AOTA's Blog

Older Driver Safety Awareness Week: You can promote OT’s role in community mobility

By Katie Riley posted 11-20-2020
AOTA’s Older Driver Safety Awareness Week is coming: December 7-11, 2020. We invite all occupational therapy practitioners, educators, and students to get involved to help raise awareness of how the profession promotes community mobility for older adults. AOTA will again lead an expanded version of a Twitter chat by posing daily focus questions intended to welcome input from all who have an interest in supporting older drivers and their families. Posts will appear on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook this year and will follow #ODSAW20. To participate: Follow @AOTAInc on Twitter, @aotainc on Instagram and search #ODSAW20. On Facebook, you ...
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Occupational therapy camp serves those with breast cancer

By Katie Riley posted 10-27-2020
In preparation for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I set out to share some real-life examples of how occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants are serving those in various stages of the breast cancer journey. Through my AOTA colleagues, I was connected with Colleen Maher, OTD, OTR/L, CHT, from the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, and Rochelle Mendonca, PhD, OTR/L, from Columbia University in New York City. Together, they jointly direct Camp Discovery, an activity-based, life-changing program for women with cancer. I checked in with them to learn a bit more. Q: Where did the idea for a camp for people with breast cancer come from, ...
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7 Ways to Promote Students’ Ergonomic Health during COVID-19

By Katie Riley posted 09-08-2020
AOTA’s National School Backpack Safety Awareness Day is fast-approaching: Wednesday, September 16. Typically on this day and throughout September, students across the U.S. and around the world participate in a variety of activities to learn about safe backpack use. With the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) changing the way that students are accessing education – all virtual, in the physical classroom, or a hybrid option — AOTA recognizes that this campaign needs to shift focus a bit this year. Here are some ways to join this year’s campaign that promote social distancing and recognize that many students are learning from home: Share AOTA’s tips ...
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Make Your Voice Heard! Comment about Therapy Cuts and Telehealth to CMS

By Monica Wright posted 09-08-2020
On August 3, 2020, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the proposed FY 2021 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) Rule and Fact Sheet . Despite previous collaborative advocacy efforts , the proposed rule contains a 9% cut to reimbursement for therapy services to offset the increases to the value of office visit evaluation and management (E&M) codes that primarily benefit primary care physicians. While AOTA understands CMS’ desire to increase payment to primary physicians, therapy practitioners cannot withstand the cuts required to keep the budget increases neutral. Changes must be made to protect therapy services. ...
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What Does the ADA Mean to You? Celebrating the 30th Anniversary

By Katie Riley posted 07-24-2020
On July 26, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) will celebrate its 30 th anniversary. Signed into law in 1990 by President George H. W. Bush, the ADA affords civil rights protections to individuals with disabilities by promoting access to employment, schools, transportation, and public spaces. (Read the National Archives Transcript of Statement By the President, July 26, 1990 . ) The ADA has a special meaning for members of the occupational therapy community because it promotes equal access to engaging in everyday activities by prohibiting discrimination against people with disabilities, and creating avenues of service for the profession in areas ...
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OT Practitioner Q&A: Adapting Practice and Process in Response to COVID-19

By Hillary Richardson posted 07-10-2020
Occupational therapy practitioners have consistently demonstrated their unique skill sets and ability to adapt in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. A wealth of knowledge, innovative ideas, practitioner stories, and demonstrations of support have been shown through the COVID-19 discussion on CommunOT. Early in the pandemic, we started reaching out to clinicians in multiple settings to understand the emerging needs and experiences of practitioners, and how AOTA could best support them. One of these practitioners was Tara Babe, OTD, OTR/L, who participated in the following Q&A. Tara is the Assistant Manager of Occupational Therapy at ChristianaCare. Q. ...
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AOTA’s Efforts to Support Frontline Healthcare Workers During the COVID-19 Pandemic

By Jill Tighe posted 05-27-2020
Congress has been busy on the fourth COVID-19 response package, which has begun to take shape in the past few weeks. There have been 493 bills introduced in the 116th Congress regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, all of which address different issues and present possible solutions. In times like these, Members of Congress introduce single-issue bills to assist them in advocating for the inclusion of that legislative language in one of the larger packages meant to address the current climate. How to best support our essential health care workers on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic has been a priority for AOTA. Two options gaining popularity with Congress and ...
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COVID-19 Federal Affairs Live Blog

By Abraham Saffer posted 03-24-2020
AOTA Federal Affairs has decided to try an experiment in blogging – we will be doing quick updates on what we are seeing, hearing and working on with Congress, on your behalf, so you can see the latest news as we get it. Comments on this live blog are turned off Posted 3-27-20 3:45pm AOTA's write up of the latest COVID-19 Congressional package is live. Check it out . - The Federal Affairs Team Posted 3-27-20 2:00pm The House just passed the third COVID-19 package, and the president is expected to sign it soon. All three packages passed incredibly quickly. So fast, Congressional staff were not involved to the extent they usually are. This shows why educating ...
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An Insider's Guide to AOTA Congressional Activities in 2019: Part 1

By Heather Parsons posted 12-23-2019
Insider's Guide Part 1: Medicare The year 2019 has been a contentious one in politics. Despite the fact that very few bills have been signed into law, there has been Congressional activity, some public and some behind the scenes.This activity will eventually shape laws and policies that will affect the profession, whether in this Congress, or in the years to come. As always, AOTA Federal Affairs staff have been busy advocating on your behalf. Here is Part 1 of a guide to the key issues we have been working on, including why the issues are important, and an insider’s view on the process. Part 2 will discuss AOTA activities around education, aging in place, ...
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News headlines in 2019 highlight value of occupation

By Katie Riley posted 12-23-2019
To date in 2019, we’ve counted at least 582 positive news stories about occupational therapy . Of those placements, at least 309 were in news outlets that report an audience of more than 5 million viewers. You can view all of the media placements that provide the public with a better understanding of the profession on AOTA’s OT in the News page . All of these placements explain the distinct value of OT through the success of the clients or by providing tips for people to make life easier. We kicked off 2019 with some positive job rankings for both occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants with the following job rankings: U.S. News & ...
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Appeals Court Decision on ACA Leaves Law’s Future Unclear

By Laura Hooper posted 12-19-2019
A federal appeals court has ruled that the Affordable Care Act’s individual mandate is unconstitutional and sent the case, Texas v. United States , back to a lower court for a more detailed analysis of what parts of the law should remain valid in the mandate’s absence. This action prolongs the uncertainty over the health reform law’s status that started a year ago when the same lower court judge ruled that the entire law was unconstitutional. While the Supreme Court might decide take up the case right away instead of allowing it to go back to the district court, it will be months or even years before a final judgement—and the law remains in effect as it makes ...
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Living the Dream: A look into the experience of an Evidence-Based Practice Fieldwork II Student at AOTA

By Julia Kuehn posted 12-12-2019
When I first heard the words, “evidence-based practice,” I was intrigued by the concept. In OT school we spent time examining the knowledge-to-practice gap, knowledge translation, and the establishment of best practices in of occupational therapy, but I was eager to learn more. From exploring the AOTA website, I discovered the opportunity to complete a fieldwork opportunity within the association, sent in my application, and before I knew it, dates were coordinated and my experience within the Knowledge division at AOTA was set to begin. Evidence-based practice (EBP) is “the conscientious, explicit, and judicious use of current best evidence in making decisions ...
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ACA Update: Five More Things to Know About the Law As Open Enrollment Continues

By Laura Hooper posted 11-22-2019
The seventh open enrollment for the Affordable Care Act’s health insurance Marketplaces runs through December 15 in most states. Following up on the November 1 blog post, here are five more things to know about where the health care reform law stands now: Reading the Fine Print Is More Important than Ever: Funding for “Navigators” who provide enrollment assistance to ACA Marketplace customers has been reduced significantly since the early years of the ACA, so there is less access to personalized assistance that could help people distinguish between comprehensive plans and skinnier alternatives. Experts at Georgetown’s Center on Health Insurance Reforms ...
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Help us promote OT’s role in community mobility this Older Driver Safety Awareness Week

By Katie Riley posted 11-21-2019
AOTA’s Older Driver Safety Awareness Week is coming: December 2-6, 2019. We invite all OT practitioners to get involved to help raise awareness of how the profession promotes community mobility for older adults. NEW THIS YEAR: In lieu of a Twitter chat that was historically used by AOTA’s partner organizations, AOTA will instead post a daily focus question intended to welcome input from ALL who have an interest in supporting older drivers and their families. Posts will appear on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook this year and will follow #ODSAW19. To participate: Follow @AOTAInc on Twitter, @aotainc on Instagram and search #ODSAW19. On Facebook, you can ...
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ACA Update: Five Things to Know About Where the Law Stands As Open Enrollment Begins

By Laura Hooper posted 11-01-2019
Open enrollment for the Affordable Care Act’s health insurance Marketplaces lasts from November 1 to December 15 in most states. As the seventh ACA open enrollment commences and the law’s 10 th anniversary approaches, here are five things to know about it now: The Texas Case: A decision from the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in Texas v. U.S. , a case challenging the constitutionality of the ACA, could come at any time, and based on the oral arguments many observers expect the three-judge panel to strike down the entire law. The Trump Administration has committed to enforcing the law while it’s being appealed, meaning nothing should change after the ...
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Allied Health Workforce Diversity Act Senate Introduction

By Abraham Saffer posted 11-01-2019
Just two days after the House of Representatives unanimously approved H.R. 2781 , which included the full language for the Allied Health Workforce Diversity Act (H.R. 3637), the Senate is moving to do the same. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) introduced S. 2747. This bill is the Senate companion of H.R 3637, and the hope by our Congressional Affairs team is the Senate follow the same path to passing this legislation as the House. Follow along for all the latest information on AOTA's Legislative Action Center. Read AOTA's press release on the introduction of S. 2747 . Read the Senate one pager on S. 2747 . #advocacy #OTadvocacy ...
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Allied Health Workforce Diversity Act Passes the House

By Abraham Saffer posted 10-30-2019
On Monday, October 28 th , the House of Representatives voted unanimously to pass H.R 2781, the EMPOWER for Health Act. Included in this bill was the language from the Allied Health Workforce Diversity Act, H.R. 3637. House passage is one of the major hurdles that a bill much clear before becoming law, however unanimous support is an incredibly promising sign. The bill still needs to pass the Senate, however we believe introduction there will occur very soon. To learn more about the bill, and follow along on the latest, visit the workforce diversity page on AOTA’s Legislative Action Center. You can find the press release from AOTA here . #advocacy ...
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AOTA’s 2019 Hill Day: Advocacy in Action

By Jill Tighe posted 10-28-2019
On September 23 rd , 2019, 521 occupational therapy advocates went to Capitol Hill to promote three issues that will have an impact on the occupational therapy profession. More information on those three issues can be found at the end of this post. AOTA’s Annual Hill Day is a wonderful opportunity for occupational therapy advocates from across the country to meet with their legislators and talk to them about issues that will impact their practice. We schedule the events of the day to make sure advocates are prepared to take action and have time to run around, across, over, and around (again) on Capitol Hill. Hill Day is a wonderful opportunity to speak to your ...
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6 Ways to Promote Safe Backpack Use

By Katie Riley posted 09-06-2019
AOTA’s National School Backpack Awareness Day is fast-approaching: Wednesday, September 18. On this day and throughout September, students across the U.S. and around the world will participate in a variety of activities to learn about safe backpack use. Are you considering promoting tips for students to avoid pain from carrying heavy loads? Here are some ways to join this year’s campaign: Distribute information about safe backpack use . “Did you know that AOTA recommends that backpacks weigh no more than 10% of the student’s body weight?” This is a great opening line if you’re approaching people at a community event, or manning a table of materials at ...
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Four Things I Learned About Occupational Therapy Advocacy as a Federal Affairs Intern

By Sue Ram posted 08-16-2019
Not every student or practitioner has the opportunity to experience firsthand the intricacies that go on behind the scenes at the American Occupational Therapy Association. As students and practitioners, we often find it challenging to understand all of the effort and dedication that goes into sustaining a successful professional association and why it is so important to be engaged in a way that best suits the needs and interests of its members. For my doctoral specialty internship, I was able to immerse myself within many unique experiences over the last 14 weeks in order to foster professional development in the areas of leadership, policy analysis, and ...
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About AOTA's Blog

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