Kansas Occupational Therapy Association (KOTA)

Dear Kansas KOTA and AOTA Members,

In preparation for the spring Representative Assembly meeting, AOTA has proposed making a transformational change to Association structures and processes to better support member participation and leadership development.

Recognizing the changing needs of the profession and the membership, AOTA appointed an ad hoc committee in October of 2008 that looked at AOTA’s volunteer and participation structure. The charge was to:

Undertake a comprehensive review of current methods and processes that support member participation in the Association including governance, workforce, and networking opportunities and structures.

The review was to assess the participation needs and desires of members, and models for participation that will align with and support the pursuit of Centennial Vision objectives. The Board received and approved the report and recommendations, and the recommendations will be conveyed to the Representative Assembly in Orlando.

Following extensive research regarding member activities and perceptions of participation, the Ad Hoc committee was able to identify key barriers which reduced member involvement and these barriers need to be addressed. After extensive deliberations, the Committee determined there needs to be a transformational change to AOTA’s structures and processes, and proposed a new framework for supporting member participation.

Supports the Centennial Vision and prioritizes leadership development
Aligns volunteer work groups with priority projects
Is proactive and has a clear and positive impact
Clearly defines expectations and delineates parameters and charges to volunteer groups to ensure success and implementation
Is cost-effective

A key priority for AOTA is to invest more in volunteer leadership identification, training and recognition. In response, they proposed a new Volunteer and Leadership Development Committee (VLDC), which will combine the responsibilities of the current Nominations Committee and Recognitions Committee. This committee will assist in populating ad hoc committees as well as identify potential volunteer leaders through a centralized database called Coordinated Online Opportunities for Leadership (COOL).

The Ad Hoc Committee also recommended the Representative Assembly be transformed from a 60-member group to a 15 member Council on Professional Policy and Standards and this group will retain responsibilities for setting policy and standards for the profession. It is thought that a smaller group will be able to respond more quickly to emerging critical professional issues and to ease members’ access to the policy and decision making processes.

The Council on Professional Policy and Standards will also be responsible for creating ad hoc groups as needed for specific projects. This function will eliminate the current standing committees such as the COE, COP, CCCPD and the Ethics Commission. The ASD, ASAP, AOTPAC, Program Director Councils and the Board for Advanced and Specialty Certifications will remain in place.

Since providing opportunities to discuss and improve practice is both a highly valued member benefit and a key to better serving societal needs, the Special Interest Sections will be transformed into Communities of Practice (COPs) which will form the basis for a network of people who share a common interest in a specific area of practice to learn together over a period of time, to develop and share that knowledge. This method would be more fluid and less bound by governance rules.

The proposed timeline includes transitioning over the next 2 years with final bylaws changes brought forward to the AOTA membership in 2012.

As your representative, I am delighted to hear your thoughts in regards to this proposal so that I can represent you at the Assembly meeting in April. Please feel free to contact me at anytime with your comments, suggestions and ideas.

As a final note, the membership drive for our state association, KOTA is currently underway. KOTA members are actively engaged in living the Centennial Vision through various projects and activities. Please join your Kansas colleagues and share how your experiences are moving us toward the Centennial Vision. To renew your KOTA membership, go to www.kotaonline.org.

To help AOTA serve you better, please take the time to fill out the survey on the following link: http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/WEB22A988RF6L7.

Sincerely,