Date and Time: 3/20/2025 from 6:00-7:00 p.m.
Chairperson(s): Lisa Boyajian Kyle Brennan
Location: Zoom - to be sent out day before the event
Title: Advocacy and the OTA
Speaker- Lisa Boyajian, Kylie Brennan
Learning Objectives:
Bio/Focus
Advocating for the role of Occupational Therapy Assistants (OTAs) is crucial in ensuring their professional recognition and the effective delivery of patient care. OTAs play a vital role in supporting occupational therapists, contributing significantly to client rehabilitation and overall care plans. As demand for rehabilitation services increases, the need for OTAs in diverse settings becomes more pronounced (AOTA, 2020). OTAs are essential in improving client outcomes, particularly in mental health and pediatric care (Smith & Johnson, 2021). However, challenges such as limited professional recognition and varying state regulations hinder their potential (Williams, 2019). Advocacy efforts focusing on enhancing education, certification standards, and legislative support for OTAs can address these challenges and help integrate them more fully into healthcare teams. Strengthening the visibility and impact of OTAs can improve not only their professional standing but also the quality and accessibility of occupational therapy services. The group will discuss strategies to employ in our professional work to advocate for OTAs including but limited to professional development, legislation, and public education. Advocating can impact the recognition of OTAs.
**References**
AOTA. (2020). *The role of OT assistants in the changing healthcare environment*. American Journal of Occupational Therapy.
Smith, L., & Johnson, M. (2021). *OTAs in pediatric rehabilitation: Enhancing client outcomes*. Journal of Pediatric Occupational Therapy.
Williams, R. (2019). *Challenges facing occupational therapy assistants: A call for advocacy*. Occupational Therapy Journal.
Registration will close on Wednesday, March 19, 2025, at 4:00 p.m.
Date and Time: March 24, 2025, 6:30-7:30 p.m.
Chairperson: Laurie Cecchi, OT
Title: Dementia: Not a Normal Part of Aging
Speaker: Laurie Cecchi, OT
Bio/Focus:
Laurie Cecchi, OT, OTR, CAPS (Certified Aging in Place Specialist), CDCS (Certified Dementia Care Specialist) is a highly respected dementia specialist with 35 years of experience in clinical practice. With a strong passion for improving the quality of life for individuals affected by dementia, Laurie has dedicated her career to advancing knowledge, care practices, and policy changes in this critical area. Laurie is currently a full time professor at Springfield Technical Community College in the Occupational Therapy Assistant program. Prior to her employment at STCC, she worked for more than a decade on the national clinical practice team for Genesis Rehab Services, serving as the Massachusetts dementia consultant for more than 20 facilities throughout the state. Laurie has been a featured speaker at both national and state conferences where she has shared insights on aging in place with individuals living with dementia, effective therapeutic approaches, and early identification.
References:
https://www.alz.org/alzheimers-dementia/difference-between-dementia-and-alzheimer-s
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/lewy-body-dementia/symptoms-causes/syc-20352025
https://www.alz.org/alzheimers-dementia/10-steps
https://www.alzheimers.gov/life-with-dementia/tips-caregivers
https://www.alz.org/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6858232/
https://dementiapathways.ie/_filecache/04a/ddd/98-painad.pdf
https://www.alz.org/blog/alz/february_2012/caregivers_take_note_%E2%80%93_music_as_therapy
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7116251/
https://www.alz.org/alzheimers-dementia/what-is-dementia/types-of-dementia/dementia-with-lewy-bodies
https://www.ucsfhealth.org/conditions/frontotemporal-dementia/symptoms#:~:text=With%20FTD%2C%20unusual%20or%20antisocial,muscle%20weakness%20or%20difficulty%20swallowing.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/vascular-dementia/symptoms-causes/syc-20378793
Date and Time: Thursday March 27, 2025 - 6-7:30pm
Chairperson(s): Emily Walker, OT, OTR, Allyson Lewis, OT, OTR, Rosa Colorado, OT, OTR
Title: Goal Writing in Mental Health OT: Best Practices for Better Outcomes
Speaker: Emily Walker, OT, OTR
Learning Objectives: By the end of the session, participants will:
The upcoming Mental Health SIG will focus on the art of goal writing in mental health occupational therapy practice. Crafting effective goals not only enhances client outcomes but also highlights the profession’s critical role in promoting mental health and well-being. This session will provide participants with the opportunity to reflect on their current goal-writing practices, explore evidence-based strategies for improvement, and apply these principles through interactive case studies.
Emily Walker, OT, OTR, is a seasoned occupational therapist and senior clinical supervisor at a nonprofit agency serving children and youth in residential settings. She oversees multidisciplinary teams, including occupational therapists, to ensure residents receive high-quality care and achieve successful health and discharge outcomes.
Connors, E. H., Douglas, S., Jensen-Doss, A., Landes, S. J., Lewis, C. C., McLeod, B. D., ... & Lyon, A. R. (2021). What gets measured gets done: How mental health agencies can leverage measurement-based care for better patient care, clinician supports, and organizational goals. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research, 48, 250-265. Martin-Cook, K., Palmer, L., Thornton, L., Rush, A. J., Tamminga, C. A., & Ibrahim, H. M. (2021). Setting measurement-based care in motion: practical lessons in the implementation and integration of measurement-based care in psychiatry clinical practice. Neuropsychiatric disease and treatment, 1621-1631. Saito, Y., Tomori, K., Sawada, T., Takahashi, S., Nakatsuka, S., Sugawara, H., ... & Levack, W. (2021). Determining whether occupational therapy goals match between pairs of occupational therapists and their clients: a cross-sectional study. Disability and rehabilitation, 43(6), 828-833.
Registration will be closed for this event at 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 26, 2025.
