Board of Directors Priorities 2010-2011
The profession is powerful
- Actively recruit members into the COOL data base (current leaders; PDs; conference presenters; certification panels etc) to assure an inclusive and diverse leadership pool
- The COOL leadership database is created and has over 500 entries by 2012; potential leaders utilize OT Connections as a way of identifying themselves and their interests
- Emerging leaders program continues and adds advocacy training
- 75 - 100 new practitioners have gone thru the emerging leaders training and have assumed active leadership roles in ad hocs or commissions, and committees and advocacy by 2015
- Emerging Leaders visit or virtually advocate to their senators and representatives in 2011 & 2012.
- Recognize the service of leaders inside and outside the profession as a model for others
- We have evidence that OTs are acting as leaders in multiple venues outside of AOTA ( i.e. rehab directors; local politics; other organizations) by 2012
- Develop major image building campaign & Develop materials and visuals for members to promote brand and OT
- Brand for occupational therapy is successfully integrated through:
- paid advertising promotes the brand in trade or focused publications by 2011
- brand is integrated into all AOTA communication materials as appropriate by 2011
- Materials integrating brand are developed and made available targeting all six areas of occupational therapy
- Translation of key materials into other languages is evaluated and implemented per the evaluation
- Permissions to use “Living Life To Its Fullest” by members increase by 50% by 2012.
- The Champion program is launched in 2010 and maintained in 2011 with 100 members becoming “champions” by June 2011
- Members’ use of the AOTA brand materials from the web will increase by 50% by 2012.
- Maintain promoting media coverage of occupational therapy and the association
- Mainstream media coverage ( in top 200 media outlets) of occupational therapy is increased each year to result in a total of 20 stories by 2013
- Engage in broad-based advocacy to ensure funding for OT in traditional and emerging areas
- Medicare continues to cover occupational therapy in all current settings and in new and emerging settings, encompassing the full scope of practice of occupational therapy especially in low vision, home modifications, driver rehabilitation, and community participation.
- Overall expenditures for occupational therapy under Medicare are increased commensurate with overall Medicare expenditure increases for services in Parts A, B and C.
- Medicare will adopt occupational therapy appropriate documentation and outcome measure standards as these are changed
- Occupational therapy role in Medicare home health will be expanded by 2014.
- Occupational therapy information is provided to members of Congress affecting armed services issues by 2011.
- The role of occupational therapy in schools for behavioral and mental health interventions will be recognized in IDEA and No Child Left Behind (or similar legislation), including services for children with autism
- Increase visibility of occupational therapy on the Hill
- Hold at least 3 Hill days during FY2011
- Promote state association advocacy activities
- State autism insurance legislation when passed, supports OT services.
- OT is a fully covered service in Medicaid in a 35 states by 2013
- Information provided to enable state associations and program directors to work together on advocacy at the state level during 2011 & 2012.
- State associations are provided advocacy training and support during 2011 & 2012.
- Engage in advocacy to promote federal support for OT/OTA education
- When PD Fall meetings are held in DC area 50% of all PDs will participate in Hill visits
- Secure additional appropriations for at least one training grant that includes occupational therapy by 2012
- Language for OT loan repayment for doctoral studies and other students is included in federal legislation by 2012
- Profiles of member advocacy promoted in communications vehicles during 2011 & 2012
- BOD has 100% participation in Hill visits during all face-to-face meetings during 2011 & 2012.
- Train and develop members to conduct advocacy
The profession is science driven & evidence based
- Create outcomes database & Create documentation templates
- AOTA has a national data base for occupational therapy outcomes by 2011 and members are informed about participation/utilization
- Competencies in using outcome measures and interpreting/applying outcomes data are incorporated into occupational therapy education curriculum and standards by 2013
- Prepare research and practice communities for utilization of national data base outcomes for research, dissemination, best practices, education and policy by 2014
- Raw data from current users of AM-PAC is made available to our researchers by 2012.
- Promote dissemination of evidence based knowledge
- Evidence is being used to support areas of practice to external decision makers ( policy, reimbursement, licensure, ethics)
- Identify how evidence is used by practitioners
- Identify how evidence is used in educational preparation; survey whether interventions being taught are actually supported by evidence
- Evidence supports interventions taught in academic programs by 2015
- Identify how evidence should best be incorporated into OT Educational Standards
- A letter to the Standards review Committee is sent by the BOD with specific suggestions for incorporating evidence into the standards by 2011.
- Promote alignment of OT research with AOTA-AOTF Research Agenda
- 10 funded intervention studies are launched aligned with AOTA / AOTF research agenda by 2013
- The research agenda has been utilized and referenced in reports and in comments to federal agencies and articles.
- Create research data base
- Continually scan research environment
- Build research capacity in the profession
- Relationships and networks have been built with research funding agencies with priorities related to the profession (public, large private) by 2012.
- A training conference for emerging researchers funded by AHRQ is held by 2012.
- AJOT’s impact factor will improve over the next two years such that it is in the top 3 of rehabilitation journals and the highest in occupational therapy.
- Develop a program to engage emerging researchers from a diverse background
- Increase number of researchers from a diverse background by 10% by 2015.
- Develop programs to encourage faculty to pursue acquisition of doctoral degrees
- Increase number of doctorally prepared occupational therapists by 10% 2015.
- Decrease faculty vacancy rate by 10% over the next 5 years ( 2010 – 2015)
