Yesterday's Annual Membership Meeting

 At CMSA’s Annual Membership Meeting yesterday morning, National President Mary McLaughlin-Davis acknowledged the work of the 2017-2018 CMSA Board of Directors and welcomed the new 2018-2019 CMSA Board, including incoming president Jose Alejandro.

She also recognized all of CMSA’s past presidents, then took a moment to thank the volunteers who have contributed to CMSA’s success, including national committee or taskforce members; chapter presidents and past presidents; chapter board members; and chapter committee or taskforce members. Afterward, she honored the CMSA members who passed on since last year’s annual conference in a touching In Memoriam video presentation.

She recognized members of the military and the VA, as well as first-time attendees, of whom there were many in the crowd. She encouraged the first-timers to reach out and ask questions of their peers, seek out their chapter leaders and get involved.

She noted that this year’s charity is Sarah’s Circle, which helps women who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. CMSA Chicago president Eric Bergman introduced a video about the charity. Afterward, he said that having the national conference in Chicago had energized the entire chapter, which achieved a number of significant accomplishments this past year, including growing its membership by 30 percent since January.

Jose Alejandro, CMSA’s incoming president, presented a number of revisions to the bylaws proposed by the bylaws committee, then called for a vote on the revisions from the members in attendance. The changes were approved.

Kathy Fraser then took the stage to discuss CMSA’s Integrated Case Management, as well as the Integrated Case Management Training, which launched in 2018; the CMSA Standards of Professional Case Management Practice online course; the CMSA Opioid Use Disorder Case Management Guide; and comMIt: Comprehensive Motivational Interviewing Training for Health Care Professionals, an 8-hour online course, discounted for CMSA members, that centers on motivational interviewing. She also made note of CMSA’s collaborations with the Commission for Case Manager Certification and the American College of Physician Advisors.

Rebecca Perez then spoke about the CMSA Foundation and introduced a video message from Margaret "Peggy" Leonard. Leonard, who  announced that she is turning over the reins of the foundation to someone she said "could take us to the next level": new CMSA Foundation president Deborah Gutteridge, MS, CBIST. Gutteridge took the stage to discuss the ongoing work of the foundation.

A special drawing took place at the end of the meeting with four winners of American Express Gift Cards.