RESNA

WHAT MAKES AN ATP?

Written by: ANDREA VAN HOOK, RESNA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

We all know the basics of what it takes to become an Assistive Technology Professional. You need a certain amount of training and education in assistive technology, a certain amount of work experience and you must pass an exam. Then, to maintain your certification, you must complete 20 hours of additional assistive technology education every two years, continue working and pay a renewal fee.

But does that really make you an ATP? Or is there more to it than passing an exam, sitting in classes, paperwork and paying fees?

The truth is, there’s a difference between passing the exam and being a quality ATP. A quality ATP is someone who:

• Builds trusted relationships with clients, clinicians, suppliers, and manufacturers.

• Understands, supports, and conducts thorough evaluations and assessments to ensure that the client is getting the technology that they need.

• Sees problems and works to solve them.

• Engages in those tough conversations with clients and operates with full transparency.

We all know ATPs who have these traits. They are the leaders in our workplaces and the ones to whom everyone turns for help and advice, even if they don’t have the official job titles.

At RESNA (Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America), we’re invested in more than churning out ATPs by the dozen. The ATP certification started years ago to establish a minimum standard for assistive technology provision. But we’ve never been content with a “minimum standard.” We want to help all ATPs set and exceed the highest standard and be recognized across the industry and among clients as trusted, knowledgeable and ethical professionals.

That’s why, together with U.S. Rehab and the Assistive Mobility Rehab Group (AMRG, formerly DMERT), we’re starting a new education and mentoring initiative – the ATP Guidance Program.

The ATP Guidance Program, launched at the Heartland Conference in June, will specifically guide rehab technicians who have achieved the AMRG Certification (formerly DMERT Level 2) to continue their career journey and become a quality ATP. It is a one-year program designed to combine the training, education and mentoring that is necessary to succeed and thrive in this industry.

The program combines education and assistive technology training, practice exam and test taking skills, network building and one-on-one mentoring. Each registrant will be paired with an experienced ATP mentor that will guide them through a structured program with practical how to’s, experiential knowledge, communication skills and leadership. The goal is to not only successfully pass the ATP exam but also enter the workforce as an ATP with a network, a knowledge base, and those transformational skills that enable better outcomes for clients and lead to long, successful and fulfilling careers.

Once established, we hope to expand this program to others in the field and offer a pathway to ATP certification to those in other areas of assistive technology. We plan to enroll our first cohort this fall. To find out more, visit the websites of RESNA, U.S. Rehab and AMRG, and feel free to reach out to me directly at execoffice@resna.org

CONTACT THE AUTHOR

Andrea may be reached at EXECOFFICE@RESNA.ORG

Andrea Van Hook is executive director of RESNA. She has over 20 years of experience in nonprofit association management. She lives and works in the Washington, D.C., area.