Celebrate Allied Health Professions Week (AHPW)
November 5-11, 2006

MORE INFORMATION HERE!
Allied Health Professions Brochure
Allied Health Professions Poster
Choosing an Allied Health Profession Brochure
AHPW News Release
Health Care Practitioner True Story

Encouraging pride in our disciplines and promoting collaboration among all allied health professionals

As you begin to plan your AHPW celebrations, please remember that the magnitude of your intervention is not as important as the fact that you do SOMETHING, and the fact that you COLLABORATE with other allied health professionals while doing so. Pick a project and get started NOW!

Professional Organizations

•  Advertise the dates and a description of allied health professions in your publications.

•  Sponsor an organizational activity to celebrate Allied Health Professions Week.

•  Appoint a committee or chair to organize Allied Health Professions Week activities.

•  Devote funds for Allied Health Professions Week activities.

•  Distribute AHPW information to your membership and regional, state, and local chapters.

•  Recognize and reward those who initiated or supported outstanding contributions to AHPW.

Healthcare Facilities and Allied Health Education Programs

Recognize Staff and Students

•  Provide allied health professionals with ribbons or buttons to wear for the week to celebrate AHPW.

•  Designate an “Allied Health Professional” or “Allied Health Student” to be honored each day of AHPW.

•  Sponsor a luncheon to recognize honorees and invite allied health leaders/faculty from area institutions.

•  Invite a guest speaker to celebrate contributions of the allied health workforce to health care.

•  Host a breakfast with the CEO/President and a group of allied health staff to discuss allied health contributions and challenges in the institution.

•  Ask the CEO/Vice President(s) to visit allied health departments and express thanks to allied health staff.

•  Invite allied health staff to an appreciation reception with the institution's leaders and present attendees with a small gift (pen, mug, etc. with celebratory message on it.)

•  Arrange panel discussion for institution's allied health leaders to discuss current issues in each of their professions and invite all health care colleagues.

•  Organize a picnic, potluck dinner, softball game, etc. for allied health professionals during AHPW.

Increase Public Awareness

•  Distribute News Release to local media and request announcement of AHPW celebration.

•  Post Allied Health Professions posters throughout the institution.

•  Create a display in a prominent area of the facility for weekly recognition of allied health professions.

•  Display a banner announcing Allied Health Professions Week at the facility or cafeteria entrance.

•  Profile a variety of allied health professionals, educators, and students in the institution's newsletter.

•  Contact local newspaper well in advance with idea(s) for an article(s) about AHPW and/or about local citizens who fill prominent allied health positions in local health care institutions.

•  Make “table tents” for the cafeteria that highlight different allied health professions.

•  Set up a display table in a central location, staffed by allied health providers or educators, to distribute promotional literature, provide brief demonstrations, and highlight the various allied health professions.

•  Invite high school guidance counselors to a luncheon with allied health department leaders/educators to discuss career opportunities in allied health.

•  Invite a select group of local high school students to ‘shadow' allied health professionals for a few hours to gain firsthand experience and knowledge.