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MAOT Special Interest Groups

Earn 1 CEU Credit per Hour!


Registration will close day before event. 


You must be present for 90% of the event to receive a certificate.


For SIG attendance, please make sure your Zoom name matches your MAOT full registration name (First and Last) in order to receive your CEU certificate.

Please print out the detailed course description and attach to your certificate for auditing purposes.

You are NOT allowed to share this Zoom Link with others.  It is for the registered party only.

MAOT Member - FREE

Non-Member - $15

Student Non-Member - $5


MAOT Calendar of Events

Upcoming events

    • 15 Jan 2025
    • 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM (EST)
    • Zoom

    Date and Time: Wednesday, January 15th, 7-8pm  

    Chairperson(s): Mary O’Donnell, Sarah McKinnon & Haley Matuszek 

    Location:  Zoom - to be sent out day before the event

    Speaker(s): Mary O’Donnell & Sarah McKinnon

    Guest Speaker: Heather Parsons, MS, OT, serves as the Vice President of Federal Affairs at the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA).

    In this role, she leads AOTA's advocacy efforts, focusing on policy initiatives that advance the occupational therapy profession at the federal level.

    Title: Advocacy in Action Following 2024 Federal Elections: Empowering Change through Occupational Therapy 

    Learning Objectives: 


    1. Understand the role of occupational therapists in advocacy at local, state and national levels and identify key issues affecting the profession 
    2. Develop strategies to effectively communicate the value of occupational therapy to policymakers, stakeholders, and the community. 
    3. Engage in steps to promote the profession, such as drafting letters or creating social media campaigns 


    Bio/Focus:

    Sarah McKinnon OT, OTD, OTR, BCPR, MPA, FAOTA, FNAP is an occupational therapist and is the interim chair of the OT department the MGH Institute of Health Professions.  She is also the Program Director for the Post-Professional Doctor of Occupational Therapy program and Doctor of Health Sciences program at the Institute. She received her AOTA Fellow distinction for her work in interprofessional advocacy, service and education and Fellow from the National Academies of Practice in 2022.  She resides in Boston, Massachusetts. 


    Sarah recently served on the Board of Directors for the American Occupational Therapy Association Political Action Committee (AOTPAC) from 2015-2020 and led government relations for the Massachusetts Association for Occupational Therapy (MAOT). She currently services as the Chair-Elect of the OT Academy of the National Academies of Practice. She is also the interim chair of the occupational therapy department at the MGH Institute of Health Professions.


    Mary O’Donnell, OT, OTD, OTR, CLC is an occupational therapist and Assistant Professor in the OT Department at the MGH Institute of Health Professions. She currently serves as Co-Government Relations Representative of the Massachusetts Association for Occupational Therapy (MAOT). Her clinical and professional interests include pediatrics, adaptive sports and policy/advocacy. 

    References:

    1.  Karr, K. (2024). Finalized 2025 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Impact on OT. American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA). https://www.aota.org/advocacy/advocacy-news/2024/finalized-2025-medicare-physician-fee-schedule-impact-on-ot 

    2. Dhillon, S., Wilkins, S., Stewart, D. & Law, M. (2016). Understanding advocacy in action: A qualitative study. British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 79(6): 345-352. DOI: 10.1177/0308022615583305 

    3. Bonsall, A., Wolf, R.L., & Saffer, A. (2023). Experiential education in advocacy for occupational therapy students: Didactic approaches and learning outcomes. Journal of Occupational Therapy Education, 7(2). https://doi.org/10.26681/jote.2023.070207 


    This event will be closed the day before the event. Please register by 4:00 p.m. on January 14, 2024.



    • 23 Jan 2025
    • 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM (EST)
    • Zoom



    Date and Time: January 23rd, 2025, 6:00 - 7:30 PM


    Chairperson(s): Emily Walker, OT, OTR, Allyson Lewis, OT, OTR, Rosa Colorado, OT, OTR


    Location:  Zoom - to be sent out day before the event


    Title: Occupational Therapist’s Role in Children and Adolescent Mental Health (A Capstone Project)


    Speaker: Eugénie Planche, OT, OTD, OTR


    Learning Objectives: 


    1. Participants will understand the methodology and development process behind the creation of this educational resource (universal audience) and professional resource (interprofessional providers audience) to support the role of OTs in children and adolescent mental health services.
    2. Participants will gain an increased awareness of occupational therapy’s scope of practice in pediatric mental health, including common theories/frameworks/models, evaluations/assessments, and interventions. 
    3. Participants will be informed about global perspectives on the facilitators and challenges that occupational therapists encounter when practicing in pediatric mental health settings.


    Bio: Eugénie Planche, OT, OTD, OTR


    A recent graduate from the Boston University Occupational Therapy Doctoral Program, Eugénie has a strong interest in mental health care across the lifespan. Her commitment to mental health advocacy began at Bates College with an innovative thesis, which explored virtual reality simulation of visual and auditory hallucination to reduce stigma in schizophrenia, which was presented at the American Psychological Association's Annual Conference in 2019. She continued to advocate for mental health care through various professional roles (e.g., care management coordinator, medical assistant, research assistant) in diverse settings (e.g., start-ups, early-intervention settings, hospitals). Her recent work as an OT includes developing mental health resources for her Level II fieldwork (LTAC & Adult Inpatient Psychiatric), as well as her doctoral capstone project at Boston Children's Hospital: Occupational Therapist’s Role in Children and Adolescent Mental Health.

     

    Focus:


    The presentation will explore how Eugénie used her capstone experience to educate and advocate for the role of OT in mental health settings for children and adolescents (e.g., outpatient and inpatient) through targeted professional and educational initiatives. Based on direct observations at Boston Children's Hospital, interviews with practicing clinicians, clinical experience, and current literature, the research identifies critical opportunities for OT intervention in both outpatient and inpatient mental health settings. By addressing critical knowledge gaps and increasing awareness of OT's unique contributions to children and adolescents’ mental health, this project sought to enhance interprofessional collaboration, increase appropriate referrals, and ultimately improve access to vital OT services for this population. The potential impact extends to improved client outcomes, expanded visibility of OT in mental health care, and contributions toward addressing the pressing shortage of MH providers.


    References:


    1. Arbesman, M., Bazyk, S., & Nochajski, S. M. (2013). Systematic review of occupational therapy and mental health promotion, prevention, and intervention for children and youth. The American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 67(6).https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2013.008359
    2. Cahill, S. M., Egan, B. E., & Seber, J. (2020). Activity- and occupation-based interventions to support mental health, positive behavior, and social participation for children and youth: A systematic review. The American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 74(2), 7402180020p1–7402180020p28.https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2020.038687
    1. Fouché, L., & Wenger, L.  (2014). Specific occupational therapy intervention with adolescents. In R. Crouch & V. Alers (Eds.), Occupational therapy in psychiatry and mental health (5th ed., pp. 276–294). John Wiley & Sons.


    Registration will close the day before the event.  Zoom link will be sent out at that time.

    Please register by 4:00 p.m. January 22, 2025.

    • 28 Jan 2025
    • 6:30 PM - 7:30 PM (EST)
    • Zoom


    Date and Time:  Tuesday, January 28, 2025, 6:30-7:30 p.m.


    Presenters(s): Karen Hefler, OT, OTR, FAOTA, Jan Hollenbeck, OT, OTD, OTR, FAOTA


    Location:  Zoom - to be sent out day before the event


    Title: The School-Based Medicaid Program (SBMP)-Overview and Updates



    Learning Objectives: 

    1. Identify considerations for determining medical necessity

    2. List key resources to understand the requirements of SBMP

    3. Identify systems-level supports needed for effective SBMP implementation and strategies useful in advocating for supports


    Bio/Focus:  The MassHealth School-Based Medicaid Program (SBMP) is a reimbursement mechanism to offset local education agency (LEA) costs for providing certain health care services and administrative activities in a school setting. Congress granted access to Medicaid reimbursement in 1988 due to shortages in IDEA funding (Holahan, 2019). The SBMP allows participating LEAs to seek cost-based reimbursement for providing medically necessary Medicaid services (direct service) to eligible MassHealth-enrolled children who have parental consent. This session will provide an overview of the SBMP process and resources. Participants will then have the opportunity to problem-solve challenges in determining medical necessity and are encouraged to come prepared to share and discuss student examples.


    Karen Hefler, OT, OTR, FAOTA, is the Owner/Director of Rehabilitation Therapy Associates, LLC, a pediatric occupational therapy private practice that she founded in 1985.  Her company primarily contracts with schools and provides assessment services, occupational therapy services and consultation, in-service training, and program development.  As a practitioner, Karen has fostered the OT/OTA partnership in her private practice and has facilitated Level 1 and Level 2 Fieldwork programming for OT and OTA students in the public schools.  Karen has done presentations for a number of facilities and agencies, including:  early intervention programs, hospitals, public schools, private schools, residential programs, college programs, and professional associations.  She was the Chairperson for the MAOT School System Special Interest Group for three years, participated in the revision of the Guidelines for Provision of Occupational Therapy in Massachusetts Schools, and is a member of the AOTA School-Based Community of Practice.  Karen is the Past President of MAOT and the current SIG Coordinator for MAOT.  


    Jan Hollenbeck, OT, OTD, OTR, FAOTA, is the former Coordinator of Related Services, Secondary Transition Services, Assistive Technology, and Section 504 for Medford Public Schools. She is co-founder of the Partnership for Advancement of School Service-Providers (PASS), providing professional development and consultation to inform and empower related service providers and others to support and facilitate the success of children in educational settings. Dr. Hollenbeck is a state and national presenter and has authored several chapters and articles on the role of OT in public schools. She is the MAOT Liaison to MA DESE and the first author of the Guidelines for Provision of Occupational Therapy in Massachusetts Schools. She is currently Co-Facilitator of the AOTA State Leaders in School Practice CoP and served a 3-year term on the AOTA Early Intervention and Schools Special Interest Section Committee. 


    References:


    1. Holahan, L., (2019).  Best Practice in Medicaid Cost Recovery.  In G. Frolek Clark, Joyce E. Rioux, & B. E. Chandler (Eds.), Best practices for occupational therapy in schools, 2nd Edition, Bethesda, MD: AOTA Press, 978-1-56900-411-1, Ebook ISBN: 978-1-56900-591-0.
    2. MassHealth School-Based Medicaid Program Direct-Service Claiming (DSC) Program Guide, https://www.mass.gov/info-details/school-based-medicaid-program-sbmp-resource-center, Revised August 2020
    3. School-Based Medicaid Program (SBMP) Resource Center, https://www.mass.gov/info-details/school-based-medicaid-program-sbmp-resource-center
    4. Top 5 Things Providers Need to Know for the 2020-2021 School Year, MassHealth School-Based Medicaid Program, https://www.mass.gov/info-details/school-based-medicaid-program-sbmp-resource-center, 12/1/20



    Registration will be closed at 4 p.m. the day before the event. Please register by Monday, January 27, 2025.



    Please keep this copy for your own records and keep with your certificate.  MAOT is not responsible for maintaining records for contact hours.


    • 06 Feb 2025
    • 6:30 PM - 7:30 PM (EST)
    • Zoom

    MEOTA, MAOT, NHOTA, RIOTA and VOTA members unite as the New England Occupational Therapy Collaborative to offered shared membership benefits and enhance YOUR state organization's offerings.  

    On February 6th at 6:30PM EST, NBOTC, the National Black Occupational Therapy Caucus will present a webinar on Implicit Bias with speaker, Nardia Aldridge, PhD, OTR/L.

    Objectives:

    1. Define implicit bias and microaggressions

    2. Identify strategies for recognizing and addressing implicit bias and microaggressions

    3. Share the history of NBOTC

    4. Highlight work of the NBOTC over the past 50 years

    5. Discuss opportunities for collaboration and support

    Estimated to be 1 contact hour.  A digital certificate will be generated following a completed evaluation form which will be distributed after the event.   

    This event will close the day before.  Please register by 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, February 5, 2025.


Past events

08 Jan 2025 Acute Care SIG
19 Nov 2024 MH SIG - Yoga for Occupational Therapy Practitioners: How Meditation, Breathwork, and Yoga Practices Can Support You and Your Persons’ Served
14 Nov 2024 Board Meeting - Annual Business Meeting
01 Nov 2024 MAOT/RIOTA 2024 Annual Conference
24 Oct 2024 MH SIG - The Family Sensory Environment: An Intervention Area for OTP’s in Family Therapy
21 Oct 2024 Advocacy SIG - AOTA Hill Day 2024: Highlights, Updates and More!
17 Oct 2024 SPTP SIG - Collaboration and Networking
26 Sep 2024 MH SIG - Gender Affirming Care and Occupational Therapy
18 Jul 2024 OTA SIG
27 Jun 2024 MH SIG - Psychodrama & OT: An Encounter
13 Jun 2024 Board Meeting
04 Jun 2024 Advocacy SIG - State Policy Across the Country: Compact, Mental Health and More!
30 May 2024 SPTP SIG
29 May 2024 MH SIG - Occupational Therapy in Congregate Care
15 May 2024 Acute Care SIG
17 Apr 2024 MH SIG - Collaborative Connection: A Model of Mentorship for Occupational Therapy Practitioners Practicing in Behavioral and Mental Health Settings
11 Apr 2024 Board Meeting
21 Mar 2024 MH SIG - Music Therapy and Occupational Therapy, How to Collaborate in a Mental Health Setting
20 Feb 2024 Advocacy SIG - OT Federal Legislative Priorities for 2024 with Andy Bopp
08 Feb 2024 Board Meeting
31 Jan 2024 Mental Health SIG - To Evaluate or not to Evaluate, that is the Question
22 Jan 2024 SPTP SIG: Neurodiversity Affirming Practice and Resources
06 Dec 2023 Acute Care SIG - Where is Rehab in Palliative Care?
16 Nov 2023 MH SIG - Functional Neurological Disorders
09 Nov 2023 MAOT Annual Business Meeting - Public
03 Nov 2023 MAOT/RIOTA 2023 Annual Conference
23 Oct 2023 SPTP SIG
18 Oct 2023 MH SIG - Community Re-Entry Support Services for Justice-Involved Persons
03 Oct 2023 Advocacy SIG
28 Sep 2023 Mental Health SIG Practice Chat
19 Jul 2023 Acute Care SIG
27 Jun 2023 Advocacy SIG
21 Jun 2023 Mental Health SIG - Occupational Therapy’s Role in Addressing the Mental Health Needs
12 Jun 2023 SPTP SIG
18 May 2023 Mental Health SIG
11 May 2023 MAOT Board Meeting
01 May 2023 Environmental Action: An Introductory Overview for Occupational Therapy Practitioners
27 Apr 2023 MAOT Licensure and Continuing Education Town Hall
13 Apr 2023 MAOT Advocacy Town Hall - Meet & Greet with MA Legislators and Lobbyists
12 Apr 2023 MAOT Advocacy Town Hall - SOTA Groups Unite: Let’s Advocate in Numbers!
11 Apr 2023 MAOT Advocacy Town Hall-Federal Advocacy 101: An Update from AOTA's Federal Affairs Team
10 Apr 2023 MAOT Advocacy Town Hall: An Intro to OT Legislation in Massachusetts
16 Mar 2023 Mental Health SIG - Working with Individuals with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
09 Mar 2023 MAOT Board Meeting
01 Mar 2023 Acute Care SIG
28 Feb 2023 School, Pediatric and Transition Planning SIG
15 Feb 2023 Mental Health SIG
07 Feb 2023 Compact Town Hall Meeting
31 Jan 2023 School, Pediatric and Transition Planning (SPTP) SIG
19 Jan 2023 Mental Health SIG
12 Jan 2023 MAOT Board Meeting
21 Dec 2022 Worcester Mental Health SIG
12 Dec 2022 School, Pediatric, and Transition Planning SIG Virtual Meeting
06 Dec 2022 MAOT Advocacy Group
17 Nov 2022 Metrowest Mental Health SIG
10 Nov 2022 MAOT Board Meeting
01 Nov 2022 Western Mass Mental Health SIG
28 Oct 2022 MAOT Annual Conference 2022
19 Oct 2022 Worcester Mental Health SIG
05 Oct 2022 MAOT Acute Care Special Interest Group
29 Sep 2022 Metrowest MH SIG meeting
21 Sep 2022 Virtual Mentoring for New OTPs and OT/OTA students
13 Sep 2022 MAOT Advocacy Group
06 Jul 2022 Acute Care Special Interest Group
22 Jun 2022 Worcester Mental Health SIG
14 Jun 2022 The AOTA 2022 Bylaws: What You Need to Know to Make an Informed Decision
31 May 2022 MAOT Advocacy Special Interest Group
19 May 2022 Mental Health Special Interest Group
17 May 2022 Virtual Mentoring for New OTPs and OT/OTA students
28 Apr 2022 MAOT Private Practice Town Hall
26 Apr 2022 MAOT Pediatric Practice and Transition Planning Special Interest Group Virtual Meeting
20 Apr 2022 Worcester Mental Health SIG Presentation
23 Mar 2022 Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
17 Mar 2022 Mental Health Special Interest Group
15 Mar 2022 Virtual Mentoring for New OTPs and OT/OTA students
02 Mar 2022 MAOT Acute Care Special Interest Group
28 Feb 2022 Pediatric Practice and Transition Planning Special Interest Group Virtual Meeting
16 Feb 2022 Worcester Mental Health SIG
08 Feb 2022 WMASS MH SIG
20 Jan 2022 Mental Health Special Interest Group
18 Jan 2022 Virtual Mentoring for New OTPs and OT/OTA students
15 Dec 2021 Worcester Mental Health SIG
01 Dec 2021 The Coma Recovery Scale (CRS-r) in Acute Care
17 Nov 2021 Mental Health Special Interest Group
16 Nov 2021 Virtual Mentoring for New OTPs and OT/OTA students
20 Oct 2021 Worcester Mental Health SIG
30 Sep 2021 The MetroWest and Worcester MH SIG
29 Sep 2021 Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) for OT Practice and Education
20 Sep 2021 Acute Care Special Interest Group
14 Sep 2021 WMASS MH SIG
09 Sep 2021 MAOT Assistive Technology Special Interest Group
04 Aug 2021 MAOT Assistive Technology Special Interest Group
20 Jul 2021 Virtual Mentoring for New OTPs and OT/OTA students
17 Jun 2021 MAOT MetroWest Special Interest Group (SIG)
27 May 2021 MAOT Assistive Technology SIG
26 May 2021 Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) in OT Education and Practice
19 May 2021 MAOT Worcester Mental Health SIG
18 May 2021 Virtual Mentoring for New OTPs and OT/OTA students
18 May 2021 WMASS MH SIG
12 May 2021 OT Acute Care Special Interest Group
10 May 2021 MAOT Pediatric and Transition Planning Special Interest Group
29 Apr 2021 The (MetroWest) Mental Health Special Interest Group
22 Apr 2021 Worcester Mental Health SIG
20 Apr 2021 WMASS MH SIG One Year Later: Personal Perspectives on the Pandemic
31 Mar 2021 Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion – A NEW MAOT SIG!
18 Mar 2021 Third Town Hall Meeting School Based Medicaid
18 Mar 2021 MetroWest MH SIG and the Worcester MH SIG
16 Mar 2021 Virtual Mentoring for New OTPs and OT/OTA students
09 Mar 2021 MAOT Western Massachusetts Mental Health Special Interest Group
02 Mar 2021 Second Town Hall Meeting School Based Medicaid
25 Feb 2021 Town Hall Meeting School Based Medicaid
18 Feb 2021 Mental Health Special interest Group
10 Feb 2021 MAOT Acute Care Special Interest Group
09 Feb 2021 Mental Health Special interest Group
02 Feb 2021 Embracing our identity in a changing climate - MAOT Annual Conference
28 Jan 2021 Pediatric Practice and Transition Planning Special Interest Group Virtual Meeting
25 Oct 2019 MAOT Annual Conference 2019
27 Apr 2019 MAOT Spring Conference 2019
26 Oct 2018 MAOT Annual Conference 2018
10 Nov 2017 MAOT Annual Conference 2017
11 Apr 2017 Central MA SIG
08 Apr 2017 MAOT Spring Conference
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