American Rehab splits to meet member needs
The American Rehabilitation Association has been split into two organizations to better reflect and serve the needs of its members. The American Medical Rehabilitation Providers Association (AMRPA) is for providers of medical rehabilitation. A network of state rehabilitation associations have joined as the American Congress of Community Supports and Employ-ment Services, a sister organization to AMRPA that focuses on vocational rehab. The two organizations will work independently under the banner of the American Rehabilitation Association.
"I believe that this restructuring will help position all of us in the rehabilitation field to face the challenges ahead. We will be structured to maximize our advocacy efforts. Educational and informational services will be customized to meet specific needs," says Kathleen Yosko, president and chief executive officer of Schwab Rehabili-tation Hospital in Chicago and chairwoman of the American Rehabilitation Association. American Rehab was primarily a trade association for rehabilitation providers.
AMRPA is organized as a 501(c)(6) trade organization and is free from the lobbying restrictions American Rehab was under, says Dale Ezell, president and chief executive officer of Casa Colina Centers for Rehabilitation in Pomona, CA. Ezell, who is serving as president of AMRPA, anticipates that members will be asked to take a more active role in advocating for people with disabilities.
AMRPA already has appointed task forces to address issues of concern to the field, such as reimbursement, managed care standards, modification and repeal of the Medicare transfer legislation, and a prospective payment system for rehab. The task forces are seeking input from members.
"Once a consensus is achieved, we will retain a lobbying firm, and they will tell us how many votes, cards, and letters they need," Eazell says.
AMRPA dues are 20% less than American Rehab Association dues because of the narrowed focus. The organization has set up a Fax-on-Demand Line at (888) 632-8023 and a news and information line with up-to-the-minute recorded information at (888) 802-5712.
[Editor’s note: For more information on AMRPA, call Carolyn Zollar at (800) 368-3513.]
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