HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT THE OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY PROFESSION DURING THE CURRENT ECONOMIC CRISIS

PRESENTATION OUTLINE  How is AOTA relevant to our OT practice?  How will AOTA play a role in the changing health care world of the 21 st century?  How can I contribute to the flourishing future of occupational therapy practice?

AOTA’S CENTENNIAL VISION STATEMENT By the year 2017… We envision that occupational therapy is a powerful, widely recognized, science-driven, and evidence-based profession with a globally connected and diverse workforce meeting society’s occupational needs.

HOW IS AOTA RELEVANT TO OUR OT PRACTICE?  Advocacy  Pushed back proposed Medicare reimbursement limits on outpatient OT care  Successfully amended The College Opportunity and Affordability Act to include occupational therapy in the student loan repayment program  Supported passage of the Paul Wellstone Mental Health Equity Act of 2008, to ensure equitable insurance coverage for mental health care

HOW IS AOTA RELEVANT TO OUR OT PRACTICE?  Advocacy (continued)  Successfully supported the Safety of Seniors Act, also known as the Keeping Seniors Safe from Falls Act of 2007  Successful opposition to eliminating the Medicaid Rehabilitation Services Option for community mental health centers  AOTA is a partner of the RtI (Response to Intervention) Action Network, a program of the National Center for Learning Disabilities

HOW IS AOTA RELEVANT TO OUR OT PRACTICE?  Public Awareness  Occupational therapy has been historically disempowered due to ambiguity of the public’s understanding of our services and our value  Therefore, we need to be widely recognized with a clear, compelling public image to promote widespread understanding of our value to society’s health & wellness.  AOTA unveiled its new brand for occupational therapy:

Living Life to Its Fullest

HOW IS AOTA RELEVANT TO OUR OT PRACTICE?  Public Awareness (continued)  AOTA committed to promoting OT through media outlets: The New York Times: OT and TBI Time magazine: OT and Sensory Processing Disorders USA Today: OT and the use of the Nintendo Wii U.S. News and World Report: OT on Best Careers list for 2007 & 2008

HOW IS AOTA RELEVANT TO OUR OT PRACTICE?  AOTA Practice Guidelines:  Adults with Stroke: External review completed  Children with Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders: External review in process  In process: Clinical Conditions related to Worker’s Compensation Adults with Alzheimer’s Disease Adults with Traumatic Brain Injury  AOTA published Occupational Therapy Practice Framework: Domain and Process, 2 nd edition to create a common language for OT’s to use and for policy makers and consumers to understand.

HOW IS AOTA RELEVANT TO OUR OT PRACTICE?  Partnerships with other organizations to secure our place in meeting society’s needs  AOTA’s Car-Fit project with AAA and AARP  AARP’s Home Fit Guide- AOTA included occupational therapy’ s role in environmental modification  National Highway Traffic Safety Administration awarded AOTA $150,000 to distribute mini-grants encouraging driving rehabilitation program development

HOW WILL AOTA PLAY A ROLE IN THE CHANGING HEALTH CARE WORLD OF THE 21 ST CENTURY?  The current economic crisis impacts:  State & federal budgets  Higher education  Hospitals  Long Term Care Facilities  School systems  Insurance Companies  Any other organizations where OT’s work  We need to invest in AOTA now as the strong voice of our profession to assure our future!

HOW WILL AOTA PLAY A ROLE IN THE CHANGING HEALTH CARE WORLD OF THE 21 ST CENTURY?  The economic crisis is likely to impact AOTA by:  Reducing conference registrations  Reducing advertising revenue  Reducing conference exhibitor revenue  Reducing AOTA stock portfolio revenue  Now more than ever, we need to support AOTA to continue critical lobbying, public awareness, and evidence-based practice initiatives to support and defend the profession.

HOW WILL AOTA PLAY A ROLE IN THE CHANGING HEALTH CARE WORLD OF THE 21 ST CENTURY?  As a new President and Congress come into power & health care reform takes center stage, it is vital that we support AOTA to…  Increase our lobbying efforts for continued consumer access to OT  Continue our public awareness campaign to help consumers and policy makers appreciate our value

HOW CAN I CONTRIBUTE TO THE FLOURISHING FUTURE OF OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY PRACTICE?  The best way to support AOTA’s efforts in protecting and expanding OT is: Membership!

HOW CAN I CONTRIBUTE TO THE FLOURISHING FUTURE OF OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY PRACTICE?  Membership is the key ANTIDOTE to the threats of the financial crisis.  Right now, there are 40,000 AOTA members out of 140,000 OT practitioners.  Most OT practitioners don’t know how AOTA supports and enables their practice. Image taken from

HOW CAN I CONTRIBUTE TO THE FLOURISHING FUTURE OF OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY PRACTICE?  What can YOU do now to bolster AOTA, as well as your own future?  Be a member  Spread the word & encourage others to join.

“The difference between what we do and what we are capable of doing would suffice to solve most of the world's problems.” Mohandas Gandhi

THANK YOU!!