Florida Occupational Therapy Association

12/17/2025

FOTA Connect December 2025

Registration link: https://shorturl.at/1Zd8O

11/29/2025

FOTA Hill Day is Almost Here — Have You Registered?

Join Florida’s OT community on December 3, 2025, at the Florida State Capitol in Tallahassee for FOTA’s Annual Hill Day! This is your chance to meet with state lawmakers, participate in an energizing OT rally, network with more than 200 OT practitioners and students, and advocate for the future of our profession.

Why Attend?
* Understand how state policy impacts OT practice and patient care
* Meet directly with legislators and staff — no advocacy experience needed
* Connect with OT colleagues from across Florida
* Help elevate the visibility and importance of OT in healthcare
Your voice is essential in advancing occupational therapy. Don’t miss this opportunity to support policies that strengthen our profession and improve access to care.

📅 Date: December 3, 2025�
📍 Location: Florida State Capitol (400 S Monroe St, Tallahassee, FL)�
👥 Who’s Invited: OT practitioners, students, and supporters�
🔗 Registration: https://forms.gle/VetxjJbVZLFQq3ex8

Questions?�Govaffairs@flota.org�Sharon Rosenberg – 850-322-7936 | Sharon.nrosenberg@gmail.com�Deb Oliveira – drdso04@gmail.com

11/25/2025

Join Florida’s OT community on December 3, 2025, at the Florida State Capitol in Tallahassee for FOTA’s Annual Hill Day! This is your chance to meet with state lawmakers, participate in an energizing OT rally, network with more than 200 OT practitioners and students, and advocate for the future of our profession.

Why Attend?
-Understand how state policy impacts OT practice and patient care
-Meet directly with legislators and staff — no advocacy experience needed
-Connect with OT colleagues from across Florida
-Help elevate the visibility and importance of OT in healthcare

Your voice is essential in advancing occupational therapy. Don’t miss this opportunity to support policies that strengthen our profession and improve access to care.

Date: December 3, 2025
Location: Florida State Capitol (400 S Monroe St, Tallahassee, FL)
Who’s Invited: OTA/OT practitioners, students, and supporters

Registration link: https://shorturl.at/Hpb0y

11/25/2025

The Department of Education (ED) is moving forward with new rules that will fundamentally change how graduate students finance their education.

Under the rule ED will propose, master’s and doctoral occupational therapy programs are not classified as professional programs, but instead as graduate programs. “Graduate programs” will have a $20,500 annual limit, with a $100,000 total cap, while programs defined as “Professional programs” will have a $50,000 annual limit, and $200,000 total cap. This means that future OT students would be subject to a significantly lower loan limits.

Occupational therapy master’s and doctoral programs not listed as “professional programs,” limiting federal loan options under new borrowing caps.

11/17/2025

🏆💙 Honoring Our 2025 FOTA Professional Award Recipients! 💙🏆

Join us in celebrating the incredible professionals recognized at the 2025 FOTA Conference! 🌟
�These outstanding occupational therapy practitioners, educators, leaders, and advocates have gone above and beyond to advance our profession and make a lasting impact on the communities we serve. 🙌

Each recipient embodies the values of excellence, service, and dedication that define Florida’s OT community. 💫

We’re proud to honor their achievements and thank them for inspiring us all to keep pushing the profession forward! 💙👏

11/16/2025

🏆🎓 Celebrating Our Student Poster Award Winners! 🎓🏆

A huge congratulations to our 2025 FOTA Conference Student Poster Award recipients! 🙌💙 Your hard work, creativity, and commitment to advancing the field of occupational therapy truly stood out.

From innovative research to practice-based projects that make a real impact, these outstanding students are shaping the future of OT! 🌟✨

We’re so proud to celebrate your achievements and can’t wait to see where your passion and leadership take you next. 💫

Let’s give a big round of applause for the next generation of OT professionals! 👏👏👏

11/13/2025

🎓✨ Future Leaders of OT Shine at ! ✨🎓

We were blown away by the incredible student poster presentations at this year’s FOTA Conference! 🙌💙 From innovative research to creative approaches in practice and education, these future OT leaders showcased the passion, curiosity, and dedication that keep our profession moving forward.

A huge round of applause 👏 to all the students and mentors who poured their time, effort, and heart into their work — your contributions inspire us all! 🌟

Swipe through to see a few highlights from the poster sessions and celebrate the bright future of occupational therapy in Florida and beyond! 🌴📚

11/13/2025

✨ Celebrating Our 2025 Keynote Speaker! ✨

What an incredible time we had with our keynote speaker, Dr. Cristina Reyes Smith! 🙌💙 Her message left us inspired, motivated, and ready to keep advancing the profession we love.

Dr. Smith currently serves as Vice President of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) and brings years of impactful leadership to our field. As an Associate Professor at the Medical University of South Carolina, she teaches and mentors future OT leaders while continuing to serve nationally and internationally through her research, publications, and advocacy.
From founding Vida Bella Services, a pediatric agency dedicated to increasing access to quality care, to shaping the next generation of practitioners through education and service — Dr. Smith embodies the heart of occupational therapy. 🌟

Thank you, Dr. Smith, for sharing your wisdom and passion with the community — we’re leaving this year’s conference energized and inspired! 💫

11/13/2025

💙 Thank You to Our Amazing Exhibitors & Sponsors! 💙

We couldn’t have done it without you! 🙌

Your support, innovation, and dedication helped make one for the books! 📘✨

We’re so grateful for your partnership and hope to see you again next year in St. Augustine, Florida for ! 🌴💫

11/06/2025

The very unique thing about me is I come to you, I bring the sensory experience to you.

11/04/2025

✨ Highlights from are coming soon! ✨

We’re still buzzing from an incredible weekend at FIU in Miami — and we can’t wait to share the moments that made this year’s conference unforgettable! 💙📸

👀 Stay tuned for photos, memories, and special shoutouts!
🤔 Who were some of our award winners this year?
🏢 Who came to exhibit with us?
🎤 Did you get a chance to meet our keynote speaker?
📅 Wondering when next year’s conference will be?

Keep your eyes on our page — the recap is on the way! 🔥