AOTA's 1-Minute Update, October 22, 2007




	This issue sponsored by Valley Medical Center October 22, 2007
Click pictures below for details. AOTA's Online Career Center AOTA AudioInsight^TM Seminar Alzheimer's, Dementia, and Driving: The Transition From Driver to Passenger Nov. 7 12 noon-1:30 p.m. ET Live Audio Conference Registration Through Nov. 5! OT Services for Children and Youth Under IDEA, 3rd Edition COMING SOON ! October Book of the Month Pediatric Issues in Occupational Therapy: A Compendium of Leading Scholarship Links AOTA.org News Member Services Students Consumer Info Scope of Practice Advertising		"The cap sets an arbitrary limit on services, making it more difficult to provide services to some of our most vulnerable Medicare beneficiaries. This is a critical time in the fight to keep the Medicare outpatient therapy cap from coming back into place." —Daniel Jones, AOTA's legislative representative
	Stop the Cap Day October 31! AOTA, along with leading therapy and patient organizations, is hosting a focused advocacy effort to make sure Congress hears the message that the caps must be stopped and that a proposed 10% cut in reimbursement must be prevented. To help ensure that Congress hears this message loud and clear, we need you to participate, whether you join us on Capitol Hill, or call in to Congress. Read more. NIH Grants for OT Researchers: Deadline Approaches The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recently approved funding proposals for career development programs that will train occupational therapists to become independent rehabilitation researchers. The deadline for applications is October 30. Read more. Backpack Day 2007 Receives Local and National Attention Every year, AOTA's National School Backpack Awareness Day serves as an important public awareness outreach tool. This year, occupational therapy students, practitioners, and professors held events in 46 states reaching more than 25,000 students! Read more. Evidence Byte: Early Childhood Education The What Works Clearinghouse, a program of the U.S. Department of Education, identifies high-quality reviews of the effectiveness of educational interventions. Of interest to occupational therapy practitioners are the evidence-based reviews of programs and products frequently used for early childhood education and programs that increase positive character development and prosocial behaviors. Read more. RA Online Meeting Starts October 23 The Representative Assembly (RA) online meeting begins October 23 through November 6. As an AOTA member you can access the meeting 24/7 and see the agenda and discussion. Materials for the meeting are posted in Leadership & Governance. Read more. Congress Faces Busy Agenda This Fall Congressional action is needed to address Medicare, education, mental health, and appropriations issues that impact occupational therapy. Read the October issue of the Federal Legislative Issues Update to find out what you can do to advocate for occupational therapy. Read more. November's Scope of Practice Issues Update Get an update on S-CHIP, a CMS-proposed rule that would affect community-based services for people with mental illness and developmental disabilities, and AOTA's successful advocacy on No Child Left Behind. Plus, find out how to assess if a practice specialty such as wound care would fall within your scope of practice. Read more. AOTA Urges Exemption of Occupational Therapists from Surety Bond Requirement AOTA has advocated that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) exempt occupational therapists who supply orthotics as an integral part of the plan of care from posting a $65,000 surety bond which will be required for suppliers of durable medical equipment, orthotics and prosthetics (DMEPOS). Read more. Announcements Free Conference, November 1, Cambridge, Massachusetts: At the Crossroads: Caregiving, Dementia and the Driving Decision. Leading advocates, practitioners, and researchers will discuss the challenges caregivers face in balancing the independence and safety of drivers with dementia, and the important role caregivers have in transitioning drivers to passengers. Read more. Listserv Opens: Feeding/Eating and Swallowing Interested in learning more about this area of practice? Share practical information and resources, and network with colleagues. (Requires member login) Read more. Survey: Sensory Integration Statement The COP is seeking comments on "Applying Sensory Integration Framework in Educationally Related Occupational Therapy Practice." (Deadline: November 19) Read more. Issue Sponsor Brand new openings due to growth! We offer OTs a professional development track, state-of-the-art equipment with lots of space to treat patients! Learn more about us. www.valleymed.org To change or update your e-mail address, go to Member Services and edit your membership information or send e-mail address changes to members@aota.org. Copyright and Reprint Information Copyright © 2007, by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc. All rights reserved. U.S. federal copyright law protects all material in this newsletter. It may not be reprinted in any form, redistributed electronically to persons who are not AOTA members, or posted on any Web site without explicit written permission from AOTA, Inc. View our copyright and reprint information.
AOTA's 1-Minute Update is published by The American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc. (AOTA) and is available exclusively to AOTA members with registered e-mail addresses by free subscription. To unsubscribe from the Update, please e-mail markets@aota.org with "Remove" in the subject line. For advertising and sponsorship inquiries, contact corporate relations at 800-877-1383 ext. 2715. For technical questions, contact helpdesk@aota.org AOTA advances the quality, availability, use, and support of occupational therapy through standard setting, advocacy, education, and research on behalf of its members and the public.