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)

The 2021 AOTF Planning Grant Collective, “Fatigue: An Understudied Barrier to Participating Fully in Daily Life” was held virtually again this year.  Considering many conditions have fatigue as a major characteristic, all of the issues related to the ongoing pandemic and what appears to be a major comorbidity in COVID “long haulers”, the topic chosen was very timely.  A wide range of disciplines was represented at the workshop, as well as several funding agencies including the Arthritis Foundation, the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR), the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) and the following NIH Institutes/Centers: National Cancer Institute (NCI); National Institute on Aging (NIA); and National Center for Complimentary and Integrative Health (NCCIH).

New priority areas of research were identified and included: the need for identification of fatigue subgroups/deep phenotypes; novel trial designs and comparative effectiveness research; implementation science research to improve delivery and effectiveness of fatigue interventions; and the need for consistent and comparable treatment taxonomy.

The Foundation plans to convene one Collective a year and plans are underway for 2022.  We believe this interdisciplinary approach to identifying important 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: 
Fatigue as an Understudied Barrier to Participation in Life Roles. OTJR: Occupational Therapy Journal of Research. 2023;0(0). doi:10.1177/15394492231180833, Poole JL, Murphy SL, Foster ER, et al.

Planning Grant Committee
Co-Chairs:  Janet Poole, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA, University of New Mexico and Susan Murphy, ScD OTR/L, University of Michigan
Erin Foster, PhD, OTD, MSCI, OTR/L, Washington University
Virgil Mathiowetz, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA, University of Minnesota
MJ Mulcahey, PhD, OTR/L, CPPC, CLCP, FASIA, Thomas Jefferson University
Alix Sleight Warner, PhD, OTD, MPH, OTR/L, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
Scott Campbell, PhD, Chief Executive Officer, American Occupational Therapy Foundation
Dunsin Akinyemi, BS, Grants Administrator,  American Occupational Therapy Foundation

Participants
Kristine Carandang, PhD, OTR/L, University of Wisconsin - River Falls
Patricia Katz, PhD, University of California San Francisco
Marcia Finlayson, PhD, OT Reg (Ont), OTR, Queens University
Linda Ehrlich Jones, PhD, RN, Shirley Ryan AbilityLab
Don Fogelberg, PhD, OTR/L, University of Washington
Lauren Krupp, MD, New York University Langone Health
Jason Bouffard, PhD, Laval University
Daniel Whibley, PhD, PT, University of Michigan
Kathy Lyons, ScD, OTR/L, Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professions Darthomouth College
Tanya Packer, PhD, OT Reg(NS), Dalhousie University
Matthew Plow, PhD, OT, Case Western Reserve University
Kathy Preissner, PhD, OTR/L, University of Illinois-Chicago
Toni Vandenend, PhD, OTR/L, University of Illinois-Chicago
Sherry Hite, MOT, OTR/L, City of Hope Medical Center
Heather Jim, PhD, Moffit Cancer Center
Ketki Raina, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA, University of Pittsburgh
Arash Asher, MD, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
Aileen Ledingham, PT, MS, PhD, Boston University School of Public Health
Yen Chen, PhD, University of Michigan

Partners 
Nick Turkas, Arthritis Foundation 
Pimjai Sudsawad, ScD, NIDILRR
Inna Belfer, MD, PhD, NCCIH
Lyndon Joseph, PhD, Institute of Aging, (NIA)
Janet de Moor, PhD, MPH, National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Sarah Ruiz, PCORI

On October 5-7, 2020, the American Occupational Therapy Foundation held its annual Planning Grant Collective, a workshop that brought together over 35 stakeholders from many disciplines to plan future studies in the field of occupational therapy. This year’s collaboration was a three-day virtual event on the timely topic Stimulating Research to Advance Evidence-Based Applications of Telehealth in Occupational Therapy. The workshop benefited greatly with the diversity of specialties including not only OT research and telehealth, but nursing, veteran healthcare affairs, mechanical/bioengineering, physical therapy, speech therapy, ophthalmology, geriatrics, neurology, acute care, rehabilitation, kinesiology, diversity and coding & billing. AOTA leadership was also represented since the clinician-researcher collaboration is key to moving the profession forward.

After a brief history on telehealth and COVID-19, practice and policy, and access and technology, the group generated and prioritized novel research areas of need: Re-envisioning Assessment and Intervention in the Natural Context with Technology, Uniform Data Collection, Involvement of Caregivers, and Improving Telehealth Delivery. The participants then broke out into four initial workgroups to address each topic area and began to strategize a plan towards competitive grant submissions. The workgroups will reconvene with the planning committee to finalize short- and long-term plans for working with community partners in securing extramural funding to build the evidence base to advance the applications of telehealth in occupational therapy.

As telehealth is at the forefront of healthcare now more than ever, the planning grant committee will fast-track the process of releasing a white paper and a call-to-action for researchers, practitioners, students, consumers, and funding agencies. Reach out and share your experience and ideas for moving the field of OT and telehealth forward. What are the innovative technologies and approaches you have seen? How have you used telehealth personally or professionally? Email research@aotf.org.

This is such a timely meeting with heavy implications for policy, practice and research. Thank you for bringing all of these voices together! - Katie Jordan, OTD, OTR/L, USC 

View OTJR article for summary of the key concepts and recommendations: Stimulating Research to Advance Evidence-Based Applications of Telehealth in Occupational Therapy
International Journal of Telerehabilitation Keeping PACE With 21st Century Healthcare: A Framework for Telehealth Research, Practice, and Program Evaluation in Occupational Therapy
Pace Framework Advancing telehealth outcome and process measurement for occupational therapy

Planning Grant Committee
Chair: Rachel Proffitt, OTD, OTR/L, Assistant Professor Department of Occupational Therapy University of Missouri
Scott Campbell, PhD, Chief Executive Officer American Occupational Therapy Foundation
Jana Cason, DHSc, OTR/L, FAOTA, Professor, Auerbach School of Occupational Therapy, Spalding University
Mary Lawlor, ScD, OTR/L, FAOTA, AOTF Board of Trustees Chair, Assoc. Chair of Research, Joint Appointment with the Keck School of Medicine of USC, Dept. of Pediatrics, Mrs. T.H. Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, University of Southern California
Lauren Little, PhD, OTR/L, Associate Professor, Department of Occupational Therapy, College of Health Sciences, Rush University 
Kristen Pickett, PhD, Occupational Therapy Program, Assistant Professor, Department of Kinesiology, University of Wisconsin – Madison School of Education.

Participants
Peter Adamczyk, PhD, University of Wisconsin-Madison 
Ava Bittner, OD, PhD, University of California, Los Angeles 
Susan Cahill, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA, American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc. (AOTA) 
Felicia Chew, MS, OTR/L, FAOTA, Genesis Rehab Services 
Evan Dean, PH.D., OTR/L, University of Kansas 
Karen Duddy, OTD, OT, OTR, Boston University 
Winnie Dunn, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA, University of Missouri 
Kimberly Erler, PhD, OTR/L, MGH Institute of Health Professionals 
Megan Gately, PhD, OTD, OTR/L, Tufts University 
Andrea Gilmore Bykovskyi, PhD, RN, University of Wisconsin-Madison 
Debi Hinerfeld, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA, Adjunct Clinical Professor 
Dwight Irvin, PhD, Juniper Gardens Children’s Project 
Douglene Jackson, PhD, OTR/L, LMT, ATP, BCTS, Global Interventions for Therapy Services/GIFTS Institute, LLC 
Karen Jacobs, EdD, OT, OTR, CPE, FAOTA, Boston University 
Katie Jordan, OTD, OTR/L, USC 
Teresa J. Kimberley, PhD, PT, MGH Institute of Health Professionals 
Andrew Persch, PhD, OTR/L, Colorado State University 
Tammy Richmond, MS, OTR/L, FAOTA, Go2Care 
Jan Rowe, Dr. OT, OTR/L, FAOTA, Park Place of Children's 
Roger Smith, PhD, OT, FAOTA, RESNA fellow, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee 
Steven J. Taylor, OTD, OTR/L, Rush University Medical Center
Evelyn Terrell, Nicklaus Children's Hospital 
Anna Wallisch, PhD, OTR/L, Post Doc Juniper Gardens Children's Project 
Grace Wilske, OT, VA Health System 
Monica Wright, MHA, CPC, CPMA, CPCO, American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc. (AOTA) 

Partners and Special Guests
Andrew Murtishaw, PhD, Alzheimer’s Association 
Ellie Daniels, MD, MPH, American Cancer Society, Inc.
Mary Rooney, PhD, ABPP, National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Theresa Cruz, PhD, National Center for Medical Rehabilitation (NCMRR)
David Banks, PhD, MPH, RN, National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR),
Lyndon Joseph, PhD, Institute of Aging, (NIA)
Roxanne Jensen, PhD, National Cancer Institute (NCI)

The goal of the AOTF workshop will be to establish several collaborative teams that will develop new research grant proposals designed to advance the evidence base for home and community-based services that support aging in place. Workshop participants will generate and prioritize novel research questions during the workshop and form research teams to subsequently write grant proposals to answer their chosen question. Each team will be asked to generate a plan that puts them on the path towards competitive grant submissions. For example, one team could decide to use existing pilot data and could establish an analytic plan for a manuscript that both justifies the need for further study and establishes a documented collaboration between researchers that would be needed in a grant application. Another team might identify a focused research question and establish plans to pursue institutional/internal pilot funding that would be needed for a larger grant. Ultimately, the goal is to use this networking opportunity to create new research teams that secure extramural funding to build the evidence base for aging in place, allowing older adults to fully engage in daily life roles and maintain or improve their quality of life.

View related OTJR articles:

• Stimulating Research to Enhance Aging in Place to see priority areas.
• Out-of-Home Activities and Health in Older Adults: A Scoping Review

Participants (*Committee Member)

• Sajay Arthanat, PhD, OTR/L, ATP, Telehealth Practice Center. University of New Hampshire
• Tracy Chippendale, PhD, OTR/L, New York University
• Carrie Ciro*, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA, University of Oklahoma
• Malcolm P. Cutchin, PhD, Wayne State University
• Chanee Fabius, PhD, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University
• Beth Fields, PhD, OTR/L, University of Wisconsin - Madison
• Heather Fritz, PhD, OTR/L, Wayne State University
• Vanessa Jewell, PhD, OTR/L, Creighton University
• Mary C. Lawlor*, ScD, OTR/L, FAOTA, University of Southern California
• Danbi Lee, PhD, OTD, OTR/L, University of Washington
• Catherine Lysack*, PhD, Wayne State University
• Margaret McDonald, MSW, Visiting Nurse Services of New York
• Tracy M. Mroz*, PhD, OTR/L, University of Washington
• Elsa M. Orellano-Colon, PhD, MSc, OTR/L, ATP, University of Puerto Rico
• Melissa Park, PhD, OT/L, McGill University
• Catherine Piersol, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA, Jefferson Elder Care, Jefferson College of Rehabilitation Sciences (JCRS)
• Barbara Resnick, PhD, RN, CRNP, FAAN, FAANP, University of Maryland
• Juleen Rodakowski*, OTD, MD, OTR/L, University of Pittsburgh
• Shlomit Rotenberg, OT, PhD, Rotman Research Institute Baycrest
• Stacey Schepens Niemiec, PhD, OTR/L, University of Southern California
• Emily Somerville, OTD, OTR/L, Washington University in St. Louis
• Pamela Toto, PhD, OTR/L, BCG, FAOTA, University of Pittsburgh
• Jennifer Womack, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Organization Partners and Special Guests

• Ellie Daniels, MD, MPH, American Cancer Society, Inc.
• James Gibaldi, The Michael J. Fox Foundation
• C. Jean Hsieh, PhD, OT, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
• Sarah Ruiz, PhD, National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research
• Heather M. Snyder, PhD, Alzheimer's Association

The goal of the second Planning Grant Collective was to establish research teams that will develop grant proposals for studies that move the evidence base for cancer rehabilitation beyond impairment reduction to target improving cancer survivors’ productivity and participation in meaningful activity. Researchers from the disciplines of occupational therapy, nursing, oncology, physiatry, physical therapy, psychology, and exercise science attended the event. 

The event led to the formation of research teams that created action plans regarding publications and collection of pilot data to advance three lines of inquiry ultimately focused on reducing participation restrictions experienced by cancer survivors. One research team is analyzing existing data to inform the development an intervention designed to address employment concerns of people diagnosed with early-stage cancer. Another team is re-analyzing existing qualitative data to identify ways to use a community-based self-management approach to foster optimal participation in life roles and meaningful activities. The third team has designed a pilot study to collect descriptive data regarding participation restrictions, in order to inform intervention development within clinic settings.

View OTJR: Occupation, Participation and Health article: Newman, R. M., Alfano, C. M., Radomski, M. V., Pergolotti, M., Wolf , T. J., Sleight, A. G., … Lyons, K. D. (2019). Catalyzing Research to Optimize Cancer Survivors’ Participation in Work and Life Roles. . https://doi.org/10.1177/1539449219844749

Participants  (*Committee Member)

• Catherine Alfano*, PhD, Vice President, Survivorship, American Cancer Society
• Arash Asher, MD, Director, Cancer Rehabilitation and Survivorship, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
• Brent Braveman, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA, Director, Dept. of Rehabilitation Services, MD Anderson Cancer Center
• Ashley Leak Brant, PhD, RN-BC, OCN, Asst. Professor,  School of Nursing, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• Andrea L. Cheville, MD, Chair of Research, Dept. of Physical Medicine, Mayo Clinic
• Elvan Daniels, MD, MPH, Program Director, American Cancer Society
• Janet S. de Moor, PhD, MPH, Behavioral Scientist and Program Director, Office of Cancer Survivorship, National Cancer Institute
• Allison King, MD, MPH, PhD, Medical Director, Survivoship Program for Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University in St. Louis
• Mary C. Lawlor*, ScD, OTR/L, FAOTA, AOTF Chair, Professor & Associate Chair of Research, Mrs. T.H. Chan Div. of Occupational Science & Occupational Therapy, University of Southern California
• Kathleen Lyons*, ScD, OTR/L, Scientist, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center
• Kirsten K. Ness, PT, PhD, FAPTA, Epidemiology & Cancer Control, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
• Robin Newman*, OTD, OTR/L, CLT, Clincial Assistant Professor, Dept. of Occupational Therapy, Boston University
• Ralph Nitkin, PhD, Deputy Director, National Center for Medical Rehabilitation Research (NCMRR)
• Mackenzi Pergolotti*, PhD, OTR/L, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Occupational Therapy, Colorado State University
• Mary Radomski*, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA, Senior Scientific Advisor, Courage Kenny Research Center, Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute
• Alexandra (Alix) Sleight, PhD, OTD, OTR/L, Cancer Prevention Fellow, National Cancer Institute
• Piyush Srivastava, MD, Medical Oncology, Walnut Creek Medical Center, The Permanente Medical Group
• Gerald T. Voelbel, PhD, Director of Rehab. Sciences PhD Program, Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development, New York University
• Rachel K. Walker, PhD, RN, Assistant Professor, Nursing, University of Massachusetts, Amherst
• Grant Williams, MD, Assistant Professor, Division of Hematology/Oncology & Gerontology, Geriatrics, and Palliative Care, Institute for Cancer Outcomes and Survivorship, University of Alabama at Birmingham,
• Kerri M. Winters-Stone, PhD, FACSM, Enora E. Thompson Distinguished Professor, Oregon Health & Science University
• Timothy J. Wolf, OTD, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA, Associate Professor & Chair, Dept. of Occupational Therapy, University of Missouri