Just announced! Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) awards $7 million for new patient-centered comparative clinical effectiveness research (CER) led by AOTF Board of Trustee, Elizabeth Pfieffer PhD, OTR/L, BCP, FAOTA and Jessica Kramer, PhD, OTR/L, AOTF Engage Summit 2024 Co-Chair, and OTJR Associate Editor.

Effectiveness and Implementation of a Peer- and Staff-Delivered Transportation Intervention for Young Adults With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD)

"Public transportation can allow people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs) to go places and do activities. Even though travel training is often provided by vocational rehabilitation and independent living programs, many young adults with IDDs do not learn how to use public transportation. Some people believe that young adults with IDDs cannot learn to use public transportation safely — this is an example of ableism. However, there are young adults with IDDs who do use public transportation independently and safely. These young adults can show other young adults with IDDs how to use public transportation on their own. That way, more young adults with IDDs can learn to use public transportation and do activities that support their health and participation in the community."

This project aims to determine whether a travel training program called Chance to Ride, which is an eight-week intervention designed to teach young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs) how to use public transportation safely and independently, produces the same outcomes when delivered by a peer supporter with an IDD as it does when provided by a professional staff member. Additionally, the project will explore the factors that facilitate or hinder community service organizations in offering Chance to Ride. The main outcomes being measured in the study are loneliness, satisfaction with social activities, and travel skills.

Dr. Pfeiffer is an Associate Professor in the Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences in the College of Public Health at Temple University and the Director of the Research, Engagement and Advocacy for Community Participation and Health (REACH) Lab. Her research focuses on the development of interventions and outcomes measures to support engagement in meaningful activities in the community for transitional age youth and young adults with ASD and/or IDD. In all aspects of her work in the REACH lab, she is committed to engaging stakeholders/community partners in research planning and decision-making. Dr. Pfeiffer teaches research in the post-professional and entry-level Occupational Therapy Doctorate program and mentors PhD students. She continues her clinical practice in the area of pediatrics. In addition, she's an AOTF Mid-Career Research Excellence Awardee and Health Services Research Grant Recipient.

Dr. Kramer is an Associate Professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy, College of Public Health and Health Professions, University of Florida. Dr. Kramer’s occupational therapy practice experience is with enabling children and youth ages 3 to 20 with multiple, severe disabilities to participate and learn in a public school setting. Dr. Kramer’s research draws upon theoretical concepts and methodologies from occupational therapy, disability studies, education and rehabilitation to partner with youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) in the development and evaluation of rehabilitation products, develop community-based interventions that equip youth with I/DD and their families with the skills to identify and resolve environmental barriers to participation, and design high-quality patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) using contemporary measurement approaches. In addition, she's an AOTF Mid-Career Research Excellence Awardee and Health Services Research Grant Recipient.

Read full PCORI article.

The American Occupational Therapy Foundation (AOTF) is offering a unique scholarship program called the STRIDE (Standing for Research Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity). 

This program is special because it focuses on increasing diversity and equity in occupational therapy research by providing funding to a specific group of applicants.

What’s new this year? 

• This year (2024), AOTF renamed the STRIDE OT Research Fund (SRF) as the STRIDE Mentored Research Scholarship (SMRS). 
• AOTF has collected a database of mentors interested in assisting you on your research journey, aiming to best match awardees and mentors together based on areas of interest and expertise.  

Who is eligible? 

This scholarship is open to practicing occupational therapy clinicians, and graduates committed to broadening participation in research. However, the eligibility criteria go beyond academic qualifications. Here's what sets SMRS apart: 

• Background: The program targets applicants from under-represented backgrounds, with disabilities, and/or from under-resourced backgrounds. Please refer to the NIH link regarding information on underrepresented groups. This ensures opportunities are given to those who might otherwise face barriers to entering research. 
• Experience: You can be a post-professional Master's (OT) graduate, an entry-level or post-professional OTD graduate, or a practicing OT Clinician. This opens the door to both recent graduates and experienced clinicians who may be practicing full or part-time. 

What will you gain? 

If you're selected for the SMRS program, you'll be paired with a research mentor at an institution outside your own. This mentorship provides valuable guidance and support as you: 

• Gain hands-on experience in a research project aligned with your interests. 
• Develop critical research skills, like formulating research questions and analyzing data. 
• Build your network within the occupational therapy research community. 

Showcasing Your Work 

The program culminates with you presenting a poster on your research experience at the AOTA INSPIRE Conference. This is a fantastic opportunity to: 

• Share your findings with a wider audience. 
• Gain recognition for your work. 
• Network with other occupational therapy professionals. 

Is the STRIDE Mentored Research Scholarship right for you? 

If you are an occupational therapist who is passionate about research and comes from an under-represented background, with a disability, and/or from an under-resourced background, then this scholarship program could be a game-changer. It provides financial support, mentorship, and a platform to showcase your research.  

Building a More Diverse Research Landscape 

The STRIDE Mentored Research Scholarship has been fostering diverse and qualified occupational therapists in research for two years now, with five recipients in 2023 and three in 2022. This program's commitment to increasing equity is ongoing. 

Don't miss out! The application deadline is July 19, 2024.  

Apply now or share the news with your network so that others can apply, too! 

If you would like to serve as a STRIDE mentor for the following years, please use this Qualtrics Survey link 

FAQ link  

The American Occupational Therapy Foundation (AOTF) is thrilled to announce the opening of applications for the STRIDE Mentored Research Scholarship (SMRS)!

STRIDE stands for Supporting Research Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity. This scholarship program is dedicated to fostering a more diverse and inclusive research landscape in occupational therapy by providing financial support and mentorship to underrepresented groups. The SMRS application period is now open!

Is this YOU?

• Are you an OT graduate (post-professional master's or entry-level/post-professional OTD) or a current clinician?

• Do you identify with an under-represented background, a disability, and/or come from an under-resourced background?

• Are you passionate about conducting research in occupational therapy?

Submit your application between June 14 and July 19, 2024. 

Don't miss this incredible opportunity to elevate your research career and make a significant contribution to the field of occupational therapy!

The 2023 AOTF Planning Grant Collective, “Functional Cognition: Moving the Science Forward,” was held in Alexandria, VA, on October 16-17, 2023.

The program brought together over 45 occupational therapy leaders to clarify and advance occupational therapists’ critical role in supporting positive consumer outcomes through assessing and treating functional cognition across different age groups and care settings. The focus of this two-day AOTF Planning Grant Collective workshop, titled “Functional Cognition: Moving the Science Forward,” was to set priorities for functional cognition research, identify and address the gaps in evidence, advance the science, and influence education, practice, and policy.  

This meeting is a first step in developing collaborative teams that will continue to meet to create further action steps and projects, white papers, and new research grant proposals to move the profession forward in

the area of functional cognition to maximize client outcomes. 

The Foundation plans to convene one Collective a year, and plans are underway for 2024.  We believe this interdisciplinary approach to identifying essential research topics will result in critical new research in questions of great interest and opportunity for the OT profession.

View OTJR article for summary of the key concepts and recommendations: 
coming soon

Planning Grant Committee

Carolyn Baum, PhD, OTR, FAOTA, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis 
Lisa Tabor Connor, PhD, MSOT, OTR/L, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis
Dorothy Farrar Edwards, PhD, University of Wisconsin–Madison
Erin R. Foster, OTD, MSCI, OTR/L, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis
Yael Goverover, PhD, OTR/L,  NYU Steinhardt
Gordon Muir Giles, PhD, OTR/L, Samuel Merritt University
Joan Toglia, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA, Mercy University
Scott Campbell, PhD, Chief Executive Officer, American Occupational Therapy Foundation

Participants

Katie Alexander, OTD, MS, OTR/L, Unstuck and On Target
Peggy Barco, OTD, MS, OTR/L, FAOTA, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis
Nathalie Bier, PhD, University of Montréal
Anna Boone, PhD, MSOT, OTR/L, University of Missouri
Carolina Bottari, PhD, University of Montréal
Catana Brown, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA, Midwestern University-Glendale
Suzanne Burns, PhD, OTR/L, University of New Mexico
Susan Cahill, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA, The American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA)
Beth Cardell, PhD, OTR/L, University of Utah
Kelly Casey, OTD, OTR/L, BCPR, ATP, CPAM, Johns Hopkins Hospital
Patricia Cornille, OTD, OTR/L, Vita Cura Solutions
Meghan Doherty, OTD, OTR/L, Saint Louis University
Winnie Dunn, PhD, OTR, FAOTA, University of Missouri
Lindsay Escott, OTD, OTR/L, Shirley Ryan Abilitylab
Meredith Gronski, OTD, OTR/L, CLA, FAOTA, Methodist University
Catherine Hoyt, PhD, OTD, OTR/L, Washington University School of Medicine
Jill Jonas, MSOT, OTR/L, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis
Kristen Kehl-Floberg, MSOT, OTR/L, BCG, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Jessica Kersey, PhD, OTR/L, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis
Yejin  Lee, PhD, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis
Yating Lei, MS, OT, PhD Candidate, NYU Steinhardt
Trudy Mallinson, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA, The George Washington University
Tim Marks, PhD, OTR/L, University of Missouri - Columbia
Helene Polatajko, PhD, University of Toronto
Mary Radomski, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA, Allina Health/Courage Kenny Research
Elizabeth Rhodus, PhD, MS, OTR/L, University of Kentucky 
Juleen Rodakowski, OTD, MS, OTR/L, FAOTA, University of Pittsburgh
Meirav Rosenfeld, MS, OTR/L, NYU Steinhardt
Shlomit Rotenberg, PhD, University of Toronto
Sharmila Sandhu, JD, American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA)
Jaclyn Schwartz, PhD, OTR/L, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis
Caitlin Synovec, OTD, OTR/L, BCMH, National Health Care for the Homeless Council
Jaclyn Stephens, PhD, OTR, Colorado State University
Quinn Tyminski, OTD, OTR/L, BCMH, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis
Asha Vas, PhD, OT, CBIST, Texas Woman’s University
Kelsey Watters, CScD, OTR/L, BCPR, CBIS, Shirley Ryan AbilityLab

Partners 

Tina Harris, University of Pittsburgh
Sular Gordon, Washington University in St. Louis
Rachel Sieber, OTR, Texas Institute of Rehabilitation and Research (TIRR)                                                         
Debbie Amini, EdD, OTR/L, FAOTA, The American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA)