Bridges to Competency

I had the opportunity to attend the Bridges to Competency session at the American Therapeutic Recreation Association annual conference in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Debbie Hutchins (Slippery Rock University) gave an intro.

Thom Salko provided information about Federal Public Policy.

G.T. Thompson was scheduled to be the speaker for the event. He recorded a video because he had to return to Washington, D.C.

G.T. Thompson, CTRS has been an ATRA member for 20+ years!

Thompson was elected as the Congressman for Pennsylvania’s 8^th district in 2008.

He argued that Rec. Therapy skills provide competency for success. He claimed these same skills prepared him to serve office as a Congressman.

Thompson spoke about three important topics in this video, including: purpose, principles, and passion.

Purpose:

The purpose is to serve other people. This is true for almost every profession, including: Recreational Therapists or Congress Representatives.

Principles:

G.T. Thompson outlined five principles including:

Be grounded in science and data. There is a great limitation to innovation if we do things the way we have always done things. This reminds me of quote by Henry Ford, which he said, if he listened to the people, they would have wanted a faster horse and buggy. He gave them something new (innovation) because he did not do things the way they always were, but based in new science and data. 

Always assess and do not assume. Accurately define the problem. Do a root cause analysis.

If you not at the table, you’re probably on the menu. This is a bit of abstract thinking. In concrete terms if a group of people met to discuss the budget, the person who did not attend would probably be cut from the budget. It is important for RTs to show up, be present, and be active in prompting the benefits for what we do. Rec. Therapy services are much needed and should not be cut.

Avoid the politics and be a problem solver.

Team work. Be a good team member use synergy.

Passion:

We RTs share a common purpose and ethics and it is a personal and professional investment to be a member of ATRA.

Career to calling: advocate for the RT and the people who we provided services for. We need good information, facts, and data for public police.

What is the Return on Investment (ROI) for recreation therapy? Thompson argues that it is cost-effective care. We can bring the story (and still protect patient information). The outcomes need to be shared.

Our profession addresses the prevention to wellness! Our outcomes need to be shared.

 

Thom Salko on Public Policy:

Naturally, RTs could go with ATRA to Washington, DC in March 2014 to talk to their Representatives in Congress. This is public policy at work.

Why do public policy? The same reasons you decided to become a Rec. Therapist.

Public police for RT includes: quality, coverage of services, credentials, and funding. It can help us as a profession to gain power and resources that we can use to allow us to live our purpose.

Again, if we’re not at the table, we’re probably on the menu.

So, be at the table at the local state level and the national level.

ATRA is involved in service coalitions to work for public policy. Had ATRA not been at the table, RT would not have been included in the language.

Affordable Care Act (ACA) is going to be our future. It has 10 essential benefits packages. RT is involved in several of these 10 essential areas.

I, Danny Pettry, am personally asking you to get involved with ATRA, go to Washington, D.C. with us in March, and get involved in your local branch of ATRA.

Join ATRA here: http://www.atra-online.com/