President's Blog - JUly 2017

Dear SBSM Members,

I am thrilled to be writing my first President’s Blog! This is an exciting and energetic time for the society. Under the leadership of Dr. Mike Schmitz, we have made great strides in revitalizing the BSM Certification and increasing educational programs. Our reception at SLEEP 2017 was a huge success with over 100 attendees, engaging programs by the education and membership committees, and some of the best food ever! I want to build on the momentum that Dr. Schmitz has created for the society. Over the next year, I will be working with the SBSM leadership on three key initiatives:

The first initiative is to establish our identity and presence. I would like to develop a concept map for BSM, which is a graphical tool used to organize and structure all things related to BSM. This includes papers, grants, training programs, and clinical services that fall under the umbrella of BSM. The concept map will provide a valuable tool that can be used by the SBSM and its members for strategic planning, communicating to the public, or as a reference for research projects. I will provide more details about this project and how members can contribute in the weeks ahead.

The second initiative is to build relationships with other societies and organizations. I believe the SBSM should be a leader in training, promoting, and disseminating CBT-I and other behavioral sleep services. I will seek out opportunities to make our presence felt in the public and look for ways to work with other professional and patient organizations who can serve as partners in carrying out this mission.

The third initiative is to increase revenue and resources so that we can fund more projects. I will be working with the Board of Directors to evaluate our needs and resources in order to devise a financial plan that can support more strategic activities. This will likely be a multi-year process but I want to take the first steps during this coming year so that the SBSM can be in position to grow and serve its members more effectively. In addition to these initiatives, we will continue to work on developing and implementing the BSM Certification.

I am pleased that Dr. Schmitz has agreed to remain actively involved with the process and I am confident that his continued leadership will lead to the availability of the new BSM Certification soon. We are part of a growing society that is ready to make an impact. As your president, my goal is to make the SBSM more relevant, more valued, and more fun! I will keep you informed of our progress on these initiatives through these monthly blogs and other communications. I look forward to serving you this coming year.

With warm regards,

Jason Ong, Ph.D.
SBSM President