President's Blog - June 2018

Dear SBSM Members,

It has been my honor to serve as your president. This is my last blog and I want to start by saying thank you. First, thank you to all of the SBSM members. We now have a membership base of nearly 300 members who are active in clinical services, education, and science. Thank you for making BSM a vibrant and growing field! Next, I want to thank the SBSM leaders, including the Board of Directors and all of the committees. Thank you for generously volunteering your time to promote key agenda items and to develop new programs that will enhance our membership and elevate our field.

This has been a very active year for the SBSM. This month, we are launching a new board certification that will provide recognition and standardization for those who deliver BSM clinical services. This is an important accomplishment, as it addresses the main priority of our society based on membership feedback and serves as a catalyst for other SBSM activities in accreditation, education, and regulation. In April, we approved the first accredited international BSM training program in Taiwan, directed by Dr. Chien-Ming Yang. This highlights the global impact of BSM and the role that the SBSM plays in the regulation and training of BSM practitioners around the world. I hope this will encourage our international colleagues to consider pursuing accreditation for their BSM training programs.  We have also formed a science advisory committee, chaired by Dr. Natasha Williams. This committee will help to elevate the science of BSM.  In addition, this committee will work with the education committee to plan the scientific sessions for the Fall conference in Alabama. Finally, we have developed a concept map that will provide guidance for SBSM leaders to formulate a strategic plan for the future.

I hope you will plan to attend the SBSM conference and Bootzin Reception on June 2 in Baltimore. It will be a great time to network with BSM colleagues, participate in the datablitz and poster session, and honor the SBSM reward recipients.  See you there!

With warm regards,
Jason Ong, Ph.D.
SBSM President

Jason Ong, Ph.D.
SBSM President