Congratulations to our 2023 Intervention Research Grant Recipients:

Emily Kringle, PhD, OTR/L, University of Minnesota

duoABLE: Feasibility of a Behavioral Activation-based Intervention to Reduce Sedentary Behavior Among People with Stroke and Their Support Persons Mentor: Beth Lewis, PhD

Pedro Almeida, OT, PhD, OTR, Boston University Sargent College

Developing a Client-centered, Occupational-based Joint-protection Protocol: The Feasibility of The CO-OP Approach for Clients Living with Hand Osteoarthritis

Mentor: Emily Rothman, ScD

Andrea Fairman, PhD, MOT, OTR/L, CPRP, ATP, Johnson & Wales University Clinical Efficacy of CO-OP And Mhealth to Support Self-catheterization In Youth with Spina Bifida

Mentor: Douglass Clayton, MD

Mark Hardison, PhD, OTR/L, University of New Mexico

Assessing the Feasibility of the Restorative Occupational Approaches for Disordered Eating (ROADE) Program Mentor: Catana Brown, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA

Kelle DeBoth, PhD, OTR/L, Cleveland State University Ohio

Building Resilience and Social-emotional Skills in Under-resourced Preschoolers with History of Trauma

Mentor: Susan Bazyk, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA

The purpose of this grant program is to lay the necessary groundwork for larger intervention studies and for larger implementation studies and support the profession’s Vision 2025 of occupational therapy as an evidence-based profession. The intent of the IRG program is to provide seed funding for the development of new and/or novel ideas in order to generate preliminary data as proof of concept. Most larger funders, including federal sources and most of the major nonprofit foundations, require this data in order to apply to them, yet sources to fund this preliminary work are limited at best. The AOTF IRG occupies a very important niche and fills a critical gap by investing in the development of ideas and data in the early state of the occupational therapy research enterprise. 

The Intervention Research Grant program receives donations from the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) and the AOTF St. Catherine Challenge.  

Congratulations to the 2023 Implementation Research Grant Recipients:

Aviva Wolff, EdD, OTR, CHT, Hospital for Special Surgery NY
Implementation Science to Prevent and Reduce Musculoskeletal Occupational Injuries in Musicians
Mentor: Laura Robbins, PT, DTP

Angela Shierk, PhD, OTR, Texas Woman’s University
Implementation of Therapy Together, a Pediatric Constraint Induced Movement Therapy Program, with Early Childhood Intervention
Mentor: Janet Prvu Bettger, ScD

Chiao-Ju Fang, PhD, MA, OTR/L, San Jose State University
Implementation of App-based Coaching Intervention (Social Participation and Navigation; SPAN) to Promote Participation of Young Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)
Mentor: Laurie Drabble, PhD

Videos of their research coming soon!

The IR grant specifically supports research that is focused on helping occupational therapists take evidence-informed practice from theory to reality in their practice setting. This research grant develops and evaluates the processes used to implement, sustain, and or scale-up evidence-based practice into routine care with an end goal to improve the quality and effectiveness of care.

Learn more about the IR Grant.

Every year, the American Occupational Therapy Foundation (AOTF) bestows awards and honors to individuals that contribute time, energy, and support to the fulfillment of the AOTF mission- advancing the science of occupational therapy. The awards are presented annually at the AOTA/AOTF Awards Ceremony during the AOTA Annual Conference. 

ACADEMY OF RESEARCH* 
Carolyn Unsworth, PhD, BAppSci (OT), GCTE, OTR, MRCOT, FOTARA, Professor, Discipline Lead Occupational Therapy Institute of Health and Wellbeing, Federation University Australia, Victoria, Austrailia
Sook-Lei Liew, PhD, OTR/L, Associate Professor; Director, Neural Plasticity and Neurorehabilitation Laboratory; Chair, ENIGMA Stroke Recovery Working Group; Co-Director, USC SMART-VR Center; Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy, Biomedical Engineering, and Neurology USC Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California

AOTF EARLY CAREER RESEARCH EXCELLENCE AWARD*
Lisa Juckett, PhD, OTR/L, CHT, Assistant Professor, Division of Occupational Therapy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio

AOTF MID-CAREER RESEARCH EXCELLENCE AWARD*
Elizabeth Pyatak, PhD, OTR/L, CDCES, FAOTA, Director of the Lifestyle Redesign® Knowledge Mobilization Initiative, and Associate Professor, Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California

FRED SAMMONS VOLUNTEER RECOGNITION AWARD
Bonita Kraft, retired occupational therapist practicing in behavioral health focusing on schizophrenia, psychosis, depression, bipolar disorder and other personality disorders, Camarillo, California

AOTF A. JEAN AYRES AWARD*
Teresa May-Benson, ScD, OTR/L, FAOTA, Owner, President, TMB Occupational Therapy Resources, Inc. Norristown, Pennsylvania

AOTF VIRGINIA SCARDINA AWARD OF EXCELLENCE*
Erna Imperatore Blanche, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA, Clinical Professor of Occupational Therapy, Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California

AOTF MERITORIOUS SERVICE AWARD 
Felicia Chew, MS, OTR/L, FAOTA, FNAP, President, Integrity Health Solutions, Mount Royal, New Jersey
Donald Fogelberg, PhD, OTR/L, Associate Professor, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Washington Seattle, Washington
Susan Magasi PhD, MS, BScOT, Associate Professor, Occupational Therapy; Associate Professor, Disability and Human Development; Associate Head, Occupational Therapy, Department of Occupational Therapy and Disability Studies, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
Kerri Morgan, PhD, OTR/L, ATP, Assistant Professor of Occupational Therapy and Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
Kristie Patten, PhD, OT/L, FAOTA, Vice Dean of Academic Affairs, Professor of Occupational Therapy Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, New York University, New York, New York

AOTF LEADERSHIP SERVICE COMMENDATION
Tracey Ellis, OTR/L, MPH, CEO & Founder, International Diagnostic Solutions, Inc. and Ellis Therapeutic Consultant, Inc. Washington, District of Columbia
Elizabeth Pfeiffer, PhD, OTR/L, BCP, FAOTA, Associate Professor, Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences; Director of the REACH Lab, Temple University

AOTF PI THETA EPSILON MARY J. BRIDLE FIRST RESEARCH
Sarah Synak, OTD, OTR/L, Creighton University, Occupational Therapist at Madonna Rehabilitation Hospitals, Lincoln, Nebraska. Research Title: The Effectiveness of Upper Extremity Orthotic Interventions on Functional Participation for Adults with Stroke: A Systematic Review

* Select awards with be presented at the AOTF/AOTA Awards & Recognitions Ceremony at AOTA INSPIRE Conference, Saturday,  April 22, 4:30 pm–6:00 pm CT, Reception 6:00 pm–7:30 pm CT, others will be recognized at the AOTF VIP Reception.

Learn More

AOTF strategic planning workgroup seeks your assistance in the planning of the 2024 `Connecting OT Researchers & Practitioners AOTA Conference Workshop' to promote knowledge interaction between occupational therapy (OT) researchers and clinicians. 
 
Help us identify OT researchers and clinicians who would be interested in meeting at the 2023 AOTA Conference to discuss, set objectives and agenda for the 2024 workshop. An abstract will be submitted for the `Connecting OT Researchers & Practitioners AOTA Conference Workshop' to be held at the 2024 AOTA conference as a result of this planning meeting. Complete this brief survey by March 10, 2023 if you are interested in participating or would like to recommend another OT.

Eligibility for Participant: 

• Is an OT (researcher or clinician) 
• Is planning to attend the 2023 AOTA conference in-person
• Able to attend Planning Meeting at 2023 AOTA Conference: 9 a.m.-10:45 a.m. on Thursday, April 20, 2023.