o OTH 520 Week 5 Ticket to Class

Choose Your Advocacy Adventure

Name:____Lou Luis_______________ Date:__9/24/23__________

Instructions: Access the AOTA Advocacy: Issues webpage and follow the prompts below. Make
sure you write responses in your own words and do not copy/paste.

1. Select one of the following issues to explore (pick your adventure):

a. Behavioral Health
b. Health Care Reform
c. Medicaid Advocacy
d. Medicare Part B Advocacy
e. OTA Payment Advocacy
f. Occupational Therapy Licensure Compact
g. Post-acute Care Payment Advocacy
h. Private Insurance advocacy
i. Schools and Early Intervention
j. Scope of Practice
k. Telehealth
l. Workforce Diversity

What did you pick? __Scope of practice______

Why?_____its ever changing and its dependent by state___________

2. Describe what this advocacy issue is about.

● “advocating for legislation to update state practice acts”
● “ensure there is no infringement on the occupational therapy scope of
practice”
● advocating for our practice it self and ho we can provide therapy in
different fields
3. Why does it matter?
● “The ability of occupational therapists and occupational therapy
assistants to compete in the marketplace, and the integrity of the
occupational therapy profession's domain, are only as strong as the legal
structures that are in place in all 50 states and other jurisdictions.”
○ we can only do what the law allows us
4. What are the latest two articles and/or news releases? What is the take home messages
from those articles/news releases?
● AOTA approves Updates to Occupational Therapy Model Practice Act
https://www.aota.org/advocacy/advocacy-news/2023/occupational-
therapy-model-practice-act
○ addressing the important changes to the model of practice
 ■ referral requirements to allow for direct access for
occupational therapy services
■ provide services through telehealth
● Capital Report: Calling on Congress to Continue OT via Telehealth in
Medicare After Public Health Emergency
https://www.aota.org/publications/ot-practice/ot-practice-issues/2021/
capital-report-telehealth
○ advocating why we should be able to practice through telehealth
for people with medicare
○ there a lot benefits for people who live in rural and underserved
areas as well
5. How may these advocacy issues impact you and your community?
● the telehealth issue is a great example of why advocating for your
scope of practice is impactful
● it will allow access to services for people with disabilities, rural, amd
underserved areas
○ its about advocating for our service to be available to as many
people as possible