AOTA Celebrates National Veterans and Military Families Month

North Bethesda, MD - The American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) is celebrating National Veterans and Military Families Month by promoting the role of occupational therapy practitioners in the military. Every November, the Defense Department and the military community celebrate military families and transitioning veterans. This is a time to recognize, celebrate and honor the sacrifices and contributions veterans and military families provide for the nation’s armed forces.

Military families and veterans face an array of challenges related to their service to the United States of America. AOTA experts are available to the media to discuss and highlight the importance of prioritizing veterans and military families throughout all stages of service and sacrifice.

The field of military and veteran occupational therapy features practitioners with expertise in a wide range of health concerns, by providing innovative ways to help people participate in everyday activities (“occupations.”) AOTA’s OT Practice Magazine recently featured a novel occupational therapy program, “Heroes and Horses,” which helps veterans find meaning and purpose after service.

Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Occupational Therapists and Certified Occupational Therapy Assistants (COTAs) provide state-of-the-art and evidence-based care to veterans and service members. Occupational therapy provides services that promote health and wellness to veterans who have, or are at risk for developing, an injury, illness, disease or condition spanning physical, cognitive, sensory, and psychosocial domains. Occupational therapy evaluation and treatment support veterans' engagement in everyday life activities that affect their physical and mental health and well-being.

Veteran and Vice President of Meetings and Events at AOTA Frank E. Gainer, MHS, OTR/L, FAOTA, CMP, CAE, said of the importance of veterans working as OTPs and of the importance to remind veterans of the role of OTPs, “Occupational therapy practitioners have a long history of working with veterans that began during World War I. Their skills and compassion are a critical element of veteran care.”

VHA Occupational Therapy Facts

• VHA is the single largest employer of occupational therapists, employing more than 1,900 occupational therapists and certified occupational therapy assistants.
• Occupational therapy practitioners provide veteran-centric, state-of-the-art and evidence-based care (including telehealth) to over 500 VA sites.
• Occupational therapy provides value-based and distinct services; no other discipline holistically measures functional, physical, and cognitive skills through occupations.

Occupational Therapy Surging In the Military

The U.S. Army is having a revolutionary change with the new Holistic Health and Fitness System (H2F), which is dramatically impacting the military occupational therapy and government civilian workforce with unprecedented growth in their numbers not seen in 40 years.

Colonel Enrique V. Smith-Forbes is currently the Director and Associate Professor for the Entry-level U.S. Army- Baylor Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD) program, at the Medical Center of Excellence, Joint Base San Antonio (JBSA), Fort Sam Houston (FSH), TX. As a presenter during AOTA’s national INSPIRE conference earlier this year, he said, “The whole idea behind H2F is it has five areas. These are mental readiness, sleep readiness, nutrition readiness, physical readiness and spiritual readiness. And the army has chosen to have occupational therapists to be the leads for the mental readiness portion.”

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is also experiencing growth and transformation with over 100 new civilian occupational therapy and occupational therapy assistant positions.

Veterans Service Organizations

There are over 100 VA-recognized, national Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs), including: The American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans, Paralyzed Veterans of America, AMVETS, and Vietnam Veterans of America.

No two VSOs are the same but these organizations have two things in common: they help veterans navigate VA benefits and services while helping veterans connect to local VA facilities and programs to help veterans live life to the fullest.

What is Occupational Therapy?

Your life is made up of occupations—meaningful everyday activities. These occupations can include many roles, such as being a parent, a friend, a spouse, a tennis player, an artist, a cook, or a musician. We generally don’t think about our daily occupations until we have trouble doing them. Everyone has occupations—from the toddler whose occupations are play and learning to develop important skills, to the older adult whose occupations are engaging with family and friends and managing his or her home. If you are recovering from an accident or injury, your valued occupations may be disrupted. Occupational therapy incorporates your valued occupations into the rehabilitation process.

Occupational therapy services are provided at:

• Outpatient clinics
• Inpatient settings
• Community Living Centers
• Veterans' homes and communities
• Tele-rehabilitation

About AOTA

Founded in 1917, the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) represents the professional interests and concerns of more than 213,000 occupational therapists, assistants,

and students nationwide. The Association educates the public and advances the profession of occupational therapy by providing resources, setting professional and educational standards, and serving as an advocate to improve health care. Based in Bethesda, Md., AOTA’s major programs and activities are directed toward promoting the professional development of its members and assuring consumer access to quality services so patients can maximize their individual potential. For more information, go to www.aota.org.

MEDIA INQUIRIES - Jennifer Rignani, AOTA media relations – praota@aota.org or 412-977-579