Universities of Wisconsin-Madison and Milwaukee hosted the 10th Annual Occupational Therapy Summit of Scholars June 16-18. The 2022 OT Research Summit aspired to activate leadership in science so that OT/OS scientists form and lead diverse interdisciplinary research teams to advance occupational therapy, occupational science, and improve quality of life. This year’s program covered work in progress (WIP) projects and presentations from researchers including AOTF grantees, Jewel E Crasta, PhD, OTR/L, Stacey Reynolds, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA, Karen Atler, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA, Lisa Juckett, PhD, OTR/L, CHT and Erika Kemp, OTD, OTR/L, BCP. Collaborative activated research teams (CART) during the summit were led by various researchers including AOTA STRIDE and past grantee member Simone Gill, AOTF grant winners Susan Magasi, Lauren Little and Lisa Juckett, AOTF award winners Beth Fields, Jessica Kramer, Stefanie Bodison and Ginny Stoffel and AOTF Academy of Research (AOR) members Sherrilene Classen, Tim Wolf and Anita Bundy. The funder presentations included our very own Scientific Program Officer, Satvika Garg, PhD, OTR/L, along with Theresa Cruz, Director, NCMRR, Sharon Chiou, PhD, NIOSH, Grace Hwang, PhD, NSF and Pimjai Sudsawad, ScD, NIDILRR. Please go to www.otsummit.org - 2022 Summit Resources for details of these presentations.

We look forward to next year’s OT Summit at The Ohio State University!

(pictured)“Caregiving: Measurement, Intervention, and Outcomes,” Collaborative Activated Research Team (CART): Beth Fields, Lauren Little & Timothy Dionne

Great news from our 2019 Health Services Research Grant recipient, Teal Benevides, PhD, MS, OTR/L, Augusta University!

Her groups first paper that came out of their grant work, Publicly Insured Utilization & Costs of Care Among Adults on the Autism Spectrum, was just name one of the Top 20 Advances in Autism Biomedical and Services Research, as selected by members of the US. Department of Health and Human Services, NIH, Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC):

Racial and ethnic disparities in benefits eligibility and spending among adults on the autism spectrum: A cohort study using the Medicare Medicaid Linked Enrollees Analytic Data Source. Benevides TW, Carretta HJ, Rust G, Shea L. PLoS One. 2021 May 25;16(5). [PMID: 34032811]. Disparities in dual eligibility for Medicaid and Medicare benefits across race and ethnicity in autistic adults contribute to disparities in access to services. Read more

I am very grateful for AOTF and your support of OT researchers! Thank you for believing in this work. 

AOTF 2023 Health Services, Implementation and Intervention Research Grants will open this summer.  

Calling for Volunteers!  The AOTF Scholarship Selection Committee has openings for Reviewers (especially Clinicians!) to read, review, and score applications submitted for AOTF Scholarships. The bulk of active committee work typically takes place between November - February annually.  Interested?  Contact Careen Carlton at CCarlton@aotf.org by Sept. 1, 2022.

We recently learned of the passing of Honorary Lifetime Member of the American Occupational Therapy Foundation (AOTF), Nancy Vesper (Snyder) Lieftinck.

Following completion of her undergraduate degree in occupational therapy at Ohio State University (OSU), Nancy Vesper Lieftinck immediately began her first job as a staff occupational therapist in 1954 at the Department of Physical Medicine, treating persons with polio. Reflecting on her career, she indicated that her most significant accomplishments occurred as chairperson of ACOTE, in which she developed a streamlined system for program evaluation during her 9 years of service on the council. As an acknowledged leader in occupational therapy, she served the American Occupational Therapy Foundation (AOTF) generously, completing two terms as president of AOTF from 1969 to 1976 and 1985 to 1989. Under her direction, the AOTF Board of Directors established the AOTF state scholarship program and hired the Foundation's first full-time executive director. In 2003, she was honored with the distinct designation of Honorary Life Membership by the board of directors of the AOTF and was also recognized with the Leadership Commendation Award in 2012 for her many contributions and distinguished service. In addition, Nancy was inducted into the Roster of Fellows of AOTA in 1975 and received the Retired Educator’s Award in 2003. The Fred Sammons Volunteer Recognition Award was presented to her in 2020 by the AOTF, and she is listed in Who’s Who in Rehabilitation. 

To send condolences, you may visit Nancy Lieftinck Obituary - Columbus, OH (dignitymemorial.com)