Misericordia Occupational Therapy Department

11/17/2025

🚔💙 Introducing the Blue Envelope Program 💙🚗

The Dallas Township Police Department and the Cougars for Autism Awareness Club at Misericordia University have teamed up to launch the Blue Envelope Program — a powerful initiative designed to foster safer, more understanding interactions between law enforcement and autistic drivers. The Blue Envelope Program is sponsored by the Lehigh Valley Health Network, part of Jefferson Health

🔹 The Challenge:
When autistic individuals are pulled over, the stress of the situation can cause them to become overwhelmed or dysregulated. This may affect their ability to communicate clearly — and unfortunately, these behaviors can sometimes be misinterpreted by officers as noncompliance or aggression.

🔹 The Solution:
The Blue Envelope is a simple but effective tool. It contains copies of:

• The driver’s license, registration, and insurance information of the driver
• Emergency contact information
• A clear note alerting the officer that the driver is autistic and may need extra time, space, or communication support

This envelope helps bridge the gap between misunderstanding and compassion — ensuring that both the driver and the officer feel safe and informed.

💡 Awareness saves lives. Understanding builds trust.
Let’s spread the word and support inclusivity by engaging in the Blue Envelope Program:

Pick up of Blue Envelopes for you or a loved one is on
Date: November 22, 2025 11am-3pm
Location: Misericordia University Campus
Building: Insalaco Hall
Address: 301 Lake Street, Dallas, PA 18612
Or
Date: December 1, 2025, 4-6pm
Location: Misericordia University Campus
Building: Occupational and Physical Therapy (OPT) Complex
Address: 301 Lake Street, Dallas, PA 18612

For more information contact: 570-674-3330
Lcharney@misericordia.edu or otempleton@misericordia.edu

Are you a family member of an autistic driver? If so, click here for a video about the Blue Envelope Program.
https://go.screenpal.com/watch/cTXXYnnFHRD

If you are unable to pick up the envelope in person, you can request a Blue Envelope at the following link:
https://www.lvhn.org/blueenvelope

11/06/2025

Get ready for an unforgettable holiday experience! MUOT is thrilled to host our Switch Adapted Toy Program on December 1, 2025, from 4–6 PM at the OPT Building on Misericordia University’s campus.
This FREE event is your chance to:
✅ Explore a variety of switch-adapted toys
✅ Work with our OT elves to find the perfect toy and switch for your child’s unique needs
✅ Take home an adapted toy purchased through a generous community grant

Spots are limited—sign up today and make this holiday magical!

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0F4CAEAB22ABFF2-60251965-adapted

Let’s make sure every child gets the joy they deserve this season. Share this opportunity with families who would benefit—and join us for the fun!

11/06/2025

This month, OTD students completed training and earned certification as CarFit technicians. 🚗 🚙

Along with OTA students from Lackawanna College, they hosted an intraprofessional CarFit event on campus, supporting local senior drivers by ensuring the best “fit” of a car for safety and comfort.

11/04/2025

✈️ Graduate students in both the traditional weekday and non-traditional weekend programs recently learned where they will be completing their next Level II fieldwork. 🚙

Our Academic Fieldwork Coordinator (AFWC) Dr. Amanda Salak works hard to ensure the students are not only placed where they prefer to go but also that they enjoy the process of learning where they are going during their ‘reveals’. We can see this in action by all the big smiles on everyone’s faces.

Good luck to all as they begin this next chapter of their academic journey! 🍀

10/31/2025

🎃 👻 Happy Halloween from MUOT! 🎃 👻 We celebrated with costumes, treats and Hallo-weenies 🌭 Can you spot the founders of OT?!?

10/27/2025

Shared from The World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT):

Today is ! 🌍

Established in 2010 by the World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT), World OT Day elevates the visibility of our profession’s development work and promotes WFOT’s activities locally, nationally, and internationally. This year’s theme is ‘Occupational Therapy in Action’—celebrating how OTs worldwide help people engage in meaningful activities and participation every single day.

At AOTF, we’re proud to support WFOT’s commitment to representing our profession on the global stage. We’re so excited to connect with OT professionals from around the world at the WFOT Congress in Bangkok, Thailand in Winter 2026!

🔗 Learn more about the Congress: https://wfotcongress2026.org/

10/26/2025

✨Misericordia University’s Occupational Therapy Department showed up in a big way at this year’s Pennsylvania Occupational Therapy Association (POTA) Annual Conference held at King’s College this weekend. ✨

Faculty, alumni and current students presented 29 separate scholarly works via posters and podium presentations. Topics ranged from neurodiversity in higher education to sensory inclusive environments to the development of fieldwork assessments and so much more!

The presentations were the direct result of both post-professional and entry-level doctoral capstones, summer undergraduate research fellowship (SURF) projects, and independent faculty and student research endeavors.

Thank you to everyone who showed up to support the scholarly work of MUOT! We are so proud of all of the hardwork that went into this!!

10/24/2025

Heading to the MU hockey game in Wilkes Barre on Saturday? 🏒

Out and about doing a little weekend shopping? 🛍️

Looking to grab dinner after the POTA conference in Wilkes Barre on Saturday? 👩🏽‍🏫

Pi Theta Epsilon, the MUOT honor society, is hosting a Chipotle fundraiser from 4-8 pm. Show them this flyer or use the code to order online. 🌯

All proceeds support Pi Theta Epsilon. Share with your friends!!!

10/22/2025

🎉 Big News from Misericordia University’s OT Department! 🎉

We’re proud to announce that our students, recent alumni and faculty are presenting 29 scholarly projects at this year’s Pennsylvania Occupational Therapy Association Conference! 🧠💡

For alumni and friends, please stop by our table in the Kowalski Building room 109 for some MUOT giveaways💙💛

From innovative research to impactful clinical insights, our MUOT community is advancing the profession in a scholaly way🎉

10/21/2025

I see 2 Misericordia University PPOTD graduates highlighted as speakers on here! Can anyone find them?????

Times Up!!!! It’s the infamous Dr. Kelly Mahler of Interoception fame (second in the top row) as well as Dr. Tracey DeMaria, author of How to Surf the Waves 🌊…. A book she began during her capstone journey! (1st, bottom row).
So proud of ALL of our doctoral 🎓 graduates. Email emclaughlin@ misericordia.edu to start your doctoral journey in our revised 24 credit 4 semester online doctoral curriculum!

The Sensory Journey Summit is here!

Today, we're officially announcing our first annual Sensory Journey Summit! A FREE neurodiversity-affirming virtual summit for parents, educators, therapists, and anyone else supporting neurodivergent kids.

We've put together an AMAZING speaker lineup featuring some of the top global experts in their fields—people who are truly pushing the needle forward in neuroaffirming practice:

✨ Dr. Ross Greene
✨ Robyn Gobbel
✨ Dr. Mona Delahooke
✨ Kelly Mahler
✨ Mr. Chazz
✨ Speech Dude
✨ Kelsie Olds (The Occuplaytional Therapist)
✨ and MORE!

Registration is open now (link the comments) and it's free to attend, with the option of upgrading to an all-access pass to get EARLY ACCESS to select sessions, bonus content, and session replays.

The proceeds from our summit are funding the development of our app as we continue to work tirelessly towards increasing affordable access to care and information for neurodivergent families.

So save your seat today! This is one summit you do NOT want to miss!!

Help us spread the word by sharing this post!

Register for FREE here: https://climbrx.com/summit/ref/3/

10/08/2025

MUOT MASTERS GRADUATES! FIELDWORK EDUCATORS! ANYONE INTERESTED IN OUR 24 CREDIT ONLINE PPOTD! CHECK THIS OUT:

10/07/2025

Drs. Dawn Evans and Karen Weis met with high school students interested in the healthcare professions during the 4th Annual Healthcare Career & College Exploration event sponsored by the Northeast PA Area Health Education Center. 🩺 ♥️

Students experienced what it might feel like to complete a visual motor task after experiencing a brain injury and also explored adaptive equipment that is often recommended by occupational therapy practitioners.

We hope to see many of them join us for OT Summer Camp on campus next June!!!