Just wanted to give you
a brief update on the ABC code insurance acceptance issue on behalf of the RAA
Insurance Information Task Force.
A re-cap- Reflexologists were alerted to the ABC coding issue in late February
regarding the deadline for applications through Alternative Link for insurance
reimbursement.
Because of the
large response from us and other professions, the original cut-off deadline of
March 16 was extended to May 29th. This was due to the National Institute
of Health (NIH) being impressed and a bit surprised by the number of applicants
registered in such a short time frame.
Please let it be known that Reflexology
is currently one of the top supporting groups involved in this issue. Our
profession has one of the highest number of applicants thus far registered with
this study. Alternative Link was amazed at how many Reflexologists
responded through their website and to the ABC Code issue. They made it
clear that they were very impressed at how quickly our profession could spread
the word and create action.
Thanks to all of you
-state leaders, teachers, and members alike - for spreading the word and the
reports from RAA and for creating your own and taking decisive action. It
truly made an impression on Alternative Link and the NIH.
What's happening now?
Currently, the
registration process is closed now and Alternative Link is catching up with all
issues that were set on pause due to the large influx of work demanded at
application time. They are re-working their internal structure (databases
and so forth) and continuing the process with the NIH.
They are also
petitioning and negotiating with the NIH to have the registration deadlines
removed all together. They would like to see an open door policy here so
that practitioners can apply to the pilot program at any time. Basically
they are looking to rid this project of any limitations. The negotiations
with NIH continue to take place in an effort to set this program up the best
way possible for all involved.
This project is
the first of its kind according to Alternative Link and so the process is
taking a bit longer than first expected due to the fact that this is the first
large challenge of its type for the NIH.
Alternative
Link is working with the large volume of insurance companies and
interested providers to compile a list of practitioners (applicants) and
services available through this study. As they work closely with
the NIH -they will continue to update their website information.
They will be in contact with those that applied once a definitive program
procedure is set up.
They are also planning to act as liaison between practitioners and insurance
providers if help is needed. They will be available to answer our
questions and the questions of the providers in an effort to make the program
run as smooth as possible for all.
While there is
no decisive next step at this moment, one will be coming soon. If you
applied with the program then you will get your updates directly from
Alternative Link. For those that did not apply -the RAA Information Task
Force will post a general update at such time as action demands.
If you have
questions regarding this matter, please contact the raainfo@reflexology-usa.org
or go to
www.reflexology-usa.org and sign on to the
new forums page. Here you can ask questions directly to the Insurance
Information Task Force (this feature is due to be set up in mid-June). If
you haven't checked out the RAA website in
Thanks
for your ear here and thanks for
Sincerely, Laura Aho - RAA President on behalf of the
RAA Insurance Information Task Force
Kristen
Erico Fund
The Kristen erico Fund was initiated and named after one of our members
who died of breast cancer in 1994.
Her family donated some money to MCR and all of Kristen’s Reflexology
tools and equipment, which we auctioned off among our members. Voila! The K.E. Fund was born.
The fund is used to make interest-free
loans to MCR members so they may participate in workshops and conferences for
which they have no immediate funding.
·
Requirements
to apply for the loan:
O You must be a certified
Reflexologist and an MCR member in good standing
O The Loan may be used for
§
Workshops
§
Conference
fees, not to exceed $250.003
To apply for the loan:
Request the dollar amount in writing to
the president or treasurer, indicating what the money is to be sued for and
name and address of Payee
This
will be your contract.
The president and treasurer of MCR will sign your contract and send you a
copy.
The
check will be made payable to the Payee.
Pay-back minimum standards:
Start
repayments of the loan within one month of distribution of funds
Full
loan amount has to be repaid within six months, so the funds will be
Available
again for the next workshops or conferences.
Minutes of
meeting - Saturday, June 7, 2003
The meeting was called to order at 9:30 at Hoyt
Chiropractic Center in Winthrop.
The following members were present: Aloisia Pollock Magdalena Winkler,
Connie Hubley, Susan Miller, Alina Blakesley, Sylvia Young, Janet Stetser,
Evangeline Sparks, Emily Gamache, Lynn Marie Danforth, Barb Mangin, Judith
Gulliver, Susan Pelletier, Micheal
MacDonald and Alison Gingras.
SECRETARY'S REPORT - Alison Gingras
The
secretary's report was accepted as written.
Alison
will be sending the minutes through e-mail to those who have provided e-mail
addresses. We will also publish
the minutes on our website.
Members
are reminded that press releases are an excellent, free way to advertise. Wendy will create a press release for
members to use before the next meeting.
It will be included with the meeting notice. Two websites with information on press releases are
www.Reflexology-usa.org and www.press-release-writing.com.
TREASURER'S REPORT - Alison Gingras (for Myra Achorn)
MCR 1,249.99
Kristen Erico Fund 1,227.17
Loans 253.32
Total 2,730.48
The
treasurer's report was accepted as presented.
CORRESPONDENCE - Susan Pelletier
Susan
agreed to become our Correspondence Secretary. She is also responsible for checking the MCR mailbox in
Augusta. Susan's telephone number
will be listed on the website and brochure as the contact person for MCR.
Barbara
Mangin agreed to take the job of periodically checking the websites (ICR,
ACARET, RAA, and MCR) for new information and errors.
NEWSLETTER - Aloisia
Janet
Stetser agreed to take responsibility for the next newsletter. Connie Hubley will take over after
that.
The
following are members of the newsletter committee: Amy Watson, Janet Stetser,
Magdalena Winkler, Connie Hubley,
and Aloisia Pollock.
Aloisia
stated that testimonials submitted to be published in the newsletter should be
from the viewpoint of the practitioner rather than from the client.
Judy
Gulliver agreed to check on new books, etc... That might be of interest to
members. This information will be
passed on to the newsletter committee.
BOARD POSITIONS
Elections
for Recording Secretary and Treasurer will be held at the February 2004
meeting. Alison is unable to run
for re-election as Recording Secretary because she has served two terms. Myra can serve an additional term as
Treasurer. Nominations will be
accepted at the September meeting.
Anyone wishing to serve can contact Alison (622-1781) or Aloisia
(549-3077).
COMMITTEES
Wendy
has been working on member lists for MCR's committees. E-mail or call her (443-2572) if you
wish to have a copy.
Aloisia
asked if the group thought we needed a Research Committee.
PROGRAM CHAIR - Susan Miller
Susan
is working on arrangements for the next MCR workshop. Lillian Morton will be the presenter and the subject is
Meridian Theory and the 5 Elements.
Tentative dates are December 6&7, 2003. Cost of the workshop will be around $125.00.
Susan is looking into booking Sandi Rogers for the
following workshop. This workshop
will be either Fall 2004 or Spring 2005 and the subject is “ Reflexognosy.”
There was much discussion about whether MCR should
refund workshop participants when the cost of the workshop is less than what we
take in for registration fees.
Aloisia pointed out that the two reasons for MCR sponsoring workshops
were
1) To
provide continuing education for our members,
2) To
make money for MCR.
Janet
raised the question, "Are we a professional organization?" She maintained that professional
organizations charge a set fee for workshops and do not provide refunds. If a workshop ends up costing the
organization more than anticipated, they do not take up a collection from
participants to cover the cost.
The organization assumes the cost and accepts the loss.
Janet
moved that the "overreach" on workshops be given to the MCR, to be
divided as decided at a later date.
The motion was seconded by Barb Mangin. The motion passed (11-2).
The
idea of establishing a Workshop Fund was briefly discussed with no decision
being made.
September's
program will be a round table discussion and the topic will be "Strategic Planning." Alina Blakesley will lead the discussion.
Alina
asked members to think about the following 3 Questions:
1.
How would you
envision MCR in 5 years time? What
would it look like to you?
2. How
do you envision your practice growing?
If you could be the best reflexologist you could be, what would your
practice look like?
3. As a profession, what do you envision for
reflexology in the future?
These
questions will also be posted on the web site.
Aloisia
stated that she would like to see at least one meeting a year dedicated to
round table discussion, specifically about MCR as a group and where we are
headed.
COMMON GROUND FAIR - Alison Gingras
The
Common Ground Fair will be held the weekend of Sept. 19 through 21. Alison circulated a sign-up sheet for
volunteers to staff the MCR booth.
Anyone wishing to volunteer should call Alison (622-1781).
Barbara
Mangin, Emily Gamache and Mac MacDonald will be volunteering their time at Camp
Ray of Sunshine in Winthrop (9/20-9/21).
This is a retreat for people who have been affected by cancer and their
families. Call Barbara if you are
interested (377-6804).
BROCHURES - Magdalena Winkler
There
was discussion about the purpose of the brochure. Aloisia pointed out that we have two target audiences, 1)
the public or average person and 2) possible new members for MCR.
Magdalena
presented a new modified brochure and passed out copies for feedback from the
group. The member list in the
brochure has been broken down into regions within the state. Magdalena asked that members bring new
ideas for the brochure to the next meeting.
Janet
mentioned that it would be a good idea to get a digital copy of the brochure to
Alina so that she could use the info on the website.
Acknowledging
the work done by past contributors, Sylvia made the motion that Magdalena be
given the authority to make the final decisions on the current brochure. The motion was seconded by Janet and
passed unanimously.
The
deadline for the brochure is July 15th, with the printing being done by
September 1st.
ADVERTISING
Any
members interested in advertising as part of a small group in the Alternative
Health Guide should contact Alina (633-1125). The cost is $300.00 for 1/4 page for one year. This cost would be shared by the
participants. For example, a group
of four would pay $75.00 each. The
deadline is September 30, 2003.
The
Senior Expo is going to be held on the same day as the September meeting. It will be held at the Civic
Center. The cost of a booth is
$350.00. Janet has brochures for
those who are interested.
Mac
MacDonald, Judy Gulliver, and June Atherton took part in a Community Radio
Fair. Mac reported that it was
very good for business.
INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL OF
REFLEXOLOGISTS
ICR has a new address. It is: International Council of Reflexologists, PO Box
78060, Westcliffe Postal Outlet, Ontario, L9C 7N5, Canada.
The
Next ICR meeting, "Soles in the Sun,” will be held in Montego Bay, Jamaica
in the Fall of 2003. Janet and
Emily are planning to attend.
REFLEXOLOGY
ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA MEETING
Aloisia
Pollock, Janet Stetser, and Alison Gingras attended the RAA conference in
Chicago on March 1st and 2nd. The
topics included leadership training - presented by Bill Flocco, CAM report, and
ABC insurance billing codes - presented by Christine Issel and Laura Aho.
Following
the conference, MCR made a concerted effort to contact members in writing and
by phone, encouraging them to register with Alternative Link. Members who registered will have the
opportunity to participate in studies which will be conducted by the Department
of Health and Human Services regarding the effectiveness of alternative and
complementary therapies.
Alternative
Link has reported a huge response from reflexologists nationwide. The deadline for registration was
extended to May 29th.
Members
asked that more information be made available to members by posting on our web
site. It could also be discussed
at the roundtable discussion at the September meeting.
Aloisia
noted that RAA wants to expand it's membership base in order to be effective at
a national level.
Janet
explained that when RAA was first started, there was discussion about a set
membership fee which would include membership at both the state and national
level. Using this model, a
reflexologist would join the "profession" and have representation on
both the local and national levels.
The
next RAA meeting is "Building Bridges" and will be held on Mother's
Day weekend 2004, in Nashville, Tennessee.
ACARET - Janet Stetser
Janet
informed the group that she has resigned from ACARET effective November 2002.
Aloisia
brought up the fact that massage therapists must be certified in both First Aid
and CPR. Susan Pelletier mentioned
that the American Red Cross offers classes on a monthly basis.
LIBRARY - Connie Hubley
In
the past, MCR has donated books to the Maine State Library. In order for the books to remain in
circulation, they must be signed out.
Members who live or work in the Augusta Area are asked to occasionally
sign out the Reflexology books.
Members
have donated books to their local libraries as well. This is a good way to educate the public about Reflexology.
LIABILITY INSURANCE
IMA
liability insurance was discussed.
The cost is $149.00 per year.
CLOSING
The
meeting was followed by a presentation by Sylvia Young on Ethics.
Our
next meeting will be held on September 27, 2003 at Hoyt Chiropractic Center in
Winthrop. Alina Blakesley will
lead a roundtable discussion. The
topic will be "Looking at the Possibilities of our Future."
Future meeting dates are:
February 7, 2004, June 5, 2004, and September 25, 2004. Call or e-mail Susan Miller with
program ideas.
MCR SPOTLIGHT
The purpose of the MCR Spotlight is
to learn more about the members within our organization and to share our
experiences, feelings and inspirations concerning Reflexology. This interview is with Alison Gingras, the recording secretary of the
Maine Council of Reflexologists.
Alison Gingras has been a member of the Maine Council of Reflexologists
since 1996. She studied reflexology under Janet Stetser, in Alna, Maine. Alison became interested in reflexology
after attending a reflexology discussion presented by Myra Achorn, at a
bookstore in Augusta. At the time,
Alison was working full time as a forensic chemist at the Maine State Police
Crime Lab in Augusta.
Alison discovered reflexology at a time in her life when she was working
through a personal illness. She
was searching for holistic ways to help herself and reflexology gave her an
avenue for this. She expressed
that her illness made her look at the things that were really important in her
life. Reflexology not only
empowered Alison on her path to wellness, but it also gave her the courage to
leave her stressful job and pursue a quality of life that she desired for herself
and family.
Besides reflexology, Alison is involved in crystal healing and
Reiki. She also has an active
interest in flower essence therapy and vibrational healing and color and sound. She presently serves as Recording
Secretary to the Maine Council of Reflexologists and on the Legislative
Committee. She helps Chrissy Ravelli-Studer coordinates the Common Ground Fair booth
for MCR. Her private practice is
now centered around working on family and personal friends. Aside from being a Reflexologist,
Alison, is involved in providing academic tutoring to students within the
Augusta School District.
MCR is important to Alison because it promotes networking with other
Maine Reflexologists in the field.
She also
supports and believes in the importance of the continuing education programs
provided by MCR. It is also a fun
way to share ideas and get to know your colleagues in the field of Reflexology.
In the future, Alison would like to see MCR become more active with RAA (Reflexology Assoc. Of America). She
believes that an affiliation with RAA unites Professional Reflexologists on a
National level, which is important for the growth and credibility of our
modality. Alison would like to see
MCR evolve by developing a common vision for the future of our organization and
by keeping our members active and involved on all levels.
The best advice Alison has for new members of MCR is to
encourage them to “Get involved!”
This way you will get more out of it and feel connected to other fellow
Reflexologists. The most inspiring
part of being a reflexologist, to Alison, comes when you work with someone over
a period of time and are able to support and witness a person as she/he is
improving and becoming well again.
This is a true honor to Alison.
PROPOSAL FOR STRATEGIC PLANNING FOR MCR
BENFITS OF STRATEGIC PLANNING
Strategic planning serves a variety of purposes in organization,
including to:
Bring together everyone’s best ideas and building consensus about where
our organization is going
- Clearly define the
purpose of the MCR and establish realistic goals and objectives consistent
with that mission.
- Communicate those
goals and objectives to MCR members.
- Ensure the most
effective use is made of the organization’s resources by focusing the
resources on the key priorities.
- Provide a base from
which progress can be measured and establish a mechanism for informed
change when needed.
WHEN SHOULD STRATEGIC PLANNING BE DONE?
- Strategic planning should be done when an organization is just
getting started
- Strategic planning should also be done in preparation for a new
major venture. Strategic planning should be conducted at least once a year in order
to be ready for the coming fiscal year
- Each year, action plans should be updated.
- Note that, during implementation of the plan, the progress of the
implementation should be reviewed.
WHO SHOULD B E INVOLVED IN PLANNING?
Establish
clear guidelines for membership, for example, those directly involved in
planning those who will provide key information to the process, those who will
review the plan document, and those who will authorize the documents. Etc.
NEED CONSULTANT OR FACILIATATOR TO HELP WITH
PLANNING?
- Your organization has not conducted strategic planning before.
- Leaders want an objective voice, i.e. someone who is not likely to
have strong predisposition about the organization’s strategic issues and
ideas.
HOW MANY PLANNING MEETING WILL WE NEED?
- Planning starts with a half-day or all-day retreat.
- Follow up meeting focuses on finalizing strategies.
- Ideas
generated via email, snail mail.
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Sylvia Young presented a very useful and
thoughtful program on conscious listening.
It was information that we can use
everyday in
our practices.
It was decided that rather than have a
full
blown program, we would incorporate small exercises of this sort into
our regular meetings.
This would allow all attending members
to benefit from
Sylvia’s knowledge and expertise, while each of us can improve on our background and ability as Professional Reflexologist.
Thank you Sylvia for all your work.
It certainly reminded us to keep being
aware at all times.
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ATTENTION:
Late information:
Article 14 – Proposed Changes to the
By-laws
3.
Secretary-The Secretary shall record the proceedings of the General Council
meeting. The Secretary shall send
out reminder information two/three weeks prior to each General Council meeting,
to each MCR member.
- Corresponding
Secretary- the Corresponding Secretary shall answer all MCR
correspondence.
- Treasurer
The bylaws committee is
suggesting that the two secretary positions be separated out. That they be listed as #3 and #4.
By-laws committee, Susan
Miller and Wendy Decker
“Dance Like There is No One Watching”
Author
Unknown
We convince
ourselves that life will be better after we get married,
Enough and we’ll be
more content when they are. After
that, we’re
Frustrated that we have teenagers to deal with. We will certainly be happy when they
Are out of that
stage. We tell ourselves that our
life will be complete when
Our spouse gets his other act together, when we get a nice car, are
Able to go on a
nice vacation, when we retire. The
truth is, there’s no better
Time to be happy than Right Now. If not now, when?
Your life will
always be filled with challenges.
It’s best to admit
This to yourself and decide to be happy anyway. One of my favorite quotes
Comes from Alfred
D. Souza. He said, “For a long
time it had seemed to me
That life was about to begin ----REAL LIFE. But there was always some
Obstacle in the
way, something to b be gotten through first, some unfinished
Business, time still to be served, or a debt to be paid. Then life would
Begin. At last it dawned on me that these
obstacles were my life.”
This perspective has helped me to see that there is no way to
Happiness.
Happiness is the way. So, treasure
every moment that you have and
Treasure it more because you shared it with someone special,
special enough
To spend your time
. . . . And remember that time
waits for no one.
So stop waiting until you finish school, until you go back to
School, until you
loose tem pounds, until you gain ten pounds, until you have kids
Until your kids leave the house, until you start work, until you
retire
Until you get
married, until you get divorced, until Friday night, until
Sunday morning, until you get a new car or home, until your car or
home is
Paid off, until
spring, until summer, until fall until winter, until you
Are off welfare, until the first or fifteenth, until your song
comes on,
Until you’ve had a
drink, until you’ve sobered up, until you die, until
You are born again to
decide that there is no better time than right now to
Be Happy.
Thought for the day: Work like you don’t need money, Love
like you’ve never been hurt And dance like no one’s watching Happiness is a
journey, not a destination.
.An Inspirational Thought submitted by Wendy Decker
The President’s Letter: Dear