In this episode of AOTA's Everyday Evidence Podcast, we explore what happens when occupational therapy is included in comprehensive health assessments for children entering foster care and why that moment may be one of the most important opportunities for developmental support.

Joining us are Kristine Fortin, MD, MPH, Anne-Ashley Field, OTR/L, BCP, and Judith Dawson, RN, BSN, from the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia's Fostering Health Program. Their study, "Occupational Therapists Enhance Comprehensive Health Assessments for Children in Foster Care", examines how adding occupational therapy to multidisciplinary evaluations impacts developmental detection, referrals, and caregiver education.

Children in foster care face high rates of developmental delay, placement instability, and barriers to accessing services. This research explores how occupational therapy functions to identify needs early and provide real-time strategies during a critical transition period.

Additional Resources:

Interoception & Trauma: The Latest Science on Healing

Trauma, Occupation and Participation, Considerations in Occupational Therapy by Amy Lynch and Rachel Ashcraft 

Sensory Healing After Developmental Trauma by Marti Smith 

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In this episode of Everyday Evidence, we explore what happens to occupation when someone is fighting for their life in the intensive care unit.

Joining us are Dr. Stephanie Tsai, OTD, OTR/L and Dr. Elyse Peterson, OTD, OTR/L, authors of "Occupational Therapy Interventions and Early Engagement for Patients in Intensive Care: A Systematic Review," recently published in the American Journal of Occupational Therapy.

ICU rehabilitation literature has long focused on early mobilization, but occupational therapy brings something more. This review introduces the term early engagement to describe OT-specific interventions that support participation in activities of daily living, physical rehabilitation, and functional cognition during critical illness.

Whether you work in acute care, outpatient rehab, community health, or education, this episode challenges us to ask:

How early can occupation begin in the healthcare continuum?

Read the full article in AJOT: https://research.aota.org/ajot/article/79/1/7901205020/26024/Occupational-Therapy-Interventions-and-Early

Complete the following survey for a contact hour certificate:

https://forms.aota.org/forms/everyday_evidence_copy?PODCAST=Early Engagement in the ICU: Reclaiming Occupation in Critical Care

In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Britt St. John (PhD, MPH, OTR/L), occupational therapist, Fulbright Scholar, and researcher at the University of Washington whose work bridges family health, autism research, and food science.

Britt shares the remarkable story behind her "From Focus Group to Chicken Nugget" project, a participatory research collaboration that began with focus-group conversations among autistic adults about sensory preferences and safe foods and evolved into the development of a hybrid-protein, sensory-modified chicken nugget.

We discuss how inclusive and community-driven research can transform clinical understanding of selective eating, challenge assumptions about "picky eaters," and demonstrate that joy and preference are integral to both participation and biological health. Dr. St. John's pilot studies revealed that participants who enjoyed the nugget showed greater positive microbiome changes! A finding that connects sensory processing, nutrition, and gut health in profound new ways.

Contact Hour Survey Link

Want to learn more or support this work? You can reach out to Dr. St. John directly at bstjohn@uw.edu with questions, collaborations, or inquiries about future research opportunities.

How does occupational therapy help people live meaningfully even as life nears its end? In this deeply human episode of the AOTA Podcast, we sit down with Lindsey Buddelmeyer, OTD, MOT, OTR/L, Christian Jacobus, MD, FACEP, FAAHPM, David Benthall, MS, OTR/L, BCG, and Heather McKay, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA, to explore how occupational therapy practitioners bring dignity, purpose, and connection to individuals navigating serious illness, hospice, and palliative care.

Together, our guests share how OTPs address functional decline, support legacy work and life review, and empower caregivers facing loss and transition. From bedside stories to systems-level advocacy, this conversation highlights how occupational therapy bridges the physical and the emotional to help clients find meaning, comfort, and autonomy at every stage of care.

Resources:

• AOTA Official Document: End-of-Life Care and the Role of Occupational Therapy (2023)

• Quality of Life: Occupational Therapy in Chronic Condition Management, Palliative Care, and Hospice (AOTA Press)

What does it mean to think globally as an occupational therapy practitioner? On today's episode, we sit down with three internationally recognized leaders: Samantha Shann, MSc, PGCert, Dip COT (UK), FRCOT, President of the World Federation of Occupational Therapists, Ginny Stoffel, PhD, OT, FAOTA, AOTA Delegate to WFOT, and Douglene Jackson, PhD, OTR/L, LMT, ATP, CYT, FAOTA Alternate AOTA Delegate to WFOT, to explore the mission and impact of the World Federation of Occupational Therapists.

• WFOT's global role and its upcoming 75th anniversary in 2027
• How practitioners and students can become members, volunteer, and engage in international OT initiatives
• Signature resources like the Occupational Therapy Workforce Resource Hub and Human Resources Project 2024
• The growing collaboration between AOTA and WFOT and how that partnership is shaping the future
• World OT Day (October 27): its origins, themes, and how to get involved
• What to expect from the WFOT Congress in 2026

In this episode of AOTA Podcasts, we explore the unique challenges and inspiring opportunities for occupational therapy practitioners serving rural and underserved communities. Our guests, Kalyn Briggs, PhD, OTR/L, CLA and Tim Dionne, PhD, OTR/L, share real-world experiences, highlight innovative models of care, and discuss how OTPs can bridge gaps in access to health services. Listeners will learn about key resources, advocacy efforts, and opportunities to build professional networks that support rural practice.

Resources:

APA Preparing for practice in rural communities

CMS Rural Health Strategy

Rural Health Information Hub: Education and Training of the Rural Healthcare Workforce

Rural Health Information Hub: Your First Stop for Rural Health Information

University of Washington School of Medicine Rural Programs

If you'd like to join AOTA's Rural Therapy Community of Practice: please be sure to complete this survey to be added to our roster:

https://surveys.aota.org/s3/Rural-Therapists-CoP-Membership-Enrollment-Survey

The Journal of Rural Health

Rural and Remote Health Journal

The Australian Journal of Rural Health