ATRA Signs on to CCD Letter in Support of the Restores Act

ATRA now has MORE weekly virtual office hours to assist you! Whether you have questions related to our online continuing education offerings, are looking to get involved or want to be connected with others who share your practice community, we're here for you. Our zoom office hours will be available every week at the following times: Every Monday from 2:00pm to 3:00pm eastern time Every Wednesday and Friday from 12:00pm to 1:00pm eastern time Every Thursday from 6:30pm to 7:30pm eastern time You can join any of these office hours by clicking this link . The meeting password is 148772. Looking forward to seeing you there! *Please note office hours will not occur on federal holidays.

ATRA's Older Adult Task Force created the following statement as an initiative to advocate for the importance of recreational therapy services for addressing social isolation for older adults. Education about recreational therapists' ability to directly contribute to the MDS' new focus on social isolation during our nation's "epidemic of loneliness" is detailed in the statement below. ATRA Statement on RT's Addressing Social Isolation

Read the Support Letter Here

Read the Comments Here

Read the Support Letter Here 

Read the Support Letter HERE

Read the full letter HERE

Read the Letter HERE

YOUR ADVOCACY IS NEEDED! ATRA has been busy advocating for you! Representatives Joe Courtney (D-CT) and Glenn Thompson (R-PA) recently introduced the bipartisan Access to Inpatient Rehabilitation Therapy Act of 2023. Why does this matter? Currently, Recreational Therapy (RT) is not included as a qualifying therapy under the “Three-Hour Rule” established by CMS, which states that patients receiving care in an inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF) must engage in at least three hours of intensive therapy per day. This omission means that patients receiving care at IRFs are unlikely to receive RT services even when they would benefit from them. Further, this also means that IRFs are less likely to employ Recreational Therapists, who bring an abundance of specialized skills and expertise to the treatment team. HR 6110 returns authority to the physician and rehabilitation team in an IRF to determine the right mix of therapies for an individual to meet the intensity of therapy requirements—including Recreational Therapy. This legislation will help increase patient access to RT where appropriate and ensure that patients have a rehabilitation plan designed to best meet their needs. Now is the time to act! The bill has just been introduced, and we need cosponsors to build momentum. To support HR 6110, please email a letter to your representatives urging them to become cosponsors by using the draft template we prepared for you at this link. MAKE A DIFFERENCE. TAKE ACTION. ADVOCATE HERE!