American Occupational Therapy Association Inc

TO ADVANCE OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY PRACTICE, EDUCATION, AND RESEARCH THROUGH STANDARD-SETTING AND ADVOCACY ON BEHALF OF ITS MEMBERS, THE PROFESSION, AND THE PUBLIC.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: AOTA SUPPORTS A WIDE RANGE OF SERVICES TO SERVE THE PROFESSION OF OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY ("OT"). THESE FALL INTO THREE MAJOR CATEGORIES: EDUCATION, ACCREDITATION, AND PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS. THE ANNUAL CONFERENCE, AOTA INSPIRE, IS ATTENDED BY PRACTITIONERS AND STUDENTS REPRESENTING ALL 50 STATES. AOTA OFFERS EDUCATIONAL EVENTS TO HELP OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY PRACTITIONERS IMPROVE SKILLS IN SPECIFIC AREAS. VIRTUAL SPECIALTY CONFERENCES ARE ALSO HELD, THE EDUCATION SUMMIT, CHILDREN AND YOUTH SPECIALTY CONFERENCE, AND STUDENTCON, AN EVENT FOCUSED ON STUDENTS AND NEW PRACTITIONERS. IN THE OTHER AREAS OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND LICENSURE SUPPORT, AOTA OFFERS ONLINE EDUCATIONAL COURSES. AOTA HELPS NEW OTS AND OTAS PREPARE FOR THE NBCOT CERTIFICATION EXAM THROUGH AOTA'S NBCOT EXAM PREP. AOTA PROVIDES THOUSANDS OF HOURS OF CONTINUING EDUCATION CONTENT. AOTA PROVIDES ADDITIONAL BOARD AND SPECIALTY CERTIFICATION IN SEVERAL AREAS OF THE PROFESSION. AOTA, THROUGH ACCREDITATION COUNCIL FOR OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY EDUCATION ("ACOTE"), ACCREDITS ACADEMIC PROGRAMS OFFERED BY JUNIOR COLLEGES, COLLEGES, AND UNIVERSITIES THAT OFFER A COURSE OF STUDY IN OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY. AOTA ALSO DEVELOPS PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS AS IT RELATES TO PRACTICE, ETHICS, EVIDENCE, AND STANDARDS. AOTA MAINTAINS SEVERAL COMMITTEES AND COMMISSIONS CHARGED WITH THE DEVELOPMENT AND PROMULGATION OF PRACTICE STANDARDS. IN ADDITION TO PUBLISHING PRACTICE GUIDELINES, AOTA ALSO MAINTAINS AN ETHICS COMMISSION, WHICH PROVIDES GUIDANCE IN THE CONDUCT OF PRACTICE AND ADJUDICATES COMPLAINTS AGAINST MEMBERS OF THE ASSOCIATION. AOTA FUNDS RESEARCH, ANALYSIS OF RESEARCH, AND DISSEMINATES THAT INFORMATION TO MEMBERS AND THE PUBLIC AT LARGE. EFFORTS CONTINUED TO LINK RESEARCH, EVIDENCE, EDUCATION, AND PRACTICE.

PUBLICATIONS: AOTA PRODUCES A SCHOLARLY JOURNAL, THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY ("AJOT"), A PRACTICE MAGAZINE, OCCUPATION THERAPY PRACTICE ("OTP"), A SERIES OF NEWSLETTERS FOR VARIOUS SUBSECTIONS OF THE PROFESSION, AND ELECTRONIC LITERATURE AVAILABLE ON THE ASSOCIATION'S WEBSITE, AOTA.ORG. AOTA PUBLISHES EDUCATIONAL TEXTBOOKS, PRIMARILY USED AT POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS FOR THOSE STUDENTS STUDYING OT.

ADVOCACY AND AWARENESS: AOTA REPRESENTS THE PROFESSION OF OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC, PAYERS FOR OT SERVICES, AND POLICYMAKERS AT THE STATE AND NATIONAL LEVELS. AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, AOTA REPRESENTS THE PROFESSION TO BOTH THE LEGISLATIVE AND EXECUTIVE BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT. AOTA PROVIDES RELEVANT RESEARCH OR NEEDED INFORMATION FOR GOVERNMENT POLICYMAKERS. AT THE STATE LEVEL, AOTA SERVES AS A LIAISON TO STATE OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY ASSOCIATIONS AND STATE REGULATORY BOARDS/STATE AGENCIES, LEADING ADVOCACY EFFORTS AT THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVELS RELATED TO HEALTH CARE REFORM AND MEDICAID REDESIGN. AOTA INITIATED A LICENSURE COMPACT INITIATIVE IN COLLABORATION WITH NBCOT. THE COMPACT GREATLY ENHANCES THE MOBILITY OF OT AND OTA PRACTITIONERS IN MEETING WORKFORCE DEMANDS.AT THE STATE LEVEL, AOTA EFFORTS ARE FOCUSED ON PROTECTING THE PROFESSION, SUPPORTING THE FRAMEWORK OF STATE PRACTICE ACTS THAT FORM THE LEGAL BASIS FOR THE PRACTICE OF OT, PROMOTING THE USE OF AOTA'S PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS BY STATE REGULATORS, AND ASSISTING STATE ASSOCIATIONS IN ENGAGING EFFECTIVELY ON CRITICAL POLICY ISSUES AT THE STATE LEVEL. AOTA WORKS WITH THERAPISTS, EMPLOYERS OF THERAPISTS, AND PAYERS OF OT SERVICES, SUCH AS INSURANCE COMPANIES, TO ASSIST IN THE PROPER PAYMENT AND ALLOCATIONS OF SERVICES. ADDITIONALLY, AOTA WORKS TO PROMOTE THE PROFESSION IN FOCUSED ADVERTISING AND BRANDING INITIATIVES.