THE AMERICAN OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY ASSOCIATION, INC.

2010 ANNUAL REPORT n JULY 1, 2009–JUNE 30, 2010

Mile Markers on the Road to the Centennial Vision

T
he American Occupational Therapy Association is the frontline for the occupational therapy
profession. Backed by the valued support and participation of our members, AOTA commits its
leadership and resources to advance the profession and promote its role in meeting society’s needs.

Our profession is on the road to the Centennial Vision and we will not be diverted from our path.
The Vision’s goals are vital to moving occupational therapy forward and positioning the profession to
fulfill its potential. As we reflect back on the accomplishments recorded in the 2010 Annual Report,
the Association is proud to report that major progress was achieved through the collaborative
determination and dedication of our members, leaders, and staff.
 Fulfilling Our Potential page 4

Articulating Our Value page 6

Linking Research, Education, and Practice page 8

Supporting Our Members page 10

Developing Our Resources page 11

 Mile Markers
on the Road to the Centennial Vision
In February 2009, the AOTA Board of Directors prioritized Centennial Vision objectives
for fiscal year 2010.
AOTA President n Engage in broad-based advocacy to ensure funding for
Florence Clark occupational therapy in traditional and emerging areas.
n Create a national outcomes database.
n Develop major image-building campaigns.
n Promote dissemination of evidence-based knowledge.
n Continually scan the research environment.
n Create a research agenda.
n Create a research database.
n Create the emerging leaders development program.

The FY 2010 objectives were fully achieved or substantial progress was made
during the year. The health care reform debate was difficult to maneuver but
occupational therapy achieved key victories. Negotiation and licensing for the
outcomes database was finalized, creating the bridge to its unveiling in the near
future. The professional brand drew greater recognition through our media
outreach and member use of brand tools. Evidence-based resources were expanded
and disseminated. Research data and information became more widely known
for its critical role in the profession. Emerging leaders were provided with training
and mentorship to prepare them for future leadership roles.

The FY 2010 stretch of the highway led us past many important mile markers.
Thank you to everyone whose contributions are reflected in this year’s annual
report. At the end of the road, we made a turn into FY 2011 with another landscape
of mile markers to pass. Please continue to support AOTA as we stay focused on
what’s next and learn how you can help take the wheel. We’re on the road again!

3
Fulfilling Our Potential
FY 2011 Centennial Vision objectives
1 were prioritized by the AOTA Board of
Directors: create an inclusive and diverse leader-
ship pool and support leadership activities
among practitioners; develop a major image-
building campaign; engage in broad-based
advocacy to ensure funding for OT in tradi-
tional and emerging areas; engage in advocacy
to promote federal support for OT/OTA educa-
tion; create an outcomes database; promote
dissemination of evidence-based knowledge;
promote alignment of OT research with the
AOTA–AOTF research agenda and create a
research database; build research capacity in the
profession; and develop programs to encourage
faculty to pursue doctoral degrees.
The Emerging Leaders Development
2 Program was successfully launched and
involved a two-day leadership training seminar
and a year of mentored relationships with
existing AOTA leaders with specific tasks to be
accomplished. From 85 applicants, 15 emerging
leaders were chosen for the full program, and
15 leaders were selected for the mentorship
segment. Participants will complete a post-
program evaluation of their experience and
growth.
The AOTA Student Recruitment Initiative
3 program drew approximately 1,500
prospective students into contact with AOTA
about their interest in occupational therapy. In
collaboration with the University of Illinois–
Chicago (UIC), AOTA posted on its Web site an
appealing PowerPoint™ presentation and six
video clips created by UIC students explaining
why they chose occupational therapy as their
career. AOTA also continued its involvement
with the National Association for Advisors of
Health Professionals (NAAHP) by being part of
a panel presentation on health care careers and
exhibiting at its biennial conference. In addi-
tion, three $5,000 scholarships were also
awarded to students by the EK Wise Scholar-
ship Fund.
Progress was made on the Centralized
4 Application Service (OTCAS) project
for students applying to occupational therapy
programs. More than one-third (61) programs
committed to OTCAS for the first year. OTCAS
became available in FY 2011.
Since its inception in September 2009,
5 the Fieldwork Educators Certificate
Program has resulted in the achievement of 702
4
AOTA Emerging Leaders
fieldwork educators. In addition, 38 instructor
teams were trained through three AOTA-spon-
sored Train-the-Trainer Institutes.
The AOTA Participation Review Ad Hoc
6 Committee met consistently to deliber-
ate and form recommendations that were
finalized and presented to the President and
Board of Directors in October 2009. Although
the initial recommendations were not accepted
by the Representative Assembly, they estab-
lished a foundation for a substitute motion for
a new ad hoc committee to look at procedural
and organizational changes.
The new ASD Steering Committee took
7 office and focused priorities on encour-
aging and educating prospective students,
exploring collaborations with MDI groups to
increase the diversity of occupational therapy
students and practitioners, exploring collabora-
tions with the SIS groups, assisting with Stu-
dent Conclave planning, and supporting
AOTPAC Challenge and advocacy efforts.
AOTA was a volunteer leader in the
8 Association of Specialized and Profes-
sional Accreditors to help develop materials for
specialized accreditor representatives that were
participating in the United States Department
of Education (USDE) negotiated rule-making
process. The process led to regulations that
were implemented on July 1, 2010.
Board and Specialty Certification creden-
9 tials were earned by 20 AOTA members,
increasing total certifications to 160. The num-
ber of reviewers for certification applications
also increased with 12 new reviewers selected
and trained.
The AOTA Commission on Continuing
10
Competence and Professional Develop-
ment (CCCPD) had two new official documents
approved and adopted during the April 2010
RA meeting: Guidelines for Re-Entry Into the
Field of Occupational Therapy, and the updated
version of Standards for Continuing Compe-
tence. In addition, The Board for Advanced and
Specialty Certification (BASC) presented “The
Ins and Outs of Board and Specialty Certifica-
tion” seminar at the AOTA Annual Conference
in Orlando.
The 2010 edition of the Occupational
11
Therapy Code of Ethics and Ethics Stan-
dards was approved by the Representative
Assembly. It was posted on the AOTA Web site
and sent to state licensure boards.
The AOTA Ethics Commission provided
12
ethics information for membership by
completing and posting four new advisory
opinions on OT/OTA partnership, ethical
standards in a challenging health care, social
justice and meeting client needs, obsolete
assessment instruments, and ethics relevant to
technology-based interventions. In addition,
the Enforcement Procedures for the Occupational
Therapy Code of Ethics and Ethics Standards
were revised and approved by the Representa-
tive Assembly.
 AOTA Special Interest Sections developed
13 six new 2010 fact sheets: Occupational
Therapy for Young Children, Occupational
Therapy in School Settings, Universal Design for
Learning, Occupational Therapy Role in Pallia-
tive Care, Occupational Therapy Role in Skilled
Nursing Facilities, and Occupational Therapy’s
Role in Health Promotion. The fact sheets were
posted under the Practitioners section of the
AOTA Web site and several were available at the
2010 Annual Conference & Expo.
AOTA broadened its partnerships with
14 key transportation organizations to pro-
mote occupational therapy in driving and
community mobility. The National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) funded
the AOTA Program Development Mini-Grants
project that resulted in driving toolkit contri-
butions from six sites. The CarFit project, in
collaboration with Automotive Clubs of Amer-
ica (AAA) and AARP, included more than 40
events, 1,000 occupational therapy practitioner
volunteers, and seminar tours held in Australia
and New Zealand. AOTA also worked with The
Hartford and Massachuetts Institute of Tech-
nology (MIT) Age Lab to produce the evidence-
based brochure Your Road Ahead: A Guide to
Comprehensive Driving Evaluations and
participated in the Association for Driving
Rehabilitation Specialists (ADED) conference.
The critical role of occupational therapy
15
in the mental health needs of children
was addressed in many ways, including partici-
pation in the Awareness Day Turns 5 Celebra-
tion, sponsored by Substance Abuse and
Mental Health Services (SAMSHA) in honor of
National Children’s Mental Health Awareness
Day. AOTA also presented at the Annual Con-
ference on Advancing School Mental Health in
partnership with the Center for School Mental
Health Assistance (CSMHA), University of
Maryland School of Medicine, and the IDEA
Partnership funded by the Office of Special
Education Programs and sponsored by the
National Association of State Directors of
Special Education. AOTA produced the Chil-
dren’s Mental Health Day podcast and fea-
tured OT in mental health in OT Practice, OT
Connections, and 1-Minute Update.
AOTA strongly supported occupational
16
therapy in school-based practice through
partnerships with key organizations and vari-
ous activities. AOTA participated in the IDEA
Full Partnership Meetings to highlight collab-
orative activities in school mental health,
autism, early childhood, RtI, and transitions;
networked with educators at the American
Federation of Teachers Quest Conference;
participated as a partner and consultant at the
National Symposium on Universal Design
for Learning; presented on transitions at the
Dean’s Signature Symposium at Eastern
Kentucky University; and was a panelist on a
Response to Intervention video chat at the
Annual Conference of the National Associa-
tion of Elementary School Principals
(NAESP).
AOTA promoted the role of occupational
17 therapy practice in environmental modifi-
cation to provide older adults with indepen-
dence and safety in their homes and
communities. AOTA’s strategic partnership
with National Association of Home Builders
(NAHB) included participation as a judge in
the NAHB/AARP-sponsored 2009 Livable
Communities Awards and attendance at the
NAHB Certified Aging in Place Specialists
(CAPS) Board of Governors meeting. AOTA
also collaborated with Rebuilding Together
(RT) to match occupational therapy practition-
ers and students with local RT affiliates to
provide home assessments and recommenda-
tions. In addition, AOTA produced the “Mak-
ing Your Home Fit” podcast using the AARP
Home Fit Guide as its resource for consumers.
addressed the role of occupational
18 AOTAtherapy in early intervention through
numerous opportunities, including participa-
tion in the Early Childhood Outcomes
webinar panel sponsored by the National
Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center
(NECTAC); a panel presentation with the
American Speech–Language–Hearing Associa-
tion (ASHA), the American Physical Therapy
Association (APTA), and the National Associa-
tion of Social Workers (NASW) at the Office of
Special Education Programs National Early
Childhood 2009 Conference, and a new “Early
Intervention FAQ” developed by AOTA’s Early
Intervention Workgroup.
AOTA worked with The Partnership for
19 Health and Aging (PHA), under the
auspices of the American Geriatric Society, to
develop multidisciplinary geriatric competencies
for entry-level practitioners. The competency
project was completed in March 2010 and
AOTA endorsed the final competencies.
Next Steps (FY 2011)
n Selection and involvement of attend-
ees in the second Emerging Leaders
Program.
n Launch and promotion of the COOL
volunteer leadership database.
n Development of governance structure
recommendations by The AOTA Proce-
dural & Organizational Change Ad Hoc
Committee.
n Implementation of the Occupational
Therapy Centralized Application Service
(OTCAS).
n AOTA participation, communication,
and resources in overarching areas of
practice.
How You Can Help
n Recognize and clarify your important
role as an occupational therapy profes-
sional to health care professionals and
your clients.
n Get involved in AOTA volunteer leader-
ship by completing your profile in the
COOL database at www.aota.org/cool.
n Participate on OT Connections through
SIS forum posts, group discussions,
and blogs.
n Become AOTA Board or Specialty
certified in a specific practice area to
model the achievement of professional
competencies and skills.
n Continue to support and participate in
AOTA efforts by maintaining your mem-
bership and seeking ways to contribute
your knowledge and abilities.
AOTA served as a member of the
20 Advisory Committee of the Rehabilitation
Research and Training Center (RRTC) on
Improving Measurement of Medical
Rehabilitation Outcomes.
AOTA President Florence Clark and
21 newly elected WFOT delegate Susan
Coppola represented the U.S. occupational
therapy profession at the 29th World Federation
of Occupational Therapists (WFOT) Council meet-
ing in Santiago, Chile.
5
Articulating Our Value
AOTA effectively influenced health care
1 reform legislation through direct and
c a p I ta l b r I e f I n g

States Enact Insurance Mandates

grassroots advocacy on behalf of occupational To Cover OT for Autism

I
Marcy M. Buckner

therapy. Several key victories were achieved in n 2010, two states enacted autism
insurance reform legislation, and 20
states are still considering legislation
that includes provisions mandating that
authorize the Medicaid program to
provide services to persons with autism.
The range of options include: (1) an
option based on Maryland’s waiver for
or ordered. Occupational therapy is not
specifically included as a covered treat-
ment; however, reimbursement shall be
allowed only for services provided by a

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care

health insurance plans cover treatment
for autism spectrum disorders (ASDs).
Kentucky and Maine enacted legisla-
tion this spring, with both states includ-
ing occupational therapy in mandated
coverage provisions for ASD treatment.
children with ASD, and (2) an option
using applied behavioral analysis for
children ages 0 to 9 years. Each option
will include the estimated cost of
implementing the waiver to the state
Medicaid program and to an individual
provider licensed, trained, and qualified
to provide such services or by an autism
specialist or an intensive individual ser-
vice provider. These service providers
are yet to be defined by the Department
of Social and Rehabilitation Services

Act (PPACA), including a one year extension to

In addition, Utah enacted legislation
that will impact Medicaid autism policy.
Kentucky’s new law states that cov-
erage for individuals in the large group
and state employee market between the
Medicaid client. The Health and Human
Services Interim Committee will deter-
mine whether to sponsor legislation to
require the Department of Health to
apply for a Medicaid waiver to provide
Kansas Autism Waiver.
Of the 20 states that are still actively
pursing autism insurance reform legisla-
tion, 17 include occupational therapy
as a form of treatment that should be

the Medicare Outpatient Part B Therapy Ser-

ages of 1 and 7 years will be subject to a
maximum annual benefit of $50,000 and
that coverage for individuals between
the ages of 7 and 21 years will be sub-
ject to a maximum monthly benefit of
$1,000. Individuals in the small group
services to persons with autism by
December 1, 2010. No other treatments
other than applied behavioral analysis
were specified in the Utah bill.
In March 2010 Iowa and Kansas
enacted legislation, but at this time they
included in coverage for ASDs. The
majority of these states include cover-
age for occupational therapy, along with
speech and physical therapy, as incor-
porated into therapeutic care as a type
of treatment for ASDs while a handful

vices exception process, inclusion of rehabilita- and individual market will be subject to
a maximum monthly benefit of $1,000
regardless of age. Coverage for occupa-
tional therapy, along with speech and
physical therapy, is incorporated into
are still awaiting the governor’s signa-
ture. If H.B. 2531 is signed into law, Iowa
will require coverage for individuals
under the age of 21 years, private health
insurance companies to provide cover-
of states list occupational therapy as a
separate qualifying treatment.
Last year, several states enacted
autism reform legislation, with the
majority these state laws including

tion and habilitation services in the mandated

therapeutic care as a type of treatment
for ASDs.
Maine now requires health insurance
companies to provide coverage of the
diagnosis and treatment of ASDs for
age for the diagnosis and treatment
of ASDs, and a $36,000 annual cap on
treatments for children with ASDs. As
in Kentucky, coverage for occupational
therapy, along with speech and physical
occupational therapy. In total, 17 states
have enacted autism reform legislation:
Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida,
Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana,
Maine, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey,

benefits package, and attention to occupational

individuals age 5 years and younger, and
coverage of treatments will be provided
when prescribed, provided, or ordered
for an individual diagnosed with autism
by a licensed physician or a licensed
psychologist who determines the care
therapy, is incorporated into therapeutic
care as a type of treatment for ASDs.
In Kansas, if H.B. 2160 is signed by
the governor, there will be an annual cap
on treatments for children with ASDs
who are enrolled in the health insur-
New Mexico, Pennsylvania, South Caro-
lina, Texas, and Wisconsin. Thirteen
of these states include coverage for
occupational therapy as a treatment
for ASDs. As legislators pursue autism
reform legislation, new opportunities for

therapy in workforce, and in other areas as well. to be medically necessary. Therapy

services provided by a licensed occu-
pational therapist are listed as a type
of treatment covered for ASDs. Speech
therapy and physical therapy are also
included.
Utah has developed a range of
options for a Medicaid waiver that would
ance plan for state employees: $36,000
up to age 7 years and $27,000 between
ages 7 and 19 years. For individuals
diagnosed with autism by a licensed
physician, or a licensed psychologist
occupational therapy practitioners arise
through an increase of consumer access
to occupational therapy, creating a new
demand for services through mandated
coverage of occupational therapy. n
who determines the care to be medically
necessary, coverage of treatments will Marcy M. Buckner, JD, is a state policy analyst at
be provided when prescribed, provided, AOTA. She can be reached at mbuckner@aota.org.

6 MAY 10, 2010 • WWW.AOTA.ORG

Four Capitol Hill Days coordinated by

2 AOTA drew more than 450 attendees
to lobby for occupational therapy as an
important part of the solution to health care.
Attendees included students, practitioners,
program directors, and the Board of Directors.

AOTA leadership worked in collabora-

3 tion with several other groups and
successfully opposed a proposal by Congress to
require bundled payments for post-acute care
for Medicare beneficiaries.

AOTA maintained regular contact with

4 the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid
Services (CMS) to keep members aware of CMS
activities on proposed changes and new rules
that would affect occupational therapy in areas
of orthotics, rehabilitation, skilled nursing
facilities, and home health. AOTA challenged
new payment proposals, arguing for the distinc-
tion of occupational therapy. AOTA advocated
successfully on student supervision rules for
occupational therapy assistants to be able to
supervise student assistants in nursing facilities.
Occupational therapy expert researchers
5 were successfully nominated to the
American Medical Association’s Physician
Consortium for Performance Improvement
Dementia Work Group, the Stroke Work
Group, and the Adult Depressive Disorders
Work Group.
16 AOTA submitted comments in response
to several proposed Medicare Local
Coverage Determinations (LCDs) to protect the
occupational therapy scope of practice in 23
states. Guidelines that would limit frequency
and duration of therapy services were opposed.
In addition, AOTA advocated for the value of
occupational therapy clinical judgment.
The Washington Occupational Therapy
7 Association (WOTA) was alerted about a
6
proposal by optometric physicians in Washing- American Public Transportation Association,
ton State to revise the definition of “practice of and Association for Driver Rehabilitation
optometry” in state law and add low vision Specialists that helped promote the event on a
rehabilitation services and other changes. local, regional, and national basis. Practitioners
AOTA and WOTA worked together to success- offered lobby displays, public seminars, free
fully oppose the proposal. screenings, and distribution of written materi-
als. Topics and activities for both practitioners
State legislation on insurance coverage and consumers were made available on the
8 for autism spectrum disorder services AOTA Web site.
was supported by AOTA. The “State Health
Insurance Coverage for Individuals With AOTA completed a year-long project
Autism (2009–2010)” chart on the AOTA
11
funded by the Centers for Disease
Autism Resources Web page and a Capital Control and Prevention to promote policy
Briefing article in OT Practice highlighted these changes to increase Medicare’s attention to falls
important issues for members. prevention. The full series of documents was
posted on the AOTA Web site at http://www.
9 AOTPAC educated members about the
critical importance of political action
aota.org/Practitioners/PracticeAreas/Aging/
Falls.aspx.
and fundraising by its members through events
at the AOTA 2010 Annual Conference & Expo AOTA participated in the White House
12
Celebration of the 20th Anniversary of the
and state association conferences, meetings, and
other activities. The AOTPAC fundraising goal enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act
was exceeded by almost 10% and raised after receiving a special invitation in recogni-
$230,500 from 3,671 contributors, which pro- tion of the longstanding support and advocacy
vided contributions to 76 federal candidates. of the profession on behalf of people with
disabilities.
AOTA launched a new annual event in
10 Older Driver Safety Awareness Week. An online Occupational Therapy: Living
Kicked off in December 2009, it was endorsed by
13
Life To Its Fullest™ brand toolkit and
10 organizations that included AARP, American podcasts on diabetes management, home modi-
Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, fications, arthritis, and children’s mental health
were produced and made available to members
through the AOTA Web site.
Media promotion of the brand Occupa-
14 tional Therapy: Living Life To Its Fullest™
continued to build recognition for the profes-
sion. Forbes.com and U.S. News & World Report
identified occupational therapy on their respec-
tive lists as one of the “hot jobs where pay is
rising during the recession” and “Best Careers
2010.” Other media promotions included The
Daily Beast, Money magazine, and National
Public Radio.
Successful promotion of the research
15 efforts and evidentiary basis of the pro-
fession included the distribution of a research
paper published in the September/October
2009 issue of AJOT on the impact of occupa-
tional therapy in stroke recovery through
HealthDay, U.S. News & World Report, Business-
Week, Forbes, The Washington Post, iVillage,
Everyday Health, MSN Health, and more.
Occupational therapy practitioners and
16 students around the nation hosted
events for the 2009 National School Backpack
Day. Media placements for the events ranged
from national to local outlets, with over 40
media outlets featuring news on Backpack Day
that reached more than 78 million people.
The required five-year update of the
17 definition of occupational therapy for use
in state licensure laws was initiated with the
intent to incorporate the information and
terminology from the Occupational Therapy
Framework: Domain and Process, 2nd Edition.
AOTA worked with the American Medical
18 Association (AMA) on reviews of new and
revised CPT codes and the establishment of fair
relative values under the Medicare Physician’s
Fee Schedule.
19 AOTA played a significant role in
numerous CMS contractor workgroup
projects to protect occupational therapy under
Medicare. The Short Term Alternatives to
Therapy Services (STATS) addressed changes
to therapy billing/coding guidelines, a review of
current assessment tools, and revisions to
Medicare policy guidance and manuals, and the
Developing Outpatient Therapy Payment
Alternatives (DOTPA) project continued as a
long-term study looking at alternative payment
mechanisms for therapy services.
AOTA submitted evidence-based research
20
to support a written request that Health
Care Service Corporation (HCSC) operating
the Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans in 4 states
change their policy to use occupational therapy
services billed under the self-care and commu-
nity reintegration CPT codes.
21 AOTA responded to numerous requests
for comments on critical issues in
implementation of the new federal health care
reform law—the Accountable Care Act—on
issues such as benefits, appeals process, and new
system designs. Work also began with the
National Association of Insurance Commis-
sioners (NAIC) to assure attention to occupa-
tional therapy as NAIC develops guidance for
Congress, CMS, and consumers on
implementation.
Advocacy for education reform continued
22 and AOTA remained actively engaged
with the committees of jurisdiction that held
more than 15 hearings on the issue. AOTA
principles were developed for Reauthorization
of the Elementary and Secondary Education
Act and were submitted to the House Educa-
tion and Labor Committee as well as the Senate
Health, Education, Labor and Pensions
Committee.
Active collaboration with national coali-
23 tions to augment AOTA’s political and
policy voice was achieved through alliances with
The Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities
(CCD), the Medicare Therapy Cap Coalition,
the National Alliance of Pupil Service Organi-
zations (NAPSO), the Mental Health Liaison
Group (MHLG), and 5 other strategic
partnerships.
Great strides were made in educating
24 Congress about the home health issue for
occupational therapy and groundwork was laid
for future progress. AOTA’s proposal was
included in the House version of the health care
reform bill but was not subsequently included
in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care
Act (PPACA). The Congressional Budget Office
(CBO) score on the provision indicated that its
cost would not be significant over a ten year
period, which provided a critical lobbying tool
for the future.
Next Steps (FY 2011)
n Legislative efforts to achieve passage
of The Medicare Home Health Flexibility
Act by the House and Senate. 
n Advocacy to change new legislation
regarding additional certification for
occupational therapy practitioners
working with patients who have
lymphedema.
n Collaboration with Lighthouse Interna-
tional to create legislation that improves
access to care for people with low
vision and blindness and ensures the
role of OT in policy and reimbursement.
n Lobbying Congress to adopt AOTA
principles for education reform.
n AOTA Model Practice Act survey feed-
back to help draft a revised definition of
occupational therapy.
How You Can Help
n Contribute to grassroots advocacy
through the Legislative Center on the
AOTA Web site and participate in Capitol
Hill Day activities.
n Make a donation to AOTPAC at www.
aota.org/advocacy/AOTPAC.aspx to
support the profession’s political action
efforts.
n Stay alert to state legislative issues
that impact occupational therapy at the
State News & Information section of the
AOTA Web site and actively support the
profession.
n Use the Occupational Therapy: Living
Life To Its Fullest™ brand logo on your
e-mail signature and incorporate the
message through interactions with
health care providers, employers, and
consumers.
n Use media opportunities such as letters
to the editor, newspaper articles, Face-
book, and others to clarify occupational
therapy’s role in health care.
7
Linking Research, Education, and Practice
AOTA Press launched AJOT Online
1 through HighWire, a scholarly research
journal platform. The new format allows read-
ers to view the full content of each AJOT issue
online, including all figures and tables. Text is
searchable by key word, and cited references
include hyperlinks to Medline and the full text
of many other online journals. AJOT Online is
accessible at http://ajot.aotapress.net/.
AOTA signed a licensing agreement with
2 Cedaron Medical, Inc. to develop the
National Outcomes Database, an electronic
patient record and documentation system for
the profession. The system is based on the
Occupational Therapy Practice Framework:
Domain and Process. Multiple meetings were
also held with content and electronic documen-
tation systems experts to assess Cedaron’s system
and capabilities and initiate the development of
occupational therapy documentation templates.
AOTA increased its monitoring and
3 interaction with federal research agen-
cies, including National Institute of Mental
Health (NIMH), Agency for Healthcare
Research and Quality (AHRQ), National Insti-
tute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
(NINDS), Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC), Healthy People 2020, and
National Center for Medical Rehabilitation
Research (NCMRR). Comments were contrib-
uted or submitted to agencies on disability and
rehabilitation, multiple chronic conditions,
biomedical research training and career devel-
opment, sensory integration research, osteoar-
thritis, and stroke rehabilitation.
AOTA–AOTF Research Agenda was
4 Thedeveloped and approved by boards of
both organizations and publicized in the Janu-
ary 2010 issue of OT Practice.
A subcommittee of the AOTA-AOTF
5 Research Advisory Panel (RAP) helped
develop a grant proposal for an intervention
research conference that was to be submitted to
the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
(AHRQ).
The survey for the Occupational Therapy
6 Research Database was designed and
will be integrated into the AOTA membership
database to be searchable by researcher’s name,
federal funders, year of funding, and common
clinical populations. The database development
began with testing to be conducted in FY 2011.
8
OT Practice published four Evidence
7 Perks that connected practitioners,
students, educators, and researchers to
resources and information on health and well-
ness, autism spectrum disorders, productive
aging, and work and industry.
22 Evidence Bytes covering a broad
8 range of evidence-based practice
resources on the six overarching areas of prac-
tice were published in the 1-Minute Update. All
Evidence Bytes were made available in the
Evidence-Based Practice and Research section
of the Practitioners and Educators-Research
sections of the AOTA Web site.
AOTA responded to the National Autism
9 Center on their National Standards
Report, advocating for the role of occupational
therapy and providing information to support
and validate the theory and practice of sensory
integration. The response was published in the
November 23rd issue of the 1-Minute Update.
EBP Clearinghouse Pilot Project was
10 The initiated to develop a central depository
for evidence-based literature reviews and
related resources that focused on various
aspects of Critically Appraised Papers (CAPs).
Selected SIS committee members participated
in self-study training and reviews of CAPs.
Results of the project updated guidelines and
were presented at the 2010 AOTA Annual
Conference.
2010 AOTA Annual Conference
2010 AOTA/NBCOT
Student Conclave
Systematic reviews were initiated on the
11 role of occupational therapy in early
intervention, older adults with low vision, and
children with behavioral and psychosocial
needs. The review of OT and activity-based
interventions related to productive aging was
completed. The reviews were done by Academic
Partnerships that involved faculty and students
and provided excellent examples of projects
that link education, research, and practice.
The Evidence-Based Practice Resources
12 area of the AOTA Web site was reorga-
nized by the six main practice areas and by the
type of resource to make navigation easier and
accessible. Resources are organized by The
American Journal of Occupational Therapy
(AJOT) articles, OT Practice articles, Special
Interest Sections Quarterly articles, evidence-
based resources CATs and CAPs, Evidence Brief
Series, Evidence Perks, and Evidence Bytes.
The systematic reviews on Occupational
13 Therapy and Children With Sensory
Processing/Sensory Integrative Disorder were
published in the May/June 2010 Special Issue of
the American Journal of Occupational Therapy
(AJOT).
AOTA Press published the Occupational
14 Therapy Guidelines for Adults with
Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders with
reviews of Alzheimer’s symptoms, stages, and
pharmacology as well as a detailed description
of the occupational therapy process for various
approaches and interventions.
AOTA held its third annual AOTA/NBCOT
15 National Student Conclave in Baltimore,
Maryland in November 2009 and 564 students
and 44 exhibitors attended. A significant num-
ber of students also participated in lobbying on
Capitol Hill prior to the start of the Conclave.
The 91st AOTA Annual Conference & Expo
16 was held in Orlando, Florida, with over
6,000 attendees, more than 1,000 speakers, 630
educational sessions, and six poster sessions.
Tech Day sessions drew close to 800 attendees.
The 2011 Call for Papers published in the
Program Guide drew a record number of 1,207
submissions of which 39% were research-related.
AOTA Continuing Education produced
17 eight new CE courses for professional
development and licensure renewal, including
two Self-Paced Clinical Courses (SPCCs), one
Online Course, and five CEonCD™s. In addi-
tion, eleven new Continuing Education Articles
(CEAs) were published in OT Practice.
n Occupational Therapy in Mental Health:
Considerations for Advanced Practice
n Dysphagia Care and Related Feeding Concerns
for Adults, 2nd Edition
n Occupational Therapy in Action: Using the
Lens of the Occupational Therapy Practice
Framework: Domain and Process, 2nd Edition
n Model of Human Occupational Screening Tool
(MOHOST): Theory, Content, and Purpose
n Occupation-Focused Intervention Strategies
for Clients With Fibromyalgia and Fatiguing
Conditions
n Ethics Topic—Moral Distress: Surviving Clini-
cal Chaos
n Ethics Topic—Organizational Ethics: Occupa-
tional Therapy Practice in a Complex Health
Environment
n Driving Assessment and Training Techniques:
Addressing the Needs of Students With Cogni-
tive and Social Limitations Behind the Wheel
AOTA Press published 10 new books with
18 revised editions of bestsellers, an AOTA
practice guideline on Alzheimer’s disease, and
new topic areas:
n Autism: A Comprehensive Occupational Ther-
apy Approach, 3rd Edition
n Evaluation: Obtaining and Interpreting Data,
3rd Edition
n For the Love of Occupation: Reflections on a
Career in Occupational Therapy
n Living Life To Its Fullest: Stories of Occupa-
tional Therapy
n Occupational Therapy in Mental Health:
Considerations for Advanced Practice
n Occupational Therapy Practice Guidelines for
Adults With Alzheimer’s Disease and Related
Disorders
n Screening Adult Neurologic Populations: A
Step-by-Step Instruction Manual, 2nd Edition
n Sensory Integration: A Compendium of Lead-
ing Scholarship
n The Test of Grocery Shopping Skills
n The Texture of Life: Purposeful Activities in the
Context of Occupation, 3rd Edition
Participation in the AOTA Approved
19 Provider Program (APP) increased by 8%.
Full Approved Provider applications were 20%
higher than expected. Four-year renewals and
addendum applications to add distance learn-
ing formats continued to be strong.
The Representative Assembly approved
20 Occupational Therapy’s Perspective on the
Use of Environments and Contexts to Support
Health and Participation in Occupations to
include in AOTA Official Documents. The follow-
ing documents were adopted by the Representa-
tive Assembly (RA) or Representative Assembly
Coordinating Council (RACC) and were posted
on the AOTA Web site.
n Occupational Therapy Services in the Promo-
tion of Psychological and Social Aspects of Men-
tal Health (a revision of the 2004 statement)
n Specialized Knowledge and Skills in Mental
Health Promotion, Prevention and Interven-
tion in Occupational Therapy Practice
n Driving and Community Mobility Statement
n Standards of Practice for Occupational Therapy
n Telerehabilitation
n The Scope of Occupational Therapy Services for
Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorders
Across the Life Span
OT Practice featured the following
21 Practice Perks to make AOTA Official
Documents more user-friendly: Providing OT
Using SI Theory and Methods in School-Based
Practice, Rituals vs. Routines, Addressing Sleep,
Scope of Practice, The Term Practitioners,
Calling All Voices, Disaster Preparedness,
Telerehabilitation, and OT Services in Early
Intervention and School-Based Practice
Next Steps (FY 2011)
n Progress toward development of
National Outcomes Database for
benchmarking patient progress.
n Development and testing of the Occupa-
tional Therapy Researcher Database.
n First AOTA Specialty Conference with
targeted session topics on autism
spectrum disorders.
n Alzheimer’s Resources Web site with
links to information, research, CE,
books, and legislative activity.
How You Can Help
n Submit articles or manuscripts for
possible publication by AOTA Press or
in AJOT or OT Practice. Learn more at
http://www.aota.org/Pubs/Publish.aspx.
n Use resources available in the AOTA
Evidence-Based Practice Directory at
www.aota.org/ebp to support your
practice.
n Sign up to AJOT Online on HighWire
at http://ajot.aotapress.net/ to receive
email alerts or submit an online
manuscript.
n Submit a “Call for Papers” proposal to
present at the 91st AOTA Annual Con-
ference & Expo in Indianapolis, Indiana.
n Earn AOTA contact hours and CEUs
for licensure renewal at an Annual or
Specialty Conference or through con-
tinuing education courses.
The National Guideline Clearinghouse,
22 supported by the federal Agency for
Healthcare Research and Quality, posted the
following AOTA Practice Guidelines on the
NGC Web site: Adults with Alzheimer’s Disease
and Related Disorders, Adults With Neurodegen-
erative Diseases, Adults With Traumatic Brain
Injury, Individuals With Work-Related Injuries
and Illnesses, Adults With Stroke, Driving and
Community Mobility for Older Adults, and
Children and Adolescents With Autism.
9
Supporting Our Members
AOTA ended the year with its sixth
1 consecutive annual increase in member-
ship. Membership totaled 40,226, up 3.42%, the
highest level of membership in ten years. OT
membership grew considerably and OTA stu-
dent membership was the fastest growing for
the second year in a row, tripling from 756 to
2,436 OTA student members.

Members were able to navigate the AOTA

2 Web site more easily through the change
to Google search and the reorganization of the
Practitioners section. In addition, the new
“AOTA Autism Resources” section provided a
comprehensive list of fact sheets, articles, books
and continuing education, research, legislative
updates, and other resources on the subject
with hyperlinks to further information.

The AOTA 2009–2010 Student Member-

3 ship Circle of OT and OTA academic
programs expanded again this year with a
40.5% overall increase over academic year
2008-2009, and a 21% increase at the Gold
Level (100% student membership).
AOTA 2010 Election member votes
4 The resulted in 17 new volunteer leaders
elected to the Board, Commissions, Special
Interest Sections, WFOT, and Assembly of
Student Delegates.
The members-only 1-Minute Update
5 e-newsletter with news, information,
and products was revised from a single publica-
tion sent to all members to four distinct news-
letters targeted at specific practice areas:
General, Children & Youth, Productive Aging,
and Physical Disabilities.
n Mental Health: Integrating Sensory and
Trauma-Informed Interventions: A Massa-
chusetts State Initiative, Part 2
n Physical Disabilities: On the Road: Are We
Prepared To Keep Older Drivers Safe?
n Sensory Integration: The Importance of
Mentoring for the Professional Involvement
of Therapists Specializing in Ayres Sensory
Integration®
n Technology: Assessment and Use of Scanning
Pens
n Work & Industry: Motivation, Communi-
cation, and Change: Ergonomic Program
Success
As her presidential term ended, AOTA
8 President Penelope Moyers Cleveland
was recognized by the Board of Directors for
her outstanding leadership at their June
2010 meeting. She was presented with a
framed plaque that displayed photos of
hallmark events and quotes from her inspir-
ing speeches that reflected the impact she
made on the profession through her service
as AOTA President.

The Special Interest Section (SIS) Quar-
6 terly newsletters available online to all
members featured articles on specialized areas
of practice, including
n Administration & Management:
Adopting a Professional Learning Continuum
Plan
n Developmental Disabilities: Participation of
Children With Special Needs at the Aquarium
n Early Intervention & School: Teachers’
Perceptions of School-Based Occupational
Therapy Consultation
n Education: Teaching Qualitative Research
Methods Using a Simulation Exercise
n Gerontology: Geriatric Obesity
n Home & Community Health: Palliative Care
Ethical Dilemmas in a Multicultural Society
10
AOTA Press worked with global pub-
7 lishers to provide members-only assess-
ment products available on the Online Store—
n Asperger Syndrome Diagnositc Scale (ASDS)
n Cognitive Performance Test
n Conduct Disorder Scale (CDS)
n Developmental Test of Visual Perception, 2nd
Edition (DTVP–2)
n Dynamic Occupational Therapy Cognitive
Assessment for Children
n Gilliam Asperger’s Disorder Scale (GADS)
n Gilliam Autism Rating Scale, 2nd Edition
(GARS–2)
n Loewenstein Occupational Therapy Cognitive
Assessment
n Loewenstein Occupational Therapy Cognitive
Assessment–Geriatric

Next Steps (FY 2011)
n Revamp of the AOTA Web site with a
central “My AOTA” site that simplifies
the search process and provides a
single login username and password
to AOTA, OT Connections, AOTA Online
Store, and OTjobLink.
n Update of the membership database for
increased demographics, easy profile
updates and membership renewals.
n Production of new AOTA Press publica-
tions and AOTA Continuing Education
products with resources and profes-
sional development opportunities.
n Continued investigation of affinity
programs that can provide additional
Association member benefits
n Publication of OT Practice, AJOT, and
SIS Quarterly articles that promote
practice, research, and education.
Developing Our Resources
FY 2009–2010 Financial Report
AOTA FY 2010 Revenue
Membership Fees 6,071,322 37.5%
Conferences 2,646,769 16.3%
Subscriptions and Advertising 1,790,413 11.1%
Books and Publications 1,355,823 8.4%
Rental Income 1,237,237 7.6%
Accreditation Fees 985,137 6.1%
Continuing Education Fees 875,615 5.4%
Other 494,277 3.1%
Royalties 461,627 2.8%
Investment Income (loss) 277,644 1.7%
Total 16,195,864 100%
AOTA FY 2010 Expenses

How You Can Help Professional Development 4,588,070 29.9%

n Renew your AOTA membership and take Publications 3,924,861 25.6%
advantage of all your member benefits. Building Operations 2,692,230 17.6%
n Recruit colleagues that are not yet Advocacy and Awareness 1,789,618 11.7%
members of AOTA and let them know Membership 1,247,172 8.1%
the importance of their support and the Governance 1,081,776 7.1%
tangible and intangible benefits of being
part of the AOTA community. Total 15,323,727 100%
n Read OT Practice, AJOT, SIS Quarterly
newsletters, and 1-Minute Update
to stay up-to-date on news, trends,
research, products, and opportunities.
n Join OT Connections and join AOTA
on Facebook to share comments and
participate in forums and discussions.
n Provide member feedback to help AOTA
communicate effectively and offer
customized, relevant member services.

11
 www.aota.org
4720 Montgomery Lane, Bethesda, MD 20814 • 800-SAY-AOTA • 301-652-2682 • 301-652-7711 Fax • 800-377-8555 TDD

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.