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CCSA – HOW IT BEGAN

In September of 1984, a group of CS Professionals from Southern California met at St. Bernadine Medical Center, San Bernardino. The organizations represented included:
• The Inland Empire Chapter of ASHCSP
• IAHCSMM - Los Angeles Chapter
• Orange County CS Association
• San Diego Central Service Association

Those in attendance felt it was time for California to have its own organization because of the special need of California.

Over the next 12 months, members from these four organizations met monthly to plan out how this task would be accomplished. Job descriptions were written, By-Laws were discussed, minutes of all meetings were taken, and certification for the state of California was first discussed. Our first name for the organization was the California State Central Service Association (CSCSA). By November of 1985, we were ready for the next step – meet with Northern California.

On November 15, 1985, ten members of our team flew to San Francisco to meet a team from the North. We met at the San Francisco Hilton Hotel and presented our ideas. Fifteen CS Professionals from the North met with us. With a little reservation on their part and a lot of discussion on ours, the California Central Service Association was born. We then decided we needed to have a temporary Board of Directors appointed until we could have formal statewide elections. The following individuals were appointed:
• Chairman – Tom Cooper
• Secretary – Marilyn Conde
• Treasurer – Betty Anderson

The next topic was to work on the first statewide educational conference and vendor exhibit. A committee was formed and it was agreed to set up another meeting in Southern California in 2-3 months.

The next meeting was in Los Angeles during February of 1986. Plans for the first Education Conference were presented.
• Location – San Francisco Airport Hilton Hotel
• Dates – August
• Theme – “Together We Can”

At this conference the Board of Directors was established. The board consists of:
• President
• President-Elect
• Secretary
• Treasurer
• Region Directors, representing 10 specific areas of the state.

The conference was held and was a great success. Plans began immediately for the next conference, which would be held in Southern California. A committee was formed and the new Long Beach Marriott Airport Hotel was selected. The dates selected were in June of 1987. Three new venues were added to this program.
• The first certification exam
• The first Instructors Update
•The first golf tournament

It was also decided that the conference would be in the North in the odd years and the South in the even years. The 3rd Annual Conference was held in San Francisco. At this conference it was decided to make the offices a two-year commitment.
• The office of President would be a four year commitment
• President-Elect – one year

It was also decided to give the certification in the various regions with the Region Directors acting as the proctors. In 1989, the 4th Conference was held in San Diego, at the Holiday Inn on the Bay. The theme was “Sailing into the 90’s”, and concurrent sessions were offered as was the first hands on classes, handling orthopedic instruments. Education director was introduced, with one in the North (Sandra Macias) and one in the South (Joanne Watson).

The 5th Annual Conference was held in San Jose at the Red Lion Inn. By then we had grown so much, we had two offices, Northern office and Southern office. The year was 1990. Also, during this period, the Orange County CS Association and the San Diego CS Association dissolved and became part of CCSA.

Over the next ten years, CCSA continued to grow. The Treasurer was removed as an elected position and became a hired staff member. The Northern California office was closed ad all files were moved to the permanent office in Mentone. Willma Voss became our first Office Manager/Treasurer, our only paid position.

By 2001, the organization had grown to over 1,200 members, with 75% of the members being certified. We continued to upgrade our computer systems, but keeping all the certification records as well as other records, became overwhelming. After all the years being an independent organization, the Board decided it was time to become a part of a National Organization. Letters were sent to the International Association of Healthcare Material Management (IAHCSMM) and to The American Society for Healthcare Central Service Professionals (ASHCSP), inquiring about CCSA becoming a part of one of the national organization. That year, we held our first conference outside of California. We went to Las Vegas, and our members followed. At that conference, the President of IAHCSMM – Lyndell Dorrell, and the Secretary-Treasurer – Richard Schule, attended the Board meeting, to talk to use about joining IAHCSMM. The Board presented the idea to the members, and they all voted overwhelmingly to become part of IAHCSMM.

At the IAHCSMM Annual Conference in St. Louis, May of 2002, CCSA was accepted as an Affiliated Chapter. All Technicians who were certified with CCSA were grandfathered in as CRCST. And, because of the size of the chapter, nearly 1000 members, we were given to positions as chapter reps on the IAHCSMM Executive Board.

During this period, the Golden Gate Chapter of ASHCSP, decided to become a part of CCSA. This group represented the San Francisco area. Meetings started to be held with the Southern California IAHCSMM Chapter, to talk about merging with CCSA and becoming one IAHCSMM chapter.

As the years went on, we continued with successful annual conferences. In 2002, we began our traveling one day seminars. Each year, we would present a program, up and down the state, to provide education for all our members. We would do six one day seminars and the annual conference each year. We are still continuing to offer at least six one day seminars each year. Last year, we held a successful joint conference in the Modesto area with APIC and ARON. In 2008, Marilyn Conde became the first CCSA member to be elected to the IAHCSMM Executive Board, as Secretary-Treasurer.

CCSA – THE FUTURE

What is in the future for CCSA?


We are continuing with the one day seminars, and our annual conference. But, our biggest project to date, is working toward state mandated certification. This is a huge project; but we plan on being successful at his project as we have been on other ones. The theme of our very first conference was “Together We Can”. In the last 34 years, “Together We Did” and for the next 34 years, it will be “Together We Will Continue”. Continue to grow, bring mandatory certification to all CS Technicians in California, and continue to provide quality education and seminars to all technicians, throughout California.