NYSOTA's Legislative Chair, Jeff Tomlinson, summarizes important updates on mental health bills, educational funding, OTA reimbursement under the Workers' Compensation program, direct access to OT services, and telehealth laws in his latest Legislative Report. As of March 15th, the OT Direct Access bill became a two-house bill thanks to Senator Kennedy introducing S. 5663 and the efforts made by many students, professors, and practitioners on Advocacy Day!

Click here for Jeff's report.

Present at Conference this November. Share your knowledge and expertise to inform and inspire other occupational therapy professionals. NYSOTA is accepting Call for Paper submissions for the 2021 Annual Conference. This year's conference will be held November 12-14 and will be a completely virtual event. Submission deadline is June 15, 2021.

Click here for information and instructions.

April is Autism Acceptance Month. The rate in which children are diagnosed with ASD has doubled in ten years. With occupational therapy practitioners working with autistic children in school-based practice, outpatient clinics, and in community settings, it is important to have evidence-based resources to accurately evaluate and treat clients with the symptoms of this diagnosis.

Click here for the full article.

David is a COTA at a skilled nursing facility, an adjunct instructor at SUNY Orange, a co-founder of Theatre in Tandem, a gifted and inspiring speaker, and the Vice President of NYSOTA. A man of many talents with a passion for occupational therapy, David shares how his areas of expertise inform and build off of one another. In this interview, he discusses what drew him to the profession, how he views his role, and the benefits of being a NYSOTA member.

Click here for the full interview.

NYSOTA's Career Center provides lots of opportunities for employers to get open positions in front of highly-qualified professionals. Post your job on NYSOTA's targeted job board. Enroll in Job Flash to have your jobs emailed directly to thousands of occpational therapy practitioners. Search our Resume Bank, and filter applicants to only those who fit your requirements.

Click here to get started.

Join us May 18 at 7:00 PM for a unique, virtual Sip & Paint. Haitian artist Locson Petit-Homme will guide participants through the process of painting their own Haitian-themed canvas. Explore your creativity, learn about Haitian art, and participate in a meaningful cause. All proceeds from this artistic and social event will benefit the Dr. Yves Roseus Memorial Fund, a NYSOTA initiative to establish an educational and cultural exchange between occupational therapy practitioners in Haiti and New York State.

Click here to register.

In an interview with NYSOTA member and Iona College SOTA President, Kendrick Marania, we learn about a new NYSOTA initiative: Coffee with an Entrepreneur. These Instagram-exclusive interviews are the product of a partnership between NYSOTA's Social Media Committee and Iona College, and they aim to inspire OT entrepreneurship across New York State. Kendrick's first interviewee was fellow Iona student Hannah Schultz, creator of the Love Wrap, an adaptive condom wrapper.

Click here to learn more about the series and for a link to the first interview.

NYSOTA Student Affairs is a place for students to express their voice, utilize tools and resources, and expand their leadership skills to enhance their professional development. Student Affairs will offer opportunities for networking, collaboration, development, inclusivity, support, advocacy, and growth. These opportunities will be available through our Student Delegate Program, resource library, fieldwork experience, and compilation of certification exam resources. Student Affairs will strive to be an ever-evolving place to meet the needs of occupational therapy students.

Click here to visit the Student Affairs Center.

NYSOTA Member Michael Pizzi, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA is looking for composers and lyricists to contribute to his next project "The Inclusion and Diversity Broadway Project". Michael is collaborating with Yasuhiko Fukuoza, an award-winning composer, arranger, orchestrator and extraordinary pianist. The two are searching for composers and lyricists to write musical theatre- style songs that speak to the theme of Inclusion and Diversity.

Click here to learn more and for submission instructions.