When the Congress of Chiropractic State Associations convenes this year, it will present a panel on the Mercy Guidelines. Panelist will include Attorney David Chapman-Smith; Scott Haldeman, D.C., M.D., Ph.D. (Mercy Conference chairman); Drs. Brad Hayes; Kurt Hegetschweiler; John Martin (immediate past president of COCSA); Rick McMichael (COCSA vice president); and Mercy Conference Secretary Donald Petersen.
The COCSA is an association of state association officers and staff members that has no political affiliation, providing state leaders the opportunity to meet and network with their peers to share and discuss significant issues facing their associations. A representative of each state association provides a written and oral presentation of its activities during the previous year.
The Mercy Guidelines represent a bold step in positioning the chiropractic profession for the 21st century, and it is essential that our doctors understand its impact. The panel members, all who participated in the development of the Mercy Guidelines, will provide state leaders with a first-hand review of the document, and the future of chiropractic guidelines' development.
State Roundtables
Perhaps the most popular portion of the convention are the state roundtable discussions where critical issues facing the profession are discussed in a forum to provide input from all states. Why "reinvent the wheel" if one state association can help another with a particular problem that it has already confronted? Adopting successful strategies employed by other associations, as highlighted during the roundtable presentations, can save other state associations thousands of dollars in implementation costs.
Legal Implications of Mercy Guidelines
The convention will feature a discussion led by Attorney Rob Sherman of the Ohio Chiropractic Association, newly appointed executive director of COCSA, and member of the National Association of Chiropractic Attorneys.
Executive Director and Staff Program
Executive Director Garrett Cuneo of the California Chiropractic Association will offer a unique presentation to all association staff members on Thursday the 12th. This special program features Robert Kaplan, a professional fund-raiser who will teach large and small associations "How Your Association Can Raise a Million Dollars." Mr. Cuneo will present a program on "Personnel Management in the 90's"; Rob Sherman will discuss "How to Teach Your Members to Run Successful Meetings." Doctors and staff are welcome to attend these special presentations.
The COCSA is one organization that can bring together those who are on the front lines of the state associations and provide them with a form for debate, problem solving, and sharing of members resources. Since the COCSA is not affiliated with any national chiropractic association, we meet in an environment that emphasizes enlightenment while not requiring alignment of the participants. The COCSA presently has 39 state associations within its membership.
This year's convention will be held at the Wyndham Hotel in Palm Springs.
For more information, on the Congress, please contact Attorney Rob Sherman at (614) 221-0200 or Robert Dark at (714) 845-1931.
Robert Dark, D.C.
COCSA President
San Bernardino, California
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