2026 RESNA releases ‘on the road’ schedule
The Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America is back on the road for 2026! By the time of publication, we’ve already been at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nevada, and Assistive Technology Industry Association conference in Orlando, Florida. Future stops include:
- National Seating and Mobility Seating Symposium in Dallas, Texas, February 20–22. Stop by the RESNA booth and meet Kennedy Smith, RESNA’s operations manager, and pick up information about the seating and mobility specialists’ certification.
- Abilities International Accessibility Conference in Los Angeles, California, March 26-27. RESNA sessions include how to connect with your state’s Assistive Technology Act program, the use of artificial intelligence in augmentative and alternative communication, ethics, tech transfer, scientific papers and the ever-popular Developers Showcase.
- American Occupational Therapy Association Inspire in Anaheim, California, April 23-25. RESNA President Jim Lenker is presenting on career pathway options for occupational therapists in assistive technology.
- Abilities International Accessibility Conference in New York Metro, April 30–May 1. RESNA sessions include leveraging data in assistive technology service provision, a guide to Do It yourself assistive technology, augmentative and alternative communication for the non-speech-language pathologist, adaptive video gaming, scientific papers and the Student Design Challenge.
- Heartland Conference in Waterloo, Iowa, June 8 –10. RESNA members will be presenting at this conference. More information to come soon!
Monthly ‘Certification Pop-Ups’ continue
Do you have new employees interested in finding out more about the Assistive Technology Professional certification? RESNA is holding free webinars, called “Certification Pop-Ups,” on the fourth Thursday of every month at 12 p.m. ET. Staff provide an overview of the ATP certification eligibility requirements and answer questions.
Annual notice: RESNA Code of Conduct and Certification Standards of Practice
RESNA’s Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice reflect the commitment of all RESNA members, certificants and applicants for certification to the high standards of practice and ethics in the assistive technology field.
The Code of Ethics and Standards benefit and protects the public, provides practice standards for the assistive technology field and advances the duty of care for professionals in our industry. Compliance with the Code and Standards is a requirement of initial certification and recertification as it is critical to the integrity of the individuals who hold RESNA credentials. Violations of the code and standards may subject a certified individual or a candidate for certification to discipline as outlined in the Ethics Policies and Procedures.
We encourage all certified ATPs to review the Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice at least once a year to refresh their understanding and appreciation of the principles and ethical standards that guide our profession and industry. The code and standards may be downloaded from the RESNA website. All ATPs are also emailed the document directly by RESNA.
If you have knowledge of a RESNA-certified ATP who you believe is not following the Code of Ethics or Standards of Practice, you may want to consider filing a complaint with RESNA. RESNA’s Complaint Review Committee of the Professional Standards Board is charged with investigating and evaluating complaints through a peer review process that is credible to the public and fair to all parties. Complaints may be filed online through the RESNA website. Email certification@resna.org for more information.
For a practical review, RESNA offers an on-demand webinar, “RESNA’s Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice.” Taught by Julie Piriano, PT, ATP/SMS, this course uses real-world scenarios to show how the code and standards apply. Learners who complete the course and all elements can earn 0.1 IACET CEUs.
Andrea may be reached at execoffice@resna.org.
Andrea Van Hook is executive director of RESNA. She has more than 20 years of experience in nonprofit association management and lives and works in Washington, D.C.