Texas Occupational Therapy Association - TOTA

On June 19, 1865, Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas with the news that the more than 250,000 enslaved Black people in the state were free. This day came to be known as , now officially a federal holiday.

Texas Board of Occupational Therapy Examiners (TBOTE) Adopted Rule Changes – Effective June 1, 2024! We encourage you to review the changes and to check the TBOTE website often. https://ptot.texas.gov/ot-acts-and-rules/

The Texas Occupational Therapy Association (TOTA) is currently seeking volunteers to serve as speakers for the TOTA Speaker Bureau. Refer to our website for details at https://www.tota.org/speaker-bureau

Good luck to all of our Texas occupational therapy new graduates. This is your first step toward becoming a licensed OT practitioner. You've worked hard to get to this point and the future looks bright.

, attend "The NBCOT® National COTA® Certification Exam: Information You Need to Know" on June 20 at 11 a.m. EDT for valuable information about the exam!

We'll provide study tips, test day details, and advice from recently certified OTRs and COTAs. Plus, attendees have a chance to WIN NBCOT Aspire Study Tools!

You won't want to miss this opportunity to help you prepare for the exam! Register here: https://ow.ly/u93z50RKnUO

Share this post with other who you think would benefit from this presentation!

Happy Friday! Today is TOTA Tidbit Day, check your email for important TOTA news and information.

Only 629 licensed Occupational Therapists, 114 licensed Occupational Therapy Assistants, and 756 OT/OTA students are TOTA members. A stronger group can make a larger impact. Be more than a like, become a member. We need all of you.

Good Morning Everyone!!! The TOTA 2024 Elections are open. Take a minute to vote today for TOTA state and district leadership. Eligible write-in candidates can be added to the ballot.

Slate of Candidates 6.2024 Note: Before you submit any names as write-in candidates, please review the eligibility requirements. Per TOTA P&P, If a dual slate cannot be obtained, then provisions for a write-in candidate must be made, and the ballot shall include a space to enter the write-in candidate's name.

TOTA (capstone student project) has created a Mental Health Resource Center within our Learning Management System. Please check it out.

TOTA Mental Health Resource Center Showcase your course or coaching, an announcement, or big feature. Use an eye-catching subheader to give your audience more context.

We would like to do a Memorial Day Re-do because every day we should 1. Honor and thank a Vet, 2. Consider Veteran's Mental Health, and Reach out to a human. Thank you, Erik Johnson for sharing your reflections, and of course, thank you for your service.

Episode 8: Memorial Day We talk about 2 HUGE things you should be doing on Memorial day. I also take you through what it's like to lose someone while you're deployed.

TOTA had an opportunity to support The Caravan for Disability Freedom & Justice

Caravan for Disability Freedom & Justice Hits the Road The wheelchair-adapted Disability Caravan is traversing the nation, raising awareness and honoring the vibrant history of disability activism in the US.

The TOTA Board of Directors would like your input on whether we should pursue legislation to become part of The Occupational Therapy Licensure Compact (OT Compact). Please complete this short 5-question survey. Your response will help shape our agenda.

https://tota.memberclicks.net/otcompact

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For all TOTA Social Media Requests:
Please fill out our Google Form!
https://tota.memberclicks.net/social-media-request-link
OR
Email us!
[email protected]

In Honor of D-Day, this 2014 Blog is worth a read

Occupational Therapy Ideas with our WWII Vets Back to my blog home page: http://travelingotr.blogspot.com I've had good intentions to write; however, I've been sidetracked. I'm home w...

Angel Ponce was the keynote speaker at our 2024 Annual Conference. Please enjoy this article.

Celebrating Diversity: Angel Ponce On How To Build Inclusive Communities An Interview With Vanessa Ogle

Great Podcast focusing on OT Mental in the School Systems

OTS 150: Are OT Practitioners, Mental Health Providers? In this episode Abe Saffer and Dr. Miranda explore the necessary skills for integrating effective mental health interventions in schools.

Judi Joseph we are so thankful for ALL you have done and will do for TOTA! Cheers to 7 years!!

The TOTA 2024 Call for Proposals is Open!

Conference Theme: Building Resilience in Changing Times

TOTA invites prospective presenters to submit proposals to the TOTA 2024 Annual Conference. This year we are using a new software platform for managing the call for proposals called Oxford Abstracts. You will need to create a username and password to submit your proposal. All email communications will be conducted through this platform to improve communication and efficiency of the call for proposal process.

Please review the submission requirements before initiating your submission. ***All incomplete submissions will be deleted from the system.

Congratulations to all who are graduating this month! TOTA is here to support all practitioners, especially our new grads! consider joining and checking out our mentorship program or joining a committee!!

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For all TOTA Social Media Requests:


Please fill out our Google Form!

https://forms.gle/qF1cFTEHZi5E29oSA

OR

Email us!

[email protected]

There is still time, nominate your colleagues for a TOTA 2024 Award.

We recognize that everyone was very busy with OT month events, and we respectively extend the deadline to May 13th.

The Award Ceremony will be held on Saturday, Nov. 16, from 10:30 AM - 11:15 AM. during the TOTA Annual Conference in Frisco, TX. This year the categories have been expanded to acknowledgment of our OTA members.

Award Categories -https://www.tota.org/award-categories
Submit A Nomination Today

Trinity North District ended OT Month with some flair!

Final call!!! What can you share with your fellow OT from Texas? Would you like to lead a discussion with like minded individuals in a practice forum? deadline for submitting proposal for conference this year is the end of May.

About TOTAPAC:
The “PAC” provides a voice for occupational therapy practitioners in the State of Texas political arena and is dedicated to ensuring a proactive and timely response to legislative or regulatory activity which may impact the practice of occupational therapy (https://www.tota.org/totapac). The executive committee meets once per month to discuss important issues related to OT and Texas politics.

Positions on the Executive Committee:
President (and Campaign Treasurer), Treasurer (vacant), Assistant Treasurer, and Secretary.

How to join:
Be a member of TOTA, make at least one donation to the PAC, and have an sincere interest in helping the profession through advocacy behind the scenes.

_________________________________________

For all TOTA Social Media Requests:


Please fill out our Google Form!

https://forms.gle/qF1cFTEHZi5E29oSA

OR

Email us!

[email protected]

🥳🥳🥳

_________________________________________

For all TOTA Social Media Requests:


Please fill out our Google Form!

https://forms.gle/qF1cFTEHZi5E29oSA

OR

Email us!

[email protected]

OT month is almost over, but what a great time to revisit this 2023 video and hear Senator Parker thank OT. Save the date for our next Day at the Capitol, Feb. 4, 2025.

TOTA DAC 2023 Thank you

As we wrap up occupational therapy month this year, don’t forget to nominate your fellow OT practitioners for a TOTA award!!! Deadline for submissions is April 30th!! who will you nominate?

TOTA GPW District OT Month Social in Abilene! Thanks to all who came out! If you were there give us a shout out for what you liked best!

It’s time to start thinking about nominating yourself or colleague for an elected position with TOTA!!! All state and district elected positions survey to your term which would start October 23 and run till October 2026. Current positions up for election this year include: State Treasurer, Alamo South District Chair, Capital Centex Vice Chair, Capital Centex Secretary, Great Plains West District Chair, Gulf Coast East Vice Chair, Gulf Coast East Secretary, Rio Grande District Chair, Trinity North Vice Chair, and Trinity North Secretary. The call for nominations is only open until the end of April and voting will begin in June. So if you’re interested, please get those nominations in!! You can find more information on our website and in our tidbits.

If you live or work in the Pearland area, please stop by Raising Cane’s at 1601 Broadway St. in Pearland from 11 to 8 PM on Wednesday, April 24 to help support the San Jacinto College OTA SOTA group! If you mention the fundraiser at the register, they’re donating 15% of the sales to this group!