Virtual Week at the Cap

Attention symbolVirtual Week at the Capitol Cancelled

With more than 2 million Texas households without power (including our speakers, lobbyist, and legislators) this week’s planned events have been cancelled. John Luna and I will be working with speakers to record their lectures and place them in the LMS for on-demand access.

Due to weather-related safety concerns members of the Texas House and their staff were advised not to travel until weather and road conditions allow them to do so safely. If we are able to schedule any legislative visits you will be notified. In the meantime, you can follow legislative activity by going to https://capitol.texas.gov/  Texas Legislature Online.

“Warm” Regards,
Judi Joseph, TOTA Executive Director
John Luna, TOTA Chair of Legislative and Political Affairs

Make this year and your TOTA membership work for you by engaging with your local representatives and candidates on issues that are important to you and your practice as occupational therapy practitioners and students. Make sure your voice is heard.

Please let us know what questions you have or how we can assist you in getting to know our elected leaders. Thank you for all you do for patients and clients in Texas!

John Luna: [email protected]
TOTA Staff: [email protected]

Register for Week at the Capitol

 

Available On-Demand in the TOTA LMS soon
2020 Vision? Envisioning our future through the lens of a world changed by a global pandemic.
What will a post COVID-19 world look like and how will our lives be forever changed? Changes in daily occupations, customs and habits, workplaces, communication, and technology will create new challenges and opportunities for our profession. This presentation will explore these dynamics and seek to envision what the future may hold for the practice of occupational therapy.
Presenter: Brent Braveman, OTR, PhD, FAOTA

Available Now On-Demand in the TOTA LMS 
State Policy’s Impact on Occupational Therapy Practice
This presentation will discuss various state policy issues, with a focus on legislative issues, that affect the occupational therapy practice. Topics that will be discussed include changes to Medicaid and reimbursement, scope of practice opportunities and challenges, occupational licensing reform, and access to occupational therapy services.

Presenters: Chuck Willmarth, CAE; Meghan Pudeler;  John Luna, OTR, OTD

Available On-Demand in  the TOTA LMS Soon
From Legislation to Practice: HHSC’s Role in Bill Implementation Impacting Medicaid Therapies
This presentation will outline the relationship between Texas state legislation and HHSC's role in the implementation of those acts and riders. We will review legislatively driven changes to the Texas Medicaid policies for occupational, physical, and speech therapies that occurred 2016-2018 to connect bill language to changes in Medicaid policies. Current issues will be discussed. Email question to [email protected] .  
Presenter: Leslie Smart, OTR, DSc

Available Now On-Demand in the TOTA LMS  
Everything you want to know about licensure portability.
This presentation provides an overview of the processes and procedures involved in creating the Occupational Therapy Licensure Compact as well as the current status of this endeavor. The presentation will provide a summary of the roles and functions of these working teams, as well as a review of the compact development process and anticipated implementation timelines. This session will also outline the history, purpose, costs, and benefits of licensure compacts and address the advocacy needed to establish a compact.
Presenters: Chuck Willmarth, CAE; Meghan Pudeler

To be scheduled at a later date
Legislative Visits (Exclusive to TOTA)