U.S. Rehab puts CRT at ‘forefront’ at Heartland

WATERLOO, Iowa – U.S. Rehab has announced that RESNA will have an increased presence at the Heartland Conference this year, giving complex rehab technology professionals more opportunities to access education and networking. 

RESNA, whose board of directors last year opted to pause its annual conference, will provide several sessions for Heartland’s rehab track. 

“There has always been a rehab track at Heartland, but we’re adding 50% more CRT education than we’ve had in the past, which allows us to bring in more speakers and industry professionals, like Andrea (Van Hook, executive director of RESNA),” said Tyler Mahncke, president of U.S. Rehab. “There’s a need for in-person education and networking – we can’t lose that – and we want to be at the forefront. We have the platform for an event; we have the facility; we have the relationships with all the manufacturers. Let’s bring it all together.” 

At Heartland, which takes place June 10-12 in U.S. Rehab’s hometown of Waterloo, Iowa, RESNA will lead sessions on augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) and ethics. 

Mahncke and Van Hook will also team up for a session on a newish program to create a career pathway for repair technicians who hold DMERT Group Level 2 Repair Certificates by giving them the training and necessary skills to successfully become ATPs. 

“We’re hoping to explain the program to the complex rehab community to help us enroll our first cohort into the program in the fall,” said Van Hook.  

With RESNA’s conference on pause and the International Seating Symposium on an every-other-year schedule, Mahncke believes a bigger overall presence for complex rehab at Heartland will help to fill a gap in the market. 

“We feel like there’s an opportunity to dive all in,” he said. 

Heartland is only the most recent way RESNA, which also had its own track at ISS in 2023, is staying in front of members, Van Hook says. The organization has been attending other conferences, like the Assistive Technology Industry Association (ATIA) 2024 Conference in January and hasn’t ruled out having its own conference again in the future. 

“We’re not backing away,” she said. “If anything, we’ve recommitted to in-person education and networking. Our members are a small but mighty force of people who are in all different areas. By going to different conferences, it allows us to meet them where they are and support them.”