fee for staff attending this session.
Session topics will include: handling the media; dealing with volunteers; business planning for associations; financial issues; improving management skills; ethics; and printed communications.
A special session for the smaller state associations will follow, dealing with the unique demands and the more limited resources of such associations. This session will be co-chaired by Robert Davis, executive director of COCSA.
In the evening a COCSA board of directors meeting will be held.
Friday, November 8th
Friday is the opening of the general convention, with on-site registration. John Martin, D.C., COCSA president, will give the conference welcome and overview.
The general opening session will feature noted author and publisher David Chapman-Smith delivering the keynote address, "Rapid Advances in Proving the Health and Financial Efficiency of Chiropractic Treatment." He will explain how to use research findings to improve media relations, deal with state legislators, and the insurance and health care community.
In a session to follow, David Chapman-Smith will be the moderator of a panel discussion of invited experts on the development of chiropractic standards of care and quality assurance. Audience participation will be encouraged.
Another session, scheduled for the early afternoon, will feature round table discussions on a variety of topics: newsletter development; legislative and lobbying dynamics; securing non-dues revenue; increasing/retaining membership; how state associations can assist each other; successful meeting/conventions; and state managed care issues.
The late afternoon session will be a forum for oral reports from individual state associations. These presentations will be limited to 10-15 minutes. Each association is asked to focus on the three major problems/successes of their respective association.
Saturday, November 9th
"How to Handle Media Crisis -- Taking Chiropractic Out of Chaos and Taking the Chaos Out of Chiropractic," will be the subject of a presentation Saturday morning by Mr. Marc Jablon, the president of a prestigious New York public relations firm.
In the afternoon, Jim Martin, executive vice president of the Colorado Chiropractic Association will deliver an address: "Terror on the Tube: What Happens When T.V. Attacks."
Marc Jablon returns in an afternoon session to interact with the audience and to offer practical tips on dealing with bad press.
Saturday will conclude with the COCSA business meeting and election of officers.
Sunday, November 10th
The state reports that were not heard on Friday will be heard during this session.
A conference summary of events will follow, with a brief discussion of topics for the 1992 COCSA convention and the future direction of COCSA.
The convention adjourns at noon on Sunday.
For registration information contact:
Robert H. Davis
COCSA Executive Director
P.O. Box 7458
Alexandria, VA 22307-0458
(703) 360-2554
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