More than 150 complex rehab technology (CRT) stakeholders visited 245 Congressional offices on April 27 as part of the annual NCART/NRRTS National CRT Leadership and Advocacy Conference.

The Arlington, Va., event attracted attendees from all parts of CRT. In a news announcement following the event, NCART and NRRTS said attendees included providers, manufacturer representatives, consumers, consumer organization representatives, clinicians and representatives from clinical organizations, caregivers and researchers.

In all, 35 states were represented at the event, and 30 attendees use CRT wheelchairs.

Steve Saling, a well-known advocate for accessible environments and assistive technology for people with disabilities, was one of the speakers during the event. Saling has amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and his ALS Residence Initiative organization bears the motto, “Until medicine finds an answer, technology is the cure.”

Click HERE to watch Saling’s speech.

NCART Executive Director Don Clayback said via the news announcement, “Thanks to everyone who came to Washington to personally visit their members of Congress, especially the consumers and clinicians who made the trip. We have been making significant progress on moving our CRT legislation ahead in 2015 and 2016, and these Washington activities played a major role. Nothing sends a stronger message than a visit to their D.C. offices, and with good follow-up we’ll be securing additional cosponsors and get these bills passed.”

NRRTS Executive Director Weesie Walker said, “This type of event has never been more important given all that’s going on in the CRT world, particularly the push to get critical legislation passed to stop the major July 1 Medicare cuts to CRT wheelchair accessories and to create a Separate Benefit Category for CRT within the Medicare program. We want this National CRT Leadership and Advocacy Conference to continue to serve as a catalyst for more effective information sharing, collaboration and advocacy.”