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AROTA Strategic Goals (2025-2030) 

01

Strengthen Membership & Engagement

Increase membership recruitment, retention, and engagement through improvement of communication of benefits, expansion of accessible CEU opportunities, and creation of diverse pathways for engagement.

Objectives:

  • Increase membership by 5% each year, aiming for a 25% increase by 2030 through targeted campaigns, employer partnerships, and school engagement.
  • Launch a redesigned, user-friendly website by December 2026 that clearly outlines benefits, event calendars, and membership renewal reminders.
  • Offer at least four new volunteer or micro-volunteer opportunities each year starting in 2026 to engage members with limited time.
  • Set up a leadership recruitment process for committees by 2026, with the goal of filling all committee chair positions each year through 2030.
  • Increase committee membership by 50% to ensure representation from various practice settings, geographic areas, and career stages by 2028.
  • Create a leadership pipeline program by 2027 to help prepare emerging leaders for future AROTA board or committee chair roles.

02

Support Students and Early-Career Practitioners

Create seamless pathways from student to professional membership through mentorship, reduced-rate memberships, auto-renewals, and incentives.

Objectives:

  • Implement a reduced-rate new grad membership and auto-renew system by 2026.
  • Establish student representatives on all committees by 2027 to enhance leadership development.
  • Host at least two events each year to help students transition to practitioners by 2029, including panels, speed networking, and virtual Q&As.
  • Partner with all OT and OTA programs in Arkansas by 2028 to promote capstone projects, fieldwork, and student engagement opportunities.
  • Develop a mentorship platform and recruit 25 mentors by 2027, expanding to 50 mentors by 2030 to connect students and early-career practitioners with experienced OTs.


03

Enhance Member Services & Professional Development

Expand CEU offerings and professional support to meet changing member needs.

Objectives:

  • Increase CEU offerings by 30% by 2028, ensuring at least 50% are available in hybrid or rural-accessible formats by 2030.
  • Introduce at least three new professional tools by 2027, such as toolkits, NBCOT prep, and recognition badges.
  • Launch two Special Interest Groups (SIGs) by 2026, expanding to five by 2028.
  • Create an Arkansas OT directory by 2026 featuring employer and job posting functionalities.
  • Partner with ASPIRE to deliver at least one OT-specific continuing education opportunity monthly beginning in 2026, ensuring accessible, high-quality training for members.
  • Engage members in the development of OT-specific CEU tracks on the ASPIRE platform by 2028, with the goal of promoting the value and visibility of occupational therapy in Arkansas.


04

Advance Advocacy & Legislative Impact

Strengthen and expand advocacy efforts around licensure, reimbursement, and recognition of OT.

Objectives:

  • Starting in 2026, publish at least one advocacy update quarterly in newsletters, podcasts, or social media to highlight legislative successes and ongoing efforts.

  • Organize an annual OT Hill Day starting in 2026, ensuring participation from every district.

  • Build three new partnerships at the state or national level by 2027, such as FEMA and RESNA, to boost advocacy efforts.
  • In 2025, create two ad hoc subcommittees under the Legislative Committee and recruit five members by 2026 to serve on each subcommittee to explore updating the Practice Act and separating from the Arkansas State Medical Board.
  • Recruit 5 new members to the Mental Health Committee by 2026 to explore avenues for increased recognition of OT’s role in mental health.

05

Reimagine Conferences & Events

Expand conferences and events to increase accessibility, engagement, and professional growth.

Objectives:

  • Offer one hybrid or regional conference annually by 2026 to reach rural practitioners.
  • Introduce student-specific programming at each annual conference beginning in 2026, including student tracks, guidebooks, breakfast meetups by interest area, student/clinician "speed dating", recognition events, and first-year OT meet and greet.
  • Set up a post-conference survey system by 2026 with the goal of achieving at least a 75% satisfaction rate by 2028.

06

Improve Communication & Public Outreach

Develop clear, compelling communication of membership benefits and advocacy impact while expanding outreach to broader communities.

Objectives:

  • Redesign AROTA’s communication strategy by 2026 to include segmented email lists for students, new graduates, practitioners, and employers.
  • Launch AROTA’s presence on two new platforms such as TikTok, a podcast, YouTube, or Instagram Reels by 2026 to engage a younger audience.
  • Publish quarterly impact reports starting 2026 to highlight membership value, advocacy wins, and organizational growth.
  • Boost partnerships with schools and community presentations to reach at least 500 prospective OT students each year by 2027.

07

Promote Equity, Access, & Community Partnerships

Ensure all members and communities are represented, supported, and connected through AROTA.

Objectives:

  • Create a Rural Practitioner Support Program by 2029 that offers CEU discounts, toolkits, and virtual access.
  • By 2028, partner with at least three community organizations each year, such as food banks, health fairs, and caregiver groups, to highlight OT’s role in public health.
  • Secure two corporate sponsorships by 2027 to help reduce financial barriers for practitioners.
  • Develop an equity and inclusion statement along with an action plan by 2026, with annual progress reviews through 2030.