Professional Advocacy: Engaging our consumers and ourselves

This session will familiarize professionals with the nation wide self advocacy movement. What is our role as RT/TR's in facilitating self advocacy and self-determination with our consumers? How do we advocate for our profession? Participants will explore various agencies and opportunities for involvement at a state and national level not only for consumers but for themselves. Discussion of how individuals and organizations are promoting RT/TR in their states and at a national level.

Learning Outcomes - Provide three measurable learning objectives for the session that relate to the NCTRC Job Anaylsis.

1) Define & explain the principles of self-advocacy and self-determination.

2) Summarize how to empower consumers through participating in activities designed to facilitate self-advocacy and self-determination.

3) Outline state/national opportunities for engaging in professional advocacy and recognize the need/benefit from participation in professional advocacy.

Detailed Session Outline - Include time spent on each portion of the outline. An example is given in the help text.

Introduction- 5 MIN.

Speaker’s educational & professional background; how & why this topic is of interest to us / session goals, objectives and outcomes

The Self Advocacy Movement- 20 MIN.

History and current happenings related to consumers in America

Introduction of Professional Advocacy & Responsibility- 15 min.

Speaker will review implications for TR/RT's from material provided by credentialing bodies and professional associations.

Legislative Issues Impacting Professionals – 15 min

Legislative issues impacting consumers – 15 min

Fostering Self-Advocacy & Self Determination in Consumers Served, Action Statements from Participants- 10 min

Q&A - 10 min

2016 Mid-Year Conference

February 7–9, 2016

San Antonio, Texas