American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine in 2006: embracing the future

The American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine (ACRM) modified its mission and structure in 1997 to become an organization focused on medical rehabilitation research. Initially, this transformation accelerated an already diminishing membership, a weakened financial condition, and some level of dysfunction within the organizational structure. In recent years, with the advent of evidence-based practice and the expectation that empirical research is critical to the survival of clinical specialties such as rehabilitation medicine, ACRM has become re-energized. New initiatives have been spawned that have led to stabilization and an influx of new members, a measurable improvement in the quality of scientific presentations at, and participation in, the annual meetings, efforts directed toward increasing the visibility and involvement of ACRM on an international level, programming directed toward early career scientists, strong public policy advocacy, and renewed and expanded inter-organizational partnerships. In addition, the financial position of ACRM has improved markedly and prospects toward long-term fiscal health and growth are "the new reality." ACRM has now moved significantly beyond the "survival" step of the Maslow hierarchy toward the goal of self-actualization.