Sunday, July 28, 2013

Starting the New Fiscal Year

It is hard to believe that it has already been one year into my term as your OTAC president, and that we are now in the new fiscal year of 2013-2014. It struck me that we all operate on multiple calendars as we engage in our various roles and daily occupations. We mark and organize our time around the calendar year for monthly due dates (e.g., paying bills), activities with friends and families, chores, appointments, vacations, holidays, etc. Those of you who also operate on an academic calendar (as I do as an OT working in the school setting) know that the school year ended in May or June, and there is a summer break. My summer break began about 2 1/2 weeks ago, and I will return to begin the 2013-2014 school year in early August, the same week in which our first OTAC board meeting will occur. There is this overlap of time that includes endings, beginnings, and transitions, and it is amazing that we can keep everything straight, even with the benefit of technology!

For OTAC, this new fiscal year signifies the beginning of terms for newly elected and appointed leaders, as well as the start of another year for returning leaders. We have a new 3-year strategic plan and goals; and committees, regional directors and directors-elect, officers, and the OTAC staff have begun implementing activities toward achieving these goals. We are starting the year preparing for a leadership orientation and training in a few days, and our first board meeting of the year on August 10th. We also have timelines for the activities, programs, events, advocacy efforts and services that are available to you or are conducted on your behalf (e.g., the newsletter, regional events, annual conference, etc.).

Region 5 Meet and Greet Events
One of the things that many of you have asked for is more regional activities that are in areas closer to where you live and work. Responding to this need is among our primary goals for this year, and I had the pleasure of attending two Region 5 "Meet and Greet" events this past week. The first event was held at the OTAC office at the Association Resource Center (ARC) in Folsom on Wednesday, 7/24/13, and the second event was held at Friends House in Santa Rose on Thursday, 7/25/13. These events provided an opportunity for occupational therapists, occupational therapy assistants, and students to come together for some refreshments, to catch up with colleagues they hadn't seen for a while, make new connections, and learn more about what is happening in their different areas of practice, the profession, and with OTAC. Areas of practice represented included home health, geriatrics, adult rehab, acute care, hands, management, school-based, and early intervention among others. A range of experience was also represented from students in OT and OTA programs, to practitioners in their first job, practitioners with 5+ years' experience, to those with 20+ years or who are now retired.


At the OTAC Office at ARC (not pictured are two
additional practitioners who arrived after this photo)

Those who attended the event in Folsom got to see where the OTAC Office is and where the OTAC staff, including our executive director, Karen Polastri, work so diligently on your behalf. They also got to meet the president of ARC, Stephen Hamilton.



At Friends House in Santa Rosa

Those who attended the Santa Rosa event got to see Friends House, which offers independent living, assisted living, skilled nursing, and rehabilitation programs, and they also heard our Practice Ethics & Reimbursement Committee Chair, Elizabeth Gomes, talk about what this committee does, ask for input on what else they would like to see from this committee, and invite them to participate in the online communities, OTAC Forums, accessible on the OTAC website to discuss issues, exchange information, share ideas, and build connections.

Both groups also heard more about two programs available to members, MyOTLicense, and Dynamic Learning Online. There was great discussion as well at both events covering issues that were of concern to the practitioners including health care reform in California, challenges in obtaining quality durable medical equipment for patients, and OTAC advocacy efforts. It was also exciting to hear the personal experiences and professional goals the attendees shared, such as preparing for a medical mission to Costa Rica; a goal to teach and do research; working as a media consultant; being a traveling therapist; and much more. 

These discussions generated an offer from the occupational therapist, Lori Louise Lawrence at Friends House, to offer to host this event on a quarterly basis. All in all, these events were stimulating, enjoyable, and a wonderful opportunity to make connections, learn new things, and acknowledge the diversity and contribution each practitioner brings to our profession. 

Be sure to check the OTAC calendar and other communications for upcoming regional events in your area. You can also arrange your own gathering. Provide the OTAC office with the date, time, and location, and the OTAC office will handle registration, name badges, and any OTAC materials you may need. Contact info@otaconline.org or call the office at 916-567-7000 or 888-686-3225.