REPORT: AOTA Representative - Florida
DATE: July 2011 - July 2012.
This report is my first as the AOTA Representative for Florida since my appointment in July, 2011. From a review of the FOTA Strategic Plan, it appears that many of the tasks that the Rep and Alt Rep complete support informally both the short and long term goals.
ACTIVITIES - Participation at the Fall Online and Spring Meetings of the AOTA
Representative Assembly.
In preparation for these, Debbie Misrahi spoke at the Broward County Forum, and I spoke at the South Bay Forum re- the proposed motions. I also submitted an article in the Focus newsletter so that all members had easier access to these.
The business that was conducted at the AOTA Convention in April is posted at Motions that were adopted that potentially will affect FOTA members are as follows:
- Motion 1 which concerned the development of a recruitment program for those interested in participating in the RA. This will include the development of resources/materials that RA members and other AOTA members will be able to use to recruit and educate AOTA members at venues such as the annual FOTA Conference. This motion supports recruiting volunteer leaders and develop leadership capacities of students and AOTA members interested in serving on the RA and other elected positions.
- Motion 7 which concerned the development of an OTA Representative Elect position to the RA. There currently is one nationally elected OTA to the RA. The creation of this new position will allow mentorship and training of the OTA Elect. and acknowledges that this elected position expresses the perspective of the OTA Practitioner which is different from that of the State elected representative.
GOALS FOR 2012-2013:
- To increase AOTA Membership in FL by 20%. With an increase in the AOTA FL member numbers comes the possibility of FL gaining a 2nd RA Rep voice. In addition, there is the potential for an increased FOTA membership, as elected and appointed positions in AOTA do require membership in the state association. FOTA requires that elected positions are members of both FOTA and AOTA.
- To increase the use of OT Connections (AOTA website) by AOTA members in FL. This AOTA tool is under utilized by its members.
- To increase the use of the 'COOL database' (AOTA website) by AOTA members in FL. AOTA leadership, committees as well as commissions use this tool to identify interested individuals to serve on Ad Hocs, etc.
Sara-Jane Crowley, Adv.Dip.OT, OTR/L.
AOTA Representative - Florida.