LATEST NEWS 

Attendee Registration for the Virtual Portion remains OPEN for our 2023 ILOTA Annual Conference!

Although the in-person portion of our Annual Conference has now concluded, registration for the virtual-only portion remains open!  Browse the detailed course descriptions, list of presenters, educational content areas, and registration fees from our main conference webpage here. Up to 19 CEUs are available on just the virtual-portion alone. Register now! (Not a member? Join today!)

 

Highlights of the New Illinois OT Practice Act - Takes Effect on January 1, 2024

We are pleased to introduce you to our new Illinois Occupational Therapy Practice Act. It passed both the House and the Senate unanimously, and was signed by the Governor in July. It will go into effect on January 1, 2024. The Bill is SB 2057 and we will post the revised Act when it is in the official format. For now, we have posted the highlights on our ILOTA Legislative Updates webpage here, including a 5-page PDF describing key sections.

 

We are Excited to Announce a NEW ILOTA Membership Category: Associate Member!

When we revised our bylaws last year, we added a new membership category: "Associate – individual who is interested in promoting occupational therapy in Illinois, but is not eligible for membership in other categories." This new category is ideal for someone who supports ILOTA and would like to be more engaged, but could not previously join. And it includes ALL of the member-only access to our website. Annual dues are $96 (same as for OTR/L). This new Associate membership category will be great for some personnel of our loyal and supportive annual conference exhibitors and sponsors! Ready to become an ILOTA Associate Member? Join here today!

 

2023 ILOTA Member / Non-Member Feedback Survey

All OTs and OTAs licensed in Illinois and all OT and OTA students in Illinois are encouraged to complete this feedback survey to help improve ILOTA programming. You DO NOT need to be a member to complete the survey! Here is the link to the survey, which will close on December 1, 2023. Thank you!

 

New: Doctoral Capstone Resources

Are you interested in learning more about entry-level occupational therapy doctoral capstones? We've placed some excellent (free) resources on our webpage under the "Education" menu tab at the top. Or just go to the page directly here!

 

UPCOMING EVENTS 

UPDATE: 2023 Brings Illinois Requirement for Training in Implicit Bias Awareness and Dementia

We have now completed developing the CE courses that will comply with the new one-hour training requirements in order to maintain OT licensure in the state of Illinois. The new Implicit Bias Awareness Training course is now available here! The new Dementia Training for Healthcare Professionals course is available here. Similar to the required training in Ethics and Sexual Harassment, the CE courses are FREE to current ILOTA members and offered for a nominal fee ($25) to non-members. Do you need all four courses? Not a member? The cost of an ILOTA membership is LESS than the cost to purchase all four courses. Join today! 

  

ILOTA Pre-OT Mentorship Program

The ILOTA Community Outreach Committee is excited to introduce the ILOTA Pre-OT Mentorship Program. This program has been designed in an effort to advocate for the equity, inclusion, and diversity of the Occupational Therapy profession. We aim to support the AOTA Vision 2025 by providing prospective OT/OTA students with informational resources and first-hand experience relative to OT. Learn more here.

What is ILOTA?

The Illinois Occupational Therapy Association (ILOTA) is the official representative of the occupational therapy profession in the State of Illinois. ILOTA acknowledges and promotes professional excellence through a proactive, organized collaboration with occupational therapy personnel, the health care community, governmental agencies, and consumers.

Vision, Mission, Core Values, and Strategic Focus Areas

Our Vision is "ILOTA is a multifaceted association committed to enhancing health and well-being through the utilization of best occupational therapy practices in Illinois." And our Mission is "ILOTA is recognized as the premier occupational therapy resource in Illinois.  We strive to advance the best practice of occupational therapy through serving, supporting and promoting the profession." Learn more about our Core Values and Strategic Focus Areas.

Why Join ILOTA?

We invite you to join over 1,200 of your colleagues by becoming a member of our association. Producing valuable continuing education programs, facilitating professional networking opportunities, and advocating for our profession are just a few hallmarks of our legacy. View our membership benefits and dues options.

ILOTA UPDATES

Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (JEDI) Special Interest Section (SIS) Upcoming Meetings

The JEDI SIS has several upcoming monthly Zoom meetings that are free and open to anyone: COTAD Connections Meetings and the JEDI SIS Committee Meetings. Read more and view the schedule.

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Launch of the "Dear JEDI" Column in The Communique Newsletter

What is Dear JEDI?: Dear JEDI is a column within the ILOTA quarterly Communique where question(s) from OTPs and OT/OTA students regarding JEDI in everyday practice and learning environments will be answered. Submit your questions here.

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Access Recordings of Past ILOTA Live Virtual Events

Did you know that we have posted nearly 20 ILOTA Live Virtual Events from 2021 and 2022? Most of these recordings are available for free for members and non-members. Click on the image above or here to see the complete list.

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Help Promote OT in Illinois with Video Clips

ILOTA is currently working on developing promotional and educational videos and content about OT from Illinois OTs, OTAs, and students!  We would love contributors from as many practice settings and geographical regions of Illinois as possible, so please consider contributing! Read more...
 
Impact of COVID-19 on our Community

ILOTA recognizes the impact of Covid-19 (coronavirus) on individuals, families, the nation, and our world as we all adapt to these uncertain times. For the latest updates, please visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).