Advocacy in Every Setting

Speakers: Tabitha Gibbs, MSOT, EdD

Dr. Tabitha R. Gibbs, MSOT, EdD, is an experienced occupational therapist and educator with over a decade of clinical practice spanning inpatient, outpatient, acute, and subacute rehabilitation settings. She earned her Doctor of Education with a concentration in Executive Leadership from the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences, where her research explored the relationship between burnout, resilience, and locus of control among occupational therapists. Dr. Gibbs is a Certified Aging in Place Specialist and an active contributor to professional advocacy and scholarship, serving on the TNOTA advocacy committee, the TNOTA southeast district board, a proposal reviewer for the American Occupational Therapy Association, continuing education service provider, and a conference speaker for TNOTA. Dr. Gibbs currently works at Siskin Hospital for Rehabilitation in Chattanooga and works with clients to advocate for their needs within the current healthcare context. With a passion for evidence-based practice, interdisciplinary collaboration, and advancing the profession through leadership and education, Dr. Gibbs brings both clinical depth and academic insight to her teaching and continuing education work.

Learning Objectives:

After the presentation, leaners will be able to:

• Identify common barriers for clients receiving occupational therapy services in every setting.
• List the elements of quality documentation needed to obtain additional visits and equipment
• List community resources within the state of Tennessee
• List educational resources for patients to understand diagnosis
• List educational resources for patients to continue to progress at home.

Course Description:

This course will equip occupational therapy practitioners (OTPs) with the knowledge, tools, and confidence to integrate advocacy into everyday clinical practice across all healthcare and community settings. Framed as a core professional responsibility, the course explores how OTPs can champion client access, dignity, and participation from the individual level all the way to systems and community change. Participants will examine common client and system level barriers encountered in acute care, skilled nursing facilities, inpatient rehabilitation, outpatient, home health, and school-based settings. Through interactive breakout sessions and real-world case studies, learners will practice applying advocacy skills in context. Attendees will leave with a curated collection of Tennessee specific community resources, reliable patient education sources, and home program tools to support client carryover and caregiver empowerment.

1.5 Contact Hours; Free for members; $30 for non-members