MIOTA Spring Virtual Conference 2025

Description: This session provides a heartfelt, practical exploration of the unique journey of raising a child with autism. Drawing from my personal experiences as a mother, I offer insights into the challenges and triumphs of navigating the world of autism, all while balancing cultural, religious, and family dynamics. Participants will leave with a deeper understanding of the importance of empathy, resilience, and actionable strategies for supporting autistic individuals and their families.
Objectives

• Understand the personal and systemic challenges faced by families raising autistic children.

Description: This course will provide an overview of pain including the statistics, what the US is doing to impact pain, numerous pain assessments as well as how to select the right type of pain assessment. Additional information will address treatment approaches.
Attendees will be able to:

• Identify at least three manifestations of pain that impact life satisfaction and occupational engagement.
• Identify 3 pain assessments that can be incorporated into practice by a health professional.
• Identify a pain assessment that can be used for each type of client: client with cognitive or communication disorders 

Description:
This session will cover what human trafficking looks like, risk factors for being trafficked, and red flags for identifying potential victims. We will also discuss how the trauma of being trafficked affects rehabilitation and the role that Occupational Therapy can play in assisting those who have been trafficked move from victim to survivor to thriver.
Objectives:

• Identify red flags of potential trafficked persons in the healthcare settings
• Examine potential interactions with trafficked persons and survivors of human trafficking
• Understand how trauma of human trafficking affects rehabilitation
• Review the key principles of trauma-informed approach

related to Accessibility, Belonging, Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Justice (ABIDE-J), identify examples of implicit and explicit bias as well as other forms of exclusion and inequities that can negatively impact patient care, and discuss the impact of ABIDE-J on Occupational Therapy (OT) practice. Participants will also reflect on their own intersectional identities and how these inform their therapeutic use of self. By the end of the session, participants will have an increased awareness of resources that can help support their equity journey and address the unique care needs of diverse populations.
Objectives:

• Review common terminology, historical context, populations impacted, and the core concepts of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility, Belonging, and Justice (DEIABJ).
• Define what culturally responsive care looks like within the OT profession and identify strategies to implement cultural humility in OT practice.
• Discuss challenges and opportunities for implementing DEIABJ within OT practice, including resources that can inform OT practice across the lifespan 

Rivetus is a leader in the rehabilitation industry providing comprehensive, high quality, innovative and outcome-driven Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy and Speech-Language Pathology across the post-acute continuum of care.

Rivetus is Your Rehabilitation Team 
We offer three individualized rehabilitation services to expedite your recovery in your home or at our outpatient clinics.  Outpatient Therapy, In-Home Therapy, and our Take Your Therapist Home Program. 

LINK TO PRESENTATION

Description: This session will cover a variety of topics relative to being a practitioner within the State of Michigan. The advocacy updates will address the status compact licensure and caseload for school therapists. The licensure updates will review supervision of OTA and new policies and procedures for the LARA Board of OT. Finally, updates to MiOTA and the By-Law changes as well as Standard Operating Procedures (SOP).
Objectives:
Attendees will

• Understand the advocacy efforts of compact licensure
• Understand the requirements for supervision of OTA
• Increase awareness of the changes within MiOTA 

LINK TO PRESENTATION

Advocacy and legislation is a significant component of the Michigan Occupational Therapy Association to provide a voice for the profession, protect the OT scope of practice, and support access to care for our consumers. The goals of MIOTA Legislation and Advocacy goals are created by the Legislation and Advocacy committee based on OT input, community needs, and AOTA guidance.
The following goals will be addressed in 2025:
1. Pass OT Compact
2. Explore the need for school based caseload vs. workload guidelines
3. Advocate for reimbursement concerns
4. OT/OTA/Student's role and responsibilities advocating for OT

The session will provide updates on the OT compact, BCBS changes, and development of a School Based Advocacy Ad Hoc committee.

Join the session to gain helpful updates and take aways to increase everyday advocacy.

This is a fun and informative look at how two low cost apps ($1.99 and $18.99)
and Alexa can support independence in individuals even with significant
cognitive issues. Alice has utilized this mainstream technology for over 15 years
to assist her daughter, Kara, who sustained a severe TBI, and was left with many
challenges, to live a very independent life! This technology has given Kara the
ability to have her own voice remind her what to do throughout her day, and to
guide and support her in accomplishing daily tasks. In addition, Alice will
discuss and demonstrate how useful Amazon Alexa can be in assisting with
home safety as well as increasing knowledge of the world around us for
individuals with cognitive challenges.
Objectives:

• Participants will be able to describe the use of and benefits in utilizing
• mainstream technology to support independence in individuals with limited
• ability to manage a daily routine.
• Participants will have increased knowledge of use of Amazon Alexa to
• support home safety
• Participants will be able to see and how to utilize mainstream technology to
• set up day to day task management and as a “job coach.”

Check out Alice & Kara Here: https://youtu.be/EXWVHjWpEJQ?si=kKKAM34tbAe4VKvi