Connecting With YOUR Profession:

The Representative Assembly Needs YOUR voice

Objectives

After this session participants will be able to:

• Discuss the role of the representative assembly (RA) within the AOTA

• Discuss the Motions from 2011 RA meeting in Philadelphia

• Locate material pertaining to the Representative Assembly and the 2012 RA motions

• Discuss the 7 Motions presented to the RA for vote in 2012 at Indianapolis

• Describe several methods for casting a vote• Review the benefits of membership in AOTA

AOTA Centennial Vision2017

• We envision that occupational therapy is a powerful, widely recognized,

science-driven, and evidence-based profession

with a globally connected and diverse workforce meeting society’s occupational

needs.

RA Motion information is located in:OT Practice, March 12 issue, pg 21-22

Additional material is located on the AOTA website under the “Get Involved” tabwww.aota.org

What Happens in the Assembly…

RepresentativeAssembly of AOTA– Policy setting body for

AOTA

– Approximately 75 voting members from organizations within AOTA and representatives from all states.

Makeup of the RARepresentative Assembly

Commission on Education

Commission on Practice

Commission on Standards and Ethics CCCPD

Special-interest SectionSteering Committee Agenda Committee

Bylaws Policies and Procedures Committee

Credential Review and Accountability Committee

Nominating Committee Recognitions Committee

Texas: RA Voice• The number of voting representatives by state is

determined by the AOTA membership– Representatives are based on the percentage of

AOTA members who reside in a state– When the percentage reaches 5% of the total

AOTA membership the state is granted a SECOND voting representative 

• Texas currently has one representative based on a membership of 4.74%– An additional 69 OT or OTA members are needed

for Texas to be granted a second representative

2011 RA Highlights• Motion 1(Defeated): Membership Momentum, establish a

membership opportunity for occupational therapy practitioners who have never been members of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA)

• Motion 2(Defeated): Revision to AOTA Code of Ethics and Standards (2010)

• Motion 3(Defeated): Amend AOTA Policy to include wording which expands the accepted level of education for the OTA from the associate degree to additionally include bachelor degree level

• Motion 4(Defeated): Recommend that ACOTE change its Standards to read: “Effective July 1, 2013, all OTA programs must be offered at the associate or bachelor degree levels to retain ACOTE accreditation

2011 RA Highlights

• Motion 5(Passed): Development of a Specialized Knowledge and Skills in Complex Seating and Wheeled Mobility

• Motion 6(Passed): Develop a Policy Fact Sheet on Complex Rehabilitation Technology

ITEMS FOR ACTION• Report of the Vice Speaker• Motion 1(Passed): Adopt the document, Societal Statement on

Health Literacy• Report of the Commission on Education (COE)• Motion 2(Passed): Revise the Statement paper: Philosophical

Base of Occupational Therapy • Report of the Commission on Practice (COP)• Motion 3(Passed):.Adopt the position paper on the Role of

Occupational Therapy in End of Life Care (revised 2011)

2011 RA Highlights

• Report of the Continuing Competence and Professional Development (CCCPD)

• Motion 4(Passed):.Implement a Phase I Exploratory Panel to determine member interest and need for a specialty certification in school systems.

• Report of the Bylaws, Policies & Procedures Committee (BPPC)• Motion 5(Passed):.Adopt the revised policies• Report of the Nominating Committee (and) Report of the

recognition Committee• Motion 6(Passed): Adopt the Nominating and Recognitions

Committees Implementation Plan as presented to the Representative Assembly, dated January 14, 2011

• Report of the President (Part 1)• Motion 7(Passed): Adopt the Definition of Occupational Therapy

Practice for the AOTA

Recent activity of the RA

• AOTA on-line RA meeting currently in session Nov. 1-10, 2011– Mentorship award– Updating of documents and statements– Bylaws and procedures

• Next face-to-face meeting is April 2012 in Indianapolis IN

To Review RA actions

• RA motions and items are located under the– “get involved tab”,– “Representative

Assembly tab””

• Note: you will need to login with your user name and password

From the 2011 Meeting• Charge the Speaker to develop an Ad Hoc

Committee to evaluate the current operations and functions of the RA

• 1. Review and revision of standard operating procedures.

• 2. Structure/function of the existing committees, commissions, and councils.

• 3. Leadership development • 4. Communication to address how business is done

and changes that would increase the responsiveness of the RA to keep pace with Association and professional needs.

Resulted in 2012 motions: Motion 1

Form an Ad Hoc Committee to develop a recruitment program for current and past members of ASD and other AOTA members interested in participating in the Representative Assembly •Support and provide tools for recruiting volunteer leaders. •Develop leadership capacities of students and AOTA members interested in serving on the RA •Increase knowledge and interest of AOTA members to run for elected positions

Estimated cost $2090

RA 2012: Motion 2 Direct the Recognitions and Nominating Committees to develop SOP, Job Descriptions and a transition plan with the BPPC for development and implementation of the Volunteer Leadership Development Committee

•Develop leadership capacities of AOTA members •Develop participation of AOTA members in AOTA activities •Efficiently and effectively align the right person with the right activities •Create more opportunities for member participation •Increase members’ understanding of opportunities to participate •Expand invitations to members to participate •Clarify and communicate roles and responsibilities •Provide a greater pool of members from which to choose

Estimated cost $5200

RA 2012: Motion 3 Direct the RALT to develop a process for motions and timelines for soliciting/accepting motions. Further charge the RALT with developing guidelines for AOTA members to seek support from their RA Representative

•Increase efficiency and effectiveness of soliciting and accepting motions •Increase AOTA members’ involvement in AOTA initiatives, practice trends and policy trends •Promote increased participation of AOTA members in professional policy development •Establish consistency in process for motions generated by members and action items generated from the reports of volunteer leadership

Estimated cost $2235

RA 2012: Motion 4 Establish regionally-based RA Leadership Networking Communities. • Form 8 RA Leadership Networking Communities (regional

clusters of state/election areas) •Charge each RA Leadership Networking Community to self-appoint a Chair (Representative) •Assign at least 1 RALT or RACC member to each RA Leadership Community •Recommend each Leadership Networking Community to hold 3-4 meetings per year by conference call•Have each Leadership Networking Community submit a brief report of issues/discussion to the Speaker after each meeting Estimated cost $10,464

RA 2012: Motion 5

Motion 5: • On behalf of the Representative Assembly

Operations and Functions Ad Hoc Committee, I move to eliminate the Alternate Representative position.

RA 2012: Motion 6 Establish a Representative–Elect position to serve for 1 year beginning July 1 of the year following their election.

The term of office of a Representative would continue to be a 3-year term and a Representative shall continue to not be eligible to serve more than two consecutive terms in the same position.

2012 2013 2014 2015 Rep-Elect (elected) X Rep (assumes term) 3 1 2 3

Estimated cost: $8500

RA 2012: Motion 7

Establish an OTA Representative–Elect position. Elect positions shall serve for 1 year and assume office July 1 in the year following their election.

The term of office of a Representative would continue to be a 3-year term and a Representative shall continue to not be eligible to serve more than two consecutive terms in the same position

Estimated cost $500

Other RA Activity• There are several items before the RA

which do not require membership vote, they include:

– Provide information from OT connections to the RA, RALT, RACC

– Develop guidelines for “civil discourse”– Develop electronic resources to aid in

disseminating information

How to have a voice?• Please provide your Texas voice and vote to:

– Timothy A Reistetter, OTR PhD– 5319 Bayou Drive – Dickinson Texas 77539– tareiste@utmb.edu

• Paper ballot included with this presentation• By email to your RA representative• Check the TOTA website• AOTA website

Vote Electronically

AOTA website:•Get Involved•Representative Assembly

Representative Assembly (RA) Spring Meeting•Give your feedback to the RA

Benefits of AOTA Membership

• AOTA is the only national association exclusively interested in occupational therapy

• AOTA offers continuing education to members at a 30% discount

• AOTA has 11 Special Interest Sections devoted to sharing practice innovations

• Again, an additional 69 OT or OTA members give Texas a second representative & voice

AOTA advocacy influences Congress

Comments & Questions?

Timothy A Reistetter OTR, PhDTexas RA representative

tareiste@utmb.edu409-772-9441