This seminar covers performing seating and mobility evaluations as well as the skills to incorporate assistive technology into therapeutic practice. Evaluation and assessment techniques and procedures will be presented, including common diagnoses.

An estimated 1.6 million Americans utilize assistive technology to achieve improved independence. For health care workers, the responsibility of evaluating clients, determining needs and seeking out the most appropriate form of assistive technology, such as powered mobility, augmentative or assistive communication technology or seating systems, can often be quite intimidating.

This one-day seminar is designed to provide health care professionals and therapists with a working knowledge of performing seating and mobility evaluations as well as the skills to incorporate assistive technology into therapeutic practice to increase their client's independence. Evaluation and assessment techniques and procedures will be presented, including common diagnoses which often warrant alternative mobility, controls or other forms of assistive technology. Information regarding a variety of mobility bases, seating and position options will be reviewed, as well as the abundance of features which may be obtained to increase the client's overall functional independence. Funding sources will be identified, and participants will receive detailed instruction regarding the development of letters of medical necessity, as well as key elements to include in such documents.

In addition, this seminar will serve as an excellent review course for therapists interested in taking the Assistive Technology Practitioner examination via RESNA. The ATP examination will provide the therapist with an abundance of information on examination design and content, complete with sample review questions. For those interested in sitting for the ATP examination, this course is a must!

• Examine the major content areas of RESNA's Assistive Technology Practitioner (ATP) examination
• Utilize review questions to develop a strong knowledge base and improved test taking skills in preparation for taking the ATP examination
• Identify the appropriate assistive technology devices required to meet the client's needs
• Understand the many intricacies of performing a seating and mobility evaluation and how to best integrate this evaluation into therapeutic practice
• Identify successful methods to documenting and obtaining funding for assistive technology
• Create an original letter of medical necessity to obtain funding for various forms of assistive technology
• Review a variety of common etiologies and pathologies which may necessitate assistive technology

What You Should Bring: Participants are asked to bring a small measuring tape to use for the lab portion of the seminar.

Kirsten Davin, OTD, OTR/L, ATP, is a licensed Occupational Therapist and certified Assistive Technology Practitioner (ATP) with extensive experience in a variety of practice areas including inpatient, acute care and intensive care units, as well as the Central Illinois Regional Burn Center. Dr. Davin's experience extends beyond the realm of inpatient populations into the home health field. She is the owner of a successful home health-based private practice, Escape Mobility Solutions, LLC, which is dedicated to evaluating individuals for custom forms of assistive technology, such as power and manual wheelchairs, seating and positioning systems, and augmentative and alternative communication. She is a member of the American Occupational Therapy Association as well as the Illinois Occupational Therapy Association. She has conducted multiple workshops regarding seating/positioning and assistive technology on a local and regional level, and is an engaging speaker who strives to make learning fun. Dr. Davin recently received her Doctorate in Occupational Therapy from Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions in Provo, Utah, and graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Illinois at Chicago in 2001, where she was a member of the Honors College and Golden Key International Honor Society. Dr. Davin was the 2001 recipient of the College of Health and Human Development Sciences Achievement Award in recognition of outstanding personal and professional development from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Aside from her professional involvement in occupational therapy, Dr. Davin currently serves as a firefighter and the Medical Officer for the Pleasant Plains Fire Department, in her hometown of Pleasant Plains, Illinois.

"We really liked the attention to real life situations and the way you are able to make people feel relaxed and comfortable enough to ask questions." - Kayla Woods, PTA, Springfield, IL

"It was an energetic and informative presentation, with a lot of hands-on activities, great examples and case studies. You made the workshop very fun!" - OTR/L Student, Chicago State University, Chicago, IL