PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE:

        Many companies are instantly recognizable by the brands they promote. When you see a shoe with a reversed checkmark, that's Nike. A cartoon elf? Keebler cookies. Now what would be associated with MOTA? If your mind went blank, I'm not surprised. The truth is, for most people there is no particularly strong and prominent concept, feature, or symbol that is clearly associated with the Maryland Occupational Therapy Association. Could the difficulty of recruiting new members be due to a problem with "brand association?" That is to say, is it possible an occupational therapy practitioner does not initiate or retain membership because he/she does not strongly see the membership benefits associated with MOTA?
           
        Do any of the following immediately come to mind when you see our acronym - "MOTA?" "Powerful representation of OT interests to the Maryland State Assembly." "Educational and informative yearly conference." "Affiliate and coadjutor of AOTA." "Ambassador to the Maryland Board of OT Practice." "Local resource for the OT practitioner." "Proponent of occupational therapy for the community."
           
        These are some of the many advantages that MOTA affords you. When you think "MOTA," all of those benefits should come to mind. Membership is the very best investment - currently just $5 a month - that you will ever make in supporting your profession. Pardon me - that's incorrect. Membership is not a matter of dollars and cents. It's you, your contribution as a member that ultimately provides the benefits of the association. To all those who participate, I thank you for your beneficence.
           
        Let's establish a strong brand for MOTA. Let's unite. Let's invest. Come MOTA-vate across the state for 2008!

- Marjorie Vogeley, MOTA President

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE:

        We have passed the halfway mark of the 2008 General Assembly session, and things are in high gear. Legislators are on over-drive as hearings, more and more, are lasting into the evening hours. Pressure to vote favorably or to defeat bills increases. The pressure-cooker environment is intensified by the expectation that even more money will have to be cut from the budget.
   
        Many of the health care-related bills have had hearings already. Most have been assigned to a sub-committee, where work sessions are ongoing. The "cramdown" bill, which passed the House last year only to die in the Senate, has some momentum. While there is much support for a bill that would allow providers to balance bill, it is likely that this will become an issue that the Task Force on Health Care Access and Reimbursement will study in the upcoming months. A network adequacy bill, requiring carriers to have an adequate number of physicians and other providers in their networks to deliver care to their enrollees in a timely manner, was introduced by Senator Kathy Klausmeier and Delegate Eric Bromwell (both Baltimore County democrats). Discussions are underway, though, that might result in this issue being addressed through regulations, without the need for a legislative fix. A hearing is scheduled for the ‘Maryland Athletic Trainers' Act' on March 18th. We are working hard to make sure any legislation like this limits athletic trainers practice solely to athletic venues, including but not limited to health clubs and athletic fields.
   
        You had an opportunity to meet and discuss all of these issues with legislators at MOTA's annual Legislative Reception. The evening was a huge success, with many legislators in attendance, including Delegate Jim Hubbard  (D - Prince George's County), who received MOTA's Legislator of the Year award. He stated "I am proud to work with MOTA's membership on issues that are important to so many women and men in Maryland, and I appreciate being honored for that work." Join us at Alexander and Cleaver's annual Sine Day Party, on April 7th from 1 pm until 4 pm, where you will have another opportunity to meet and greet legislators and other key elected officials. The afternoon promises to be a fun one, as legislators, lobbyists and advocates alike will be celebrating the end of another busy session. We hope to see you on April 7th, and look forward to working with you in the interim to further MOTA's goals.
  
- Ashlie Bagwell, Government Relations Consultant
Law Offices of Alexander & Cleaver

AOTA UPDATE:

AOTA's Representative Assembly Motions and Reports are Ready -
  
        The annual Representative Assembly meeting is coming up rapidly, and we need your input in order to represent your recommendations and concerns that affect our profession! Be in the know about issues and actions in the OT world by going on-line at www.aota.org if you are an AOTA member, and read the motions in entirety; a brief summary is included here. These motions and action items from leaders in the profession will form the basis for deliberations at the RA meeting in Long Beach, CA before the AOTA annual conference, April 8-10. Check out the report under Governance, RA meeting, at www.aota.org as we move our Centennial Vision forward. It is a tremendously exciting time to be in OT as we lay the ground work to carve out our future.
  
        Our job is to represent AOTA member positions on these motions and action items. We would love to be invited to your facility or district meeting to report on what will take place at conference and hear from you what your OT worlds are like and what your positions are on the issues for the profession. We can be contacted by e-mail:  Marcie at mweinstein@towson.edu; and René at rbookoff@comcast.net. We are also happy to receive your emailed responses/questions/yes or no votes on the following items:
  
        Three new motions and a range of action items will undergo deliberation:

MOTION ONE:
        Would establish an ad hoc committee to develop core competencies for entry-level OTs March 18, 2008for practice related to physical rehabilitation of the upper extremity. The rationale behind putting a committee together to work on this is concerns raised that OTs are not receiving adequate academic preparation in the foundational sciences and in specific skills training to practice effectively in this area, thereby jeopardizing our role and risking encroachment from other professions. Other concerns raised about the motion revolve around the distinction in roles and responsibilities between AOTA and ACOTE, which is the actual independent body with the authority to mandate content in OT academic curricula; and the difference between generalist entry-level preparation and advanced practice skills. This motion would not result in any change to OT education, but would fund the committee formation to develop competencies and make recommendations to the RA.

MOTION TWO:
        Would recommend that ACOTE reconsider the possibility for OTAs to participate in OT educational programs as Academic Fieldwork Coordinators. OTAs were eligible for these positions prior to the newest enactment of the ACOTE Accreditation Standards, and the rationale for recommending this change relates to: increased career opportunities for OTAs, value placed on OTA contributions, and potential for enhanced awareness of OTA role by OT students.
 
MOTION THREE:
        Establish a task force to categorize our current AOTA library holdings and submit a report to the Board, recommending which items need to be prioritized in the process of transferring to a more durable digital/electronic form and properly archived and preserved in order to avoid losing our unique body of knowledge. The rationale is to begin the process of preserving historical documents, video tapes, audio tapes, photographs, etc. so their use is available to members.

ACTION ITEMS RELATED TO LEADERSHIP:
        In order to develop and support new voluntary leaders to assume important roles on committees, task forces, etc. within AOTA, three new actions are proposed.
  
• Operationalize an online program whereby members would fill out information about their skills and interests so they can be matched to appropriate leadership opportunities.
• Facilitate a smoother transition into new roles for incoming volunteer leaders to decrease their learning curve through the development of new transition materials and more efficient use of staff liaison time.
• Appoint a committee to prepare a pilot program Emerging Leaders Development Program that will offer training, mentoring and support to younger practitioners and students to facilitate their active involvement in AOTA.

ACTION ITEMS RELATED TO OTAs:
        These items originated from the OTA Representative to the RA, the Commission on Education, and the AOTA President. All concern: increased visibility, opportunity, understanding and valuing of OTAs within AOTA.
  
• Work with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics to correctly title OTA within the Occupational Outlook handbook.
• Adopt revised position paper, "Importance of OTA Education to the Profession."
• Facilitate leadership development through creation of an OTA-specific Toolkit.
• Develop a series of articles for OT Practice that spotlights various OTA leaders.
• Revise SOPs to include a responsibility for commission/committee chairpersons to obtain an OTA perspective as part of all their deliberations.

ACTION ITEMS RELATED TO EARLY INTERVENTION:
        To prevent the denial of the OT right to practice in early intervention (EI) settings without additional coursework, the EI Education content Ad Hoc Committee recommends that:

• All OT academic programs incorporate the words "infant or toddler" in course titles, descriptions, objectives, etc.
• Recommend specific course content in academic programs related to: assessment and intervention in all areas of infant/toddler development ; key concepts of IDEA, evidence-based practice for EI; and various methods of teaming used in EI practice.

ACTION ITEMS RELATED TO GLOBAL ISSUES:
        These items were generated with a focus on increased effectiveness and efficiency of AOTA's existing structure of international representation and interface with WFOT.

• Establish or utilize communication networks to build improved capacity for global connectedness with AOTA members.
• Increase visibility of global practice initiatives in AOTA through such activities as: establishment of an international column in OT Practice, creation of international day roundtables at annual conference, staff reports to showcase international efforts, an international edition of AJOT.
• Realign some of the responsibilities among the elected WFOT delegates.

        If you have made it to the end, congratulations! We hope some or all of these issues have struck a chord and will generate your response to us. Go to the website for more detail, and we look forward to hearing from you!

- Marcie Weinstein, PhD, OT/L, FAOTA
René Bookoff, MS, OTR/L
Maryland Representative & Alternate
to the AOTA Rep. Assembly

CALLING ALL OTS AND OTAS IN DISTRICT II!
- Frederick, Carroll, Montgomery, and Howard Counties
        
SPECIAL  GET -TOGETHER:
  
Tuesday, April 29th
Talk of the Nite:  
        Using the OT Framework with
        School-Based Practice
Time:  6:00 pm-8:30pm
Place:
Uno Chicago Grill
5449 Urbana Pike
Frederick, MD 21704
Telephone: 301-668-2512

PLEASE COME! UNO IS DONATING A PERCENTAGE OF THE RECEIPTS TO MOTA!

OPEN LETTER OF APOLOGY TO ALL MOTA OTAS:

From: William R. White, Current OTA Rep. to MOTA

        When I accepted the job responsibilities from Loretta Foster as your Rep to MOTA, I felt very motivated to aid you as therapists in improving our role in OT. But shortly after accepting the position, my wife encountered severe health issues which required someone to be with her 24/7. Through the help of my children we were able to work through her problems. As a result of my needing to be with her at that time, I feel that I have let you as professionals down. Things have since improved enough that other family members are now able to help me. I have spoken with Marjorie (President of MOTA) in reference to this issue and I feel that I am now able to resume my responsibilities at 100%. Please feel free to contact me at magnetic21222@msn.com with any questions or suggestions to help us as we strive to make OTAs an important component in the Health Care field.

- Sincerely yours, William R. White

PR UPDATE:
  
        MOTA's Public Relations Committee is planning for April - National Occupational Therapy Month. April is our month to celebrate....to recognize and honor all that we do to impact so many lives.  April is our opportunity to educate, to increase awareness of the benefits of occupational therapy to the public, and to highlight the efficacy of our practice. The PR Committee is committed to achieving these goals. We welcome your assistance. Our request is that all members of MOTA and any others affiliated with the profession of occupational therapy make a concerted effort to increase the visibility of occupational therapy anywhere you find yourselves be it at your work settings, your college & university campuses, local schools, community events. Anywhere we go, let us be spokespersons for occupational therapy in April.
  
        MOTA members' assistance is needed to complete PR tasks for OT month. Just a little of your time can go a long way in making a difference for your profession. Please contact me at najwakareem@hotmail.com. Thank you!

- Najwa Kareem
MOTA Public Relations Committee Chair

CONFERENCE UPDATE:
  
        The 2008 MOTA conference planning had begun. The tentative date and venue for the location is November 7 and 8, 2008 at the Crowne Plaza in Timonium, MD. The theme for conference is "Let's MOTA-vate in 2008: Achieve the Centennial Vision."  Please check www.mdota.org  in April for information on the Call for Papers. Stay tuned for more information....
  
- Machele Walker, 2008 Conference Chairperson

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!

Did you enjoy the 2007 MOTA Conference? Or were there things that you would like to see done differently? Well, here is your chance!
   
We are seeking volunteers to be on the 2008 MOTA Conference Committee. All who are interested please email Machele Walker at WalkerMa@kennedykrieger.org.
   
Thanks for your support!!

REFLECTIONS OF GRATITUDE....

        I feel so touched to have been recognized by my colleagues and friends in the Maryland Occupational Therapy Association. You have given me more than any award can provide: friendship, challenge, and the immense satisfaction of helping our profession. I especially want to thank everyone who volunteers valuable time and energy to make MOTA possible. Our Executive Board, Committees, and Trustees continue to build and transform our premier association. It has been a great honor to be part of that effort.

It is now time for Marjorie Vogeley to add her style and ideas to MOTA. Our future is secure and exciting!

- Robin Klein (outgoing MOTA President)

TREASURER'S REPORT:

Budget:
       For this fiscal year, July 1, 2007 - June 30, 2008, $57,800 was budgeted for income and $57,600 was budgeted for expenses. As of February 29, 2008, MOTA has taken in $61,366 and spent $58,038. There is $19,429 in the Henrietta Price Scholarship Fund. Total assets (checking and savings account, T. Rowe Price Investment) not including the scholarship money are $65,470. As you can see by the numbers, we continue to be financially solvent. Although we have spent more than what we had anticipated for in the budget, we also have taken in more than what we had anticipated.
  
        Thank you to all who attended the 2008 Legislative Reception and to those who volunteered their time, talent, and energy to making it a success. The event took in $4,098, spent $5,373, with a total net loss of $1,275. For comparison, last year's reception took in $3,606, spent $4,872, with a total net loss of $1,266.
  
        Budget preparations for next year's budget will soon be underway so that by June 2008, we will have a budget in place for the next fiscal year, July 1, 2008 - June 30, 2009.
  
        Thank you to all who continue to support MOTA though their membership. If you know of any OT or OTA who is not a member, please encourage them to join so that we can continue to build a strong organization that promotes, advocates, and supports our profession. Become involved!

- Ruth Nelson, MOTA Treasurer

NEW HOPE FOR PATIENTS WITH STROKE:
CONSTRAINT-INDUCED THERAPY
  
By Maher Kharma MHS, OTR/L, CEAS
  
        As stroke continues to be the leading cause of disability in the United States, researchers continue to look for ways to assist clients to restore maximum function and mobility following the onset. Commonly used therapy techniques have provided positive outcomes, however, have not always been able to enhance extremity voluntary motion, and have frequently left a client with residual functional and mobility deficits. A relatively new therapy technique has been introduced and proved to provide promising results for those clients with residual physical deficits in the upper extremity. Many research studies, including a multi-site, randomized, prospective study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA -Nov, 2006) have supported the use of Constraint-Induced therapy (CIT) as an effective treatment in patients after cerebrovascular accidents.
  
        CIT is a therapy technique that is very new to rehab science, and involves extensive practice of various tasks such as reaching, supination, and using a peg board. It uses a type of training called shaping, where a movement target is employed to improve the use of the affected arm by small steps. Progressively, a therapist works to facilitate transferring gained movement of the affected limb from the clinic to use in routine daily activities. The treatment process may involve restraining of the less-affected limb using a mitt or sling to encourage the patient to use the limb most affected by stroke.
  
        Studies using transcranial magnetic stimulation show that CIT reorganizes the brain by forcing it to "rewire" itself, and those areas of the brain normally used for other functions are "recruited" to help move the affected arm. This mechanism of cortical reorganization was confirmed through functional MRI scans of the participants at the beginning and end of one study that clearly showed activity in brain areas that weren't active at the start of the study.
  
        As research demonstrates that the brain retains its plasticity throughout the life span with no correlation between onset and treatment outcome, the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association recognizes that constraint-induced therapy has shown promising evidence- based results for stroke patients. In the later stages of the treatment, client supervision can be completed virtually online for those clients who have access to a webcam.
  
        Now that OTs understand that the brain is re-wireable, more clients with stroke can regain additional function in the affected upper extremity.

ELECTION OF MOTA VICE PRESIDENT:

        As mentioned in the last issue of MOTA News, the position of Vice President is open. Raymond G. Pharaoh, COTA/L, is currently the only candidate. The deadline for nominations was February 12.
  
        MOTA's bylaws require us to give members an opportunity to cast a vote for this position. If you would like to vote for Mr. Pharaoh,  please mail a note stating this to:
  
                MOTA
                P.O. Box 2742
                Columbia, MD 21045
  
        You may also cast your vote via email at email.mota@gmail.com.
 

DO YOU NEED REFERRALS?
    
Please let us know if you want us to refer clients to you. Just forward the information to MOTA President Marjorie Vogeley by e-mail: zinniasoup@gmail.com, or conventional mail:
MOTA, P.O. Box 2742, Columbia, MD 21045
  
   We need your name, practice area(s), practice region(s), phone number(s), and e-mail.

MARYLAND BOARD OF OT PRACTICE GUIDELINES FOR OTA SUPERVISION:
  
The Board Regulations State That:  
  
An OTA must be supervised by an OT face-to-face for each client once every 10 visits, (or) once every 30 days.
   
Supervision includes chart review and meetings to discuss treatment plans, client response, or observation of treatment.
   
The supervising OT shall is required to provide direction at initiation of the treatment or before discharge.
   
The supervising OT determines the rate and intensity of supervision based on the experience and competence of the OTA and the complexity and status of the client.
    
The OT and OTA shall document their supervision and are jointly responsible for this record.
    
For more information go to www.mdotboard.org.