Regrets: Emily Pugh, Theresa Pinder, Karen Howell, Debbie Misrahi
FOTA TELECONFERENCE MINUTES
April 15, 2009
Members Present: Renee Moyer, Sara-Jane Crowley, Elena Vizvary, Barbara Ingram-Rice, Andres Builes, Cathy Peirce
Regrets: Emily Pugh, Theresa Pinder, Karen Howell, Debbie Misrahi
Absent: Betsy Burgos, Tim Finlan, Lakeisha Boykin
Topic / Assessment/Discussion / Recommendation/Action / Responsible Party / Target Date1) Meeting called to order at 6:33 PM / No quorum for voting, not an issue as primary purpose of mtg is an update of current membership / EB members / 4/15/09
2)
Inactive membership update / 170 inactive members identified, broken down per region. Divided into 5 lists (32 per list) for RR to contact via email and phone
Status update
-First blast email has been sent to ALL inactive members.
Regional Rep Status Reports
1st RR report (sent via email)
2nd RR report NE, central W and Sw,
3rd RR report
4th RR report / If we have made email and phone contacts, let’s
delete them from database. 170 out of 716
initially contacted.
Sent to 712, 172 bounced back, rest no email addresses,
407 completed
76 opened emails.
--7 checks yesterday, 2 were from inactive list.
Contacted everyone except students. Many student emails are no longer valid. Delete these from FOTA system. All unsuccessful student emails to be purged.
Email sent to those with addresses. Not sure how to know if they responded. FOTA website to check profiles to see renewal date. 31 have past due renewal dates……so they have not renewed.
No phone contact initiated
Sent emails first on day one. Called all on list individually and talked to 2 folks and left messages to others.
Emails to 25 so far,
One response stating she would renew. No phone calls yet.
About ¼ were FIU students with bad addresses. Cathy’s group is largest, as it encompasses S. FL members / Elena and appropriate Regional
Reps
Barbara
Theresa
Elena
Andres
Cathy
3)
Next plan of action? / Next blast email?
How do we know if emails have been sent? / Barbara will forward blast emails to Elena and she will disperse to appropriate EB members / Barbara
Elena
4)
Blast email topics / Blast email next week?
IDEAS:
--Access to memberships list?
This aspect of website not currently accurate
--Cont Ed
--Sanctioning program not up and running
How about sending out two blast emails on legislative issues?
We currently have about 700 active members and 734 inactive, all agree that database needs to be cleaned up.
Snail mail letters to 128 members that don’t have email. / Barbara will compose 2 emails, one will go out tonight and one set up to go out Mon or Tues after conference
Suggestion:
Renewal date before July 08 let’s just delete them. Focus on the members that lapsed between Jan 09-today. Majority of 700 fall within this timeframe / Renee
Barbara
Renee proposes and all present in agreement
Sara Jane
Sara Jane and Debbie / At a later date.
5) Legislative updates / -Autism bill currently on the floor:
mandates that if a parent brings child to pediatrician for signs of Autism , ped is obligated to refer child to an Autism specialist, which includes:
-Ped neurologist at MD level
-Behavior analyst (less education than OT),
-SLP
---PT change in scope of practice / Current lobby efforts to include OT in list of specialists to do screening as well. Larry talking to house and senate. They seem willing to add OT at this point, but no definite decisions.
Under discussion / Barbara
Larry
4)
Early Steps / It has come to FOTA’s attention that a therapist in Central Florida is concerned about the impact that Early Steps procedures can have on OT practice. FOTA has identified that presently other issues are more pressing in the legislature and they are not able to address this directly at this time. / FOTA will send representation to the next Orlando forum meeting to further discuss our stand and possible assistance on this matter.
The forum has invited a congressman to the forum meeting, he is not concerned with health issues so we need clarification of his purpose.
Feelers out there for early steps issues to find out if this is affecting other practices in the state.
Contact FW sites
Fellow ped OTs in other parts of the state
Action: we need to protect FOTA and its reputation. We would love to do everything for everybody. We are a small volunteer run organization and need to be realistic of where we can have the greatest impact and prioritize accordingly. / Sara Jane
Barbara
Possibly Larry.
Renee
Elena / May 21st
5)
Meeting adj at 7:50 pm