2024 AKOTA Spring Conference
Saturday, April 6
8AM – 430PM
AKOTA is hosting a one day spring conference with an emphasis on occupational therapy’s role in mental health across the lifespan. The presentations are applicable to both pediatric and adult settings. Members are eligible for a reduced registration fee. Please join us for a day of connection and continuing education. Located at the Providence Medical Center West Auditorium. Open Schedule
*Please bring your own snacks and hydration. There will be a one-hour lunch break from noon to 1PM. Facility vendors offer food and drinks for fees.
Presentations:
Enhancing Transition Planning and Support for Complex Cases: The Vital Role of Occupational Therapists. Presenter: Bri Oswald, OTD, OTR/L. Understand the unique challenges faced by individuals with complex cases during transition periods. Explore the role of occupational therapists in facilitating successful transitions and promoting independence. Learn strategies for comprehensive transition planning, including assessment, goal setting, and intervention planning. Highlight the importance of collaboration and interdisciplinary teamwork in transition planning and support. Review a case study and practical examples that illustrate effective approaches to transition planning and support. 1 CEU
The Co-Regulation Effect: Strategies Beyond the Session. Presenter: Hannah Tashjian, OTR/L. Recognize nervous system dysregulation as the origin for most dysfunction. Understand mirror neurons and how being regulated as a practitioner is essential to achieving functional outcomes. Bridge the gap between educating on regulation and mastering co-regulation with a client or in a parent-child dyad. 1CEU
The OT Practitioner’s Role in Supporting Adults with ADHD. Presenter: Breanna James, OTD, OTR/L. Describe the impact that ADHD has on adult occupational performance. Describe the benefits of occupational therapy interventions in addressing deficits in occupational performance. Describe two ways to adapt interventions across settings to meet the needs of adults with ADHD. 1CEU
Practice What You Teach – Utilizing Empathy and Flexible Thinking During Therapeutic Interventions with Neurodivergent Individuals. Presenters: Rebecca Coffin, MS, CCC-SLP and Margaret Adams, OTD, OTR/L. Discuss the basic tenants of neurodiversity culture as it relates to therapeutic interventions. Compare and contrast compliance-based interventions versus connection-based interventions. Describe gestalt language processing. Give examples of why a trauma-informed approach is necessary with neurodivergent populations. 1 CEU
Flow State as Occupation: Applying and Measuring Flow State for Interventions in Adolescent Mental Health. Presenter: Ceridwyn Creswell, MA, OTR/L. Learn the definition of flow state, listen to case studies around flow state in two distinct settings (inpatient acute and residential), and learn to apply flow state as occupation in practice. 0.5 CEU
Occupational Therapy’s Role in Reducing Mental Health Disparities Among the LGBTQ+ Community. Presenter: Erin Brennan Flores, OTR/L. Identify risk factors, common misconceptions and the stigma surrounding LGBTQ+ culture, specifically as it applies to healthcare. Recognize and identify personal biases that may impact practitioners’ abilities to care for LGBTQ+ patients across the lifespan. Implement newfound knowledge into holistic responses to case studies as well as organizing ways to apply to individual work settings. 1.5 CEU Handout#1 Handout#2 Handout#3
Telemental Health in Primary Care: A Hybrid Faculty-Student-Led Occupational Therapy Clinic for Marginalized Client Populations. Presenter: Susan Krutis, ScD, OTR/L, QMHP-A (This presenter will attend virtually). Describe the occupational therapy role in the provision of unique mental health programming for marginalized client populations in a free clinic. Recognize the distinct value of telehealth in free clinics as an emerging mental health fieldwork option for occupational therapy students. 1 CEU Poster
A Journey Through Misdiagnosis. Presenter: Amina M. Turton, PhD, BSc Med, MSc BSS. Learn how a misdiagnosis can lead to a lifetime of low expectations and or even death. Understand the importance of misdiagnoses and the importance of speaking up. This presentation shares personal and professional examples of different outcomes following misdiagnoses. 1 CEU
Location: Providence Alaska Medical Center’s West Auditorium in Anchorage
Directions and Parking Information:
3200 Providence Drive, Anchorage, AK
Use the Main Entrance near the Emergency Room (Entrance 3), go to the right, take the stairs or the D Tower elevator to the basement level. The West Auditorium is opposite from the cafeteria.
Use visitor parking in front of the main hospital or the parking garage just east of Entrance 3 at the intersection of Providence Drive and Wellness Street.