MASSACHUSETTS
ASSOCIATION FOR OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY
- Strategic Plan
January 17, 2008
Mission
The Massachusetts Association for Occupational Therapy provides a professional network for its members and works to develop and support the occupational therapy profession. MAOT operates to meet the continuing education needs and interests of its members, to represent the profession to the public, and to promote access to occupational therapy. MAOT strives to serve people interested in occupational therapy, be they individual consumers or occupational therapy practitioners, special interest groups, or our internal/external stakeholders and interdisciplinary collaborators.
MAOT is a volunteer organization run by its members and requires member participation in order to remain effective. MAOT is committed to meeting the needs of its constituents and our partners in the delivery of occupational therapy services throughout Massachusetts. To do so, the organization works to provide leadership and direction to move the profession forward within the context of the ongoing changes inherent in the practice environment.
The 2008-2011 MAOT strategic plan has the overarching goal of increasing alignment between National, Regional and State occupational therapy visions and endeavors. To achieve this the strategic plan encompasses four goals: To increase membership and member participation; To improve and expand communication with members and the public; To promote and establish linkages among educators, researchers and practitioners; To diversify revenue sources and to enhance financial viability.
Goals and Objectives
1. Increase Membership and member participation in the organization
1.1 Explore the use of websites such as boston.com, myspace.com and
youtube
1.2 Analyze cost effectiveness of a variety of print options (e.g., mailings,
newspaper ads; i.e., Advance, Boston Globe) to recruit new members
and reach out to existing members.
1.3 Explore different membership types such as institutional members,
group member rates, student-practitioner member year and multiple year membership dues options.
a. Establish a special student-to-practitioner category-fee schedule
b. Continue to contact statewide employers of occupational therapy practitioners to recruit & retain members via offering individual or institutional memberships (academic/facility/department) or group member rates
1.4 Contact Program Directors to develop ways to reach program alumni via college/university alumni mailings or other forums (e.g., continuing education offerings).
1.5 Contact Program Directors to develop ways to reach students via college/university student newspapers, or other forums (e.g., SOTA club meetings, Town meetings).
a. Initiate recruitment drives at the local colleges/universities for student and student-practitioner members.
1.6 Contact employers to develop ways to reach practitioners on site, via website, emails, mailings as part of recruitment campaign.
a. Initiate recruitment drives through facilities to reach practitioners for membership.
1.7 Continue to assess the effectiveness of renewal methods to increase membership.
a. Revise membership structure, fee scale, and membership form to reflect reason for joining or continuing membership.
b. Utilize data from revised membership form to track membership recruitment methods via an annual membership report specifying type of membership, method of recruitment and motivating factors for joining for fiscal year-end report.
1.8 Explore feasibility of offering members financial scholarship fund to help support their service or civic engagement (e.g., Therapy Missions, Disaster Relief & Recovery, Habit for Humanity, Helping Hands in Honduras, etc.,)
a. Develop criteria for financial award and application procedures.
2. Improve and Expand Communication
2.1 Conduct a survey of members to:
a. Identify preferred methods of communication (e.g., email or hard copy, changes to website, list serves, podcasts, use of an online suggestion box to provide members with opportunities to identify needs or ways to enhance MAOT or assist members).
b. Assess member satisfaction and participation (SIS/conference attendance, response to lobbying efforts, engagement with board/on task forces, and fiscal priorities, etc.,).
c. Determine areas to incorporate into future planning.
2.2 Utilize survey results to select methods to diversify incoming and outgoing communication
a. Develop policy to review and respond to membership feedback, concerns, and suggestions received via online suggestion box.
2.3 Pilot distribution of information out to the membership via identified preferred methods of communication
2.4 Explore the feasibility and cost/benefits of resuming MAOT Newsletter
a. Check market and rates for private newsletter writer/editor
b. Evaluate methods for electronic vs. hard copy distribution (or combination of the two)
2.5 Utilize website to generate and showcase material to use in general media (e.g., local newspapers, member university websites) to increase public awareness of occupational therapy from member or other stakeholder perspectives. For example, publicize MAOT's advocacy efforts re: driver impairment bill to show range of occupational therapy's value and impact on society to members and website visitors.
3. Promote linkages among Educators, Researchers and Practitioners:
3.1 Assist stakeholders in the process of learning about and fostering application of occupation and evidence based practice (EBP) via conferences/promotion of continuing education events.
3.2 Identify system(s) to address integration of EBP initiatives in continuing education offerings, annual conference, and special interest groups (SIGs) to ensure quality and relevance in occupational therapy practice.
3.3 Explore interest in development of an EBP SIG to assist professionals in understanding how to navigate search engines and critically appraise and apply findings to their practice.
3.4 Explore development of MAOT grant funds to support research efforts of practitioners.
a. Develop criteria for grant application and outcomes reporting.
3.5 Increase linkage between MAOT and NEOTEC via website/advertising of NEOTEC annual conference.
3.6 Explore ways to increase student involvement via seeking MAOT student reps from OT/OTA programs to report to Academic Rep (who will serve as liaison for the MAOT student reps (analogous to ASD rep) from each education program to Executive Board and bring forth their concerns/work as liaison)
a. Offer discounts for MAOT student reps to go to MAOT conference in exchange for service at conference (e.g., serve as convener, help with registration, etc.,).
3.7 Re-examine member needs and perceptions regarding mentorship starting with Spring '08 conference on mentoring.
3.8 Continue utilize Reimbursement Rep to address reimbursement issues brought to the attention of MAOT.
4. Diversify Revenue-enhance Financial Viability
4.1 Explore methods to increase revenue via diversified sources (advertisements, MAOT books/products, continuing education offerings, fund raising efforts).
4.2 Promote membership incentives and discounts to increase membership.
4.3 Consulting accountant, treasurer, and financial planner to develop ways to finance the ongoing needs of the association and allocate revenue responsibly to ensure financial viability.
a. Research feasibility of hiring:
1. a bookkeeper
2. an editor
3. a webmaster
to help with implementing the goals and initiatives of the association.
4.4 Utilize information obtained from communication survey about member's perceptions of how MAOT's funds should be allocated (lobbyist, list serve, group insurance, etc.,) to guide executive board's decisions in adopting and promoting association activities and initiatives.
In adopting this strategic plan, MAOT's Executive Board is committed to working towards the accomplishment of these goals and identified action plans via the governance process as outlined in the bylaws, via Standing Committees and ad hoc Committees.
The Strategic Planning Committee recommends the Executive Board reviews current standing committee structure to; determine the relevance and/or effectiveness of each committee's status, evaluate membership of these committees, develop a method to track the MAOT 2008-2011 Strategic Plan, and identify timelines for review. We recommend that time be set aside monthly during Executive Board Meetings for 2008-2011Strategic Plan discussion to summarize and track progress and process.
Respectfully Submitted:
Dina Flannery, MS, OTR/L, MAOT President
Mary Malone, MS, OTR/L, Executive Board Member
Mary Alicia Barnes, OTR/L, Tufts University
Deborah Yarett Slater, MS, OT/L, FAOTA, Member at Large
Justin Galvin, MS, OTR/L, Executive Board Member
Cindy Barrows, MS, OTR/L, VINFEN Corporation
Jane Crimmins, OTS, Tufts University
Special Thanks to:
Catherine Trombly,Sc.D., OTR/L, FAOTA
Jane Koomar, Ph.D., OTR/L, FAOTA
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