Florida Occupational Therapy Association

02/05/2026

AOTA members: The 2026 polls are now open! We encourage you to read the candidate position statements on our website before you cast your vote. Polls close just before noon (11:59 am EST) on Wednesday, February 25.

Learn more and vote at aota.org/elections 🗳️

02/04/2026

NEWS: On February 3, Congress extended Medicare telehealth waivers that will allow occupational therapy practitioners to provide services via telehealth through December 31, 2027.

These waivers had expired at midnight on Friday, January 30, as they were tied to budget negotiations which resulted in a brief partial government shutdown. AOTA continues to urge Congress to establish a permanent telehealth policy—which would make OTPs permanent Medicare telehealth providers and prevent further disruption.

Learn more: https://bit.ly/3ZKeGrk

01/29/2026

We are excited to share an upcoming Advocacy Hour hosted by Nova Southeastern University – Tampa Bay Regional Campus COTAD Chapter. ⁣
⁣
Event Details:⁣
📅 Date: January 29, 2026⁣
🕐 Time: 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM (previously 1:30 to 2:30 pm)⁣
📍 Location: Virtual via Zoom⁣
https://nova.zoom.us/j/89560606097?pwd=C0wrpKhnRFDJZDMtOWX8VhiLF7oAMc.1

12/17/2025

FOTA Connect December 2025

Registration link: https://shorturl.at/1Zd8O

11/29/2025

FOTA Hill Day is Almost Here — Have You Registered?

Join Florida’s OT community on December 3, 2025, at the Florida State Capitol in Tallahassee for FOTA’s Annual Hill Day! This is your chance to meet with state lawmakers, participate in an energizing OT rally, network with more than 200 OT practitioners and students, and advocate for the future of our profession.

Why Attend?
* Understand how state policy impacts OT practice and patient care
* Meet directly with legislators and staff — no advocacy experience needed
* Connect with OT colleagues from across Florida
* Help elevate the visibility and importance of OT in healthcare
Your voice is essential in advancing occupational therapy. Don’t miss this opportunity to support policies that strengthen our profession and improve access to care.

📅 Date: December 3, 2025�
📍 Location: Florida State Capitol (400 S Monroe St, Tallahassee, FL)�
👥 Who’s Invited: OT practitioners, students, and supporters�
🔗 Registration: https://forms.gle/VetxjJbVZLFQq3ex8

Questions?�Govaffairs@flota.org�Sharon Rosenberg – 850-322-7936 | Sharon.nrosenberg@gmail.com�Deb Oliveira – drdso04@gmail.com

11/25/2025

Join Florida’s OT community on December 3, 2025, at the Florida State Capitol in Tallahassee for FOTA’s Annual Hill Day! This is your chance to meet with state lawmakers, participate in an energizing OT rally, network with more than 200 OT practitioners and students, and advocate for the future of our profession.

Why Attend?
-Understand how state policy impacts OT practice and patient care
-Meet directly with legislators and staff — no advocacy experience needed
-Connect with OT colleagues from across Florida
-Help elevate the visibility and importance of OT in healthcare

Your voice is essential in advancing occupational therapy. Don’t miss this opportunity to support policies that strengthen our profession and improve access to care.

Date: December 3, 2025
Location: Florida State Capitol (400 S Monroe St, Tallahassee, FL)
Who’s Invited: OTA/OT practitioners, students, and supporters

Registration link: https://shorturl.at/Hpb0y

11/25/2025

The Department of Education (ED) is moving forward with new rules that will fundamentally change how graduate students finance their education.

Under the rule ED will propose, master’s and doctoral occupational therapy programs are not classified as professional programs, but instead as graduate programs. “Graduate programs” will have a $20,500 annual limit, with a $100,000 total cap, while programs defined as “Professional programs” will have a $50,000 annual limit, and $200,000 total cap. This means that future OT students would be subject to a significantly lower loan limits.

Occupational therapy master’s and doctoral programs not listed as “professional programs,” limiting federal loan options under new borrowing caps.

11/17/2025

🏆💙 Honoring Our 2025 FOTA Professional Award Recipients! 💙🏆

Join us in celebrating the incredible professionals recognized at the 2025 FOTA Conference! 🌟
�These outstanding occupational therapy practitioners, educators, leaders, and advocates have gone above and beyond to advance our profession and make a lasting impact on the communities we serve. 🙌

Each recipient embodies the values of excellence, service, and dedication that define Florida’s OT community. 💫

We’re proud to honor their achievements and thank them for inspiring us all to keep pushing the profession forward! 💙👏

11/16/2025

🏆🎓 Celebrating Our Student Poster Award Winners! 🎓🏆

A huge congratulations to our 2025 FOTA Conference Student Poster Award recipients! 🙌💙 Your hard work, creativity, and commitment to advancing the field of occupational therapy truly stood out.

From innovative research to practice-based projects that make a real impact, these outstanding students are shaping the future of OT! 🌟✨

We’re so proud to celebrate your achievements and can’t wait to see where your passion and leadership take you next. 💫

Let’s give a big round of applause for the next generation of OT professionals! 👏👏👏