Training and Research
AOTA is working to assure that key federal programs recognize and support occupational therapy. AOTA collaborates with universities, colleges, and researchers to support important research opportunities with the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Institute of Educational Science, and the National Institute of Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) among other leading research institutes.
AOTA also works with the Health Professionals and Nursing Education Coalition (HPNEC) to secure funding for Title VII Programs under the Health Resources and Services Administration at NIH. Title VII of the Public Health Service Act authorizes a variety of grants for students, programs, and institutions to improve the racial and ethnic diversity, geographic distribution, and quality of the health care workforce.
With the first wave of baby boomers entering retirement, there will be an overwhelming need to ensure we have a strong health care workforce.