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April 9, 2007



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OTJobLink 
AOTA's Online
Career Center 

Register on site starting Apr. 19!
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AOTA's 87th Annual Conference

St. Louis, Missouri
April 20–23, 2007

Pre-Conference Institutes April 19


Celebrate OT Month!
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AOTA has ideas and resources perfect for your OT Month event!

April Book of
the Month 
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Children With Behavioral and Psychosocial Needs: Occupational Therapy Practice Guidelines

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President Bush, right, shakes hands with the prosthetic limb of Army 1st Lt. Scott Quilty during a visit with patients at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, DC, last month. Quilty is an occupational therapy patient there. Looking on is Scott Quilty’s wife, CPT AnnMarie Quilty, an occupational therapist at Walter Reed.

 President Bush visits recovering soldiers and their health care providers at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Photo: AP Images/Gerald Herbert
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Celebrating OT Month: A Message From President Baum
AOTA is proud to shine the spotlight on military practitioners during our 2007 OT Month. Critical work for our nation is being conducted by hundreds of therapists in Veterans Administration Hospitals, military facilities, private practices, and community reentry programs. AOTA is working with media and doing public outreach to raise awareness and recognition of the roles that occupational therapy practitioners play in these settings.
Read more.

AOTA Testifies Before Congress on Need To Fund Key Health Initiatives
Julie Bass Haugen, OTR/L, PhD, FAOTA, recently testified before a House subcommittee about the need for additional funding of medical rehabilitation research, the CDC’s Falls Prevention and Older Driver Initiatives, and assistive technologies for aging individuals. Also, more funds are needed to support the entry of health professionals and educators from diverse populations into the profession, Haugen said.
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Philanthropy Takes Aim at Childhood Obesity
Calling childhood obesity “one of the most serious and urgent health threats” in America, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation announced it would commit at least $500 million over the next 5 years to reverse the nation’s epidemic of childhood obesity by 2015. The effort will require the participation of families, schools, government, industry, health care professionals and philanthropies to focus on healthy eating and opportunities for physical activity. Grants are available for innovative programs and studies.
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NYSOTA Takes Action to Update OT Practice Act
Two bills, introduced to the New York State Assembly and the Senate March 20, would refine the definition of occupational therapy practice, require licensure for occupational therapy assistants, and establish mandatory continuing competence requirements for occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants. New York’s existing practice law was written in 1975.
Read more.

AOTA Advocacy Success: Private Practice OTs Exempt From DMEPOS Competitive Bidding
CMS recently announced that it would exempt occupational therapists in private practice (OTPPs) from participating in the DMEPOS competitive bidding process. This will allow OTPPs to continue to furnish certain types of competitively bid items (namely, off-the-shelf orthotics such as splints) to their own patients when these items are furnished as part of their professional services under a plan of care.
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CMS Rescinds Transmittal 65
CMS has cancelled policy directives to Medicare contractors that would have required the application of Part B outpatient payment policies to acute care hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, psychiatric hospitals and units, long-term acute care hospitals, and critical access hospitals. Also, there is no change to student supervision rules for inpatient settings.Read more.

Evidence BYTE: NGC Offers Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Database
The National Guideline Clearinghouse (NGC), an initiative of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), is a database of evidence-based practice guidelines and related documents. For evidence on the rapidly advancing field of co-occurring substance use and mental disorders, use the directory to search “Substance Abuse Treatment for Persons with Co-occurring Disorders.
Visit Web site.

Announcements
OTOP To Hold Reception for New Practitioners April 20
Meet and talk with leaders of AOTA, AOTF, and NBCOT, at this special Conference event. These three organizations, through their ongoing work as the Occupational Therapy Organizational Partners (OTOP), are committed to building a strong future for the profession. Join your colleagues and learn how you can pursue opportunities for participation in your professional community. Reception Details; Annual Conference

Check Out the Conference Blog
Your colleagues from around the country have teamed to provide insights on everything Conference-related. Find out who and what to look for at Conference, including educational sessions, timely topics facing the profession, and OT “celebrities.” Plus, get tips on St. Louis travel, dining, and recreation and behind-the-scenes glimpses of Conference. Go to Blog.

Member Comment on Wellness Statement Due April 20
The Commission on Practice seeks review and feedback on the revision of the official document: Occupational Therapy in the Promotion of Health and the Prevention of Disease and Disability. Deadline: April 20. Get details.



 
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