AOTA Exclusive: Meet the Senator-elect Who Is Also an OT
By Stephanie Yamkovenko
You probably know occupational therapy practitioners working in the schools, in skilled nursing facilities, and in home health; and now you can say you know an occupational therapist in the senate. Meet Senator-elect Tim Kennedy (D-58th district), an occupational therapist and AOTA member who won the election as a New York State Senator on November 2.
For the past several years, Kennedy served in the Erie County legislature and decided to run for state senate because he believed that Western New York was losing its voice in the state capitol. AOTA sat down with Kennedy to find out what made him decide to get involved in politics, and what he plans to do in office.
AOTA: How have your education and clinical experience affected you as a politician?
Kennedy: As an occupational therapist and in government, my work has constantly been driven by my passion for helping people. There’s no question that my education and experience in occupational therapy has strengthened my passion for helping others, and it has also pushed me to do all I can to improve the quality of life here in Western New York and across New York State.
AOTA: You’ve kept your AOTA membership and OT license active in New York; do you still practice occupational therapy?
Kennedy: I have worked as an occupational therapist since graduating in 1999 with my master’s degree from D’Youville College [in Buffalo]. Only this July did I take a leave of absence, so that I could focus my energies on my campaign to bring change to Albany and my responsibilities in the county legislature. I’ve immensely enjoyed helping people through my work in occupational therapy…I will keep my AOTA membership current because I believe in investing in the organization that advocates for our profession.
AOTA: Do you plan to work on any therapy or health care related issues as a state senator?
Kennedy: One of the most important issues is updating the Occupational Therapy Practice Act. I will advocate to update this act, which will modernize the charter by which the occupational therapy profession operates in New York State. The New York State Occupational Therapy Association has advocated for years to get this legislation passed, and I look forward to advancing it.
As a health care professional, I understand how important an efficient health care system is to occupational therapists, and as a state senator, I’ll focus on ensuring that health care is accessible and affordable for all New Yorkers. I’ll direct my energy toward rooting out the waste, fraud, and abuse in the Medicaid system. A cost-effective and efficiently run Medicaid system is critical to protecting and caring for our state’s most vulnerable residents.
We should also explore a paradigm shift in New York’s approach to long-term-care funding, by shifting resources from our intense focus on nursing homes to programs that help seniors stay in their homes and live more independently—like respite care and adult day care.
AOTA: What advice would you give other AOTA members who may be interested in getting into politics?
Kennedy: Occupational therapists are people-focused—you don’t become an occupational therapist unless your goal is to help people. I think the state of New York’s and our nation’s politics would be greatly improved if more occupational therapists were involved on the local, state, and national stage. I encourage AOTA members to get involved and to consider running for office. Many of us say that there isn’t time to manage our careers and to get involved, but most of us can spare a couple hours to make an impact in public service and politics by volunteering. Personally, I started by volunteering, and I encourage others to start their involvement in government in a similar way.
Government and occupational therapy are similar in that the best public servants and the best occupational therapy practitioners are the ones whose sole focus is on improving the lives of others. We need more people like that in government, so I encourage AOTA members to get involved. Always fight for what you believe in, even if someone tries to stop you. I believe in the people of our community, and that’s who I fight for in government. That’s why I got involved, and I hope you’ll get involved for the same reason.
Stephanie Yamkovenko is AOTA’s staff writer.
Resources:
Learn about the American Occupational Therapy Political Action Committee (AOTPAC) and how to get involved.
