Highlights of the 30th Representative Assembly Report Now Available

The Representative Assembly celebrated its 30th anniversary this year at the recent AOTA Annual Conference and Expo held in St. Louis, Missouri, April 18-23, 2007. During the Assembly over 115 action items were discussed and voted on. Highlights of the meeting include:

• Increasing the availability of full-text volumes of AJOT online as a member privilege
• Establishing the Speaker of the RA as member of the AOTA Board of Directors with voice and vote
• Development of an Ad Hoc Committee to summarize and analyze the impact of two points of entry (masters and doctoral) for occupational therapists on the future of the profession and the clients we serve
• Passage of Bylaw Amendments
• Development of a proposal for a voluntary credentialing program for fieldwork educators
• Adoption of the Specialized Knowledge and skills in Feeding, Eating, and Swallowing for Occupational Therapy Practice document
• Adoption of AOTA’s Statement on Family Caregiving and Statement on Stress and Stress Disorders
• Adoption of six categories as “centennial-focus areas” to guide the work of our association in order to support and promote the future of the occupational therapy profession. (1) Children and Youth (2) Productive Aging (3) Mental Health (4) Work and Industry (5) Health and Wellness (6) Rehabilitation, Disability, and Participation

A complete report will be available on the AOTA website. Please feel free to contact me with any questions at 480-483-1025 or by email at Dhinesotr@aol.com.

Debbie Hines, MA, OTR/L
Arizona Representative