Establishing a policy and advocacy presence at the state association level

Occupational therapy practitioners (OTPs) are key members of today’s health care team. However, the decision-makers who control access to care for recipients of OT services do not always clearly see the value that OTPs bring to the team. Some of these decision-makers are state regulatory bodies that control state Medicaid budgets, criteria for services, and funding of public school systems that serve students with disabilities. In the post–COVID-19 era, these decision-makers have been faced with increasingly complex challenges related to managing state budgets, ensuring access to care, and addressing the changing needs of communities. The American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) has long recognized the need for state-level presence, and maintains a State Affairs Group that is responsible for all of AOTA’s state legislative and regulatory activities (AOTA, n.d.). This department supports state associations and OTPs through their work to monitor and analyze proposed legislation and regulations, conducting research, and providing assistance to state associations when needed (AOTA, 2024).