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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?
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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 21st 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, 2nd 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 21ST 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 21ST 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 21ST 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! Membership! 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 http://www.lumaxart.com
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