Awards & recognitions

The OT Award of Merit and OTA Award of Merit represent the highest professional honor conferred by the American Occupational Therapy Association upon an occupational therapist or occupational therapy assistant. This award recognizes a career of sustained leadership and profound influence on the occupational therapy profession.

Established as a memorial to Eleanor Clarke Slagle, one of the most influential pioneers of occupational therapy, this award honors a member of AOTA whose work has fundamentally shaped the profession. Slagle Award recipients are recognized for contributions that have significantly advanced occupational therapy’s body of knowledge and influenced how the profession understands, delivers, and evolves practice, education, and service to the public.

The Roster of Fellows (FAOTA) recognizes occupational therapists who have made a sustained, documented contribution to the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) through volunteer service, leadership, advocacy, and/or expertise. Recipients have demonstrated a pattern of giving back to the Association, going beyond the expectations of professional practice, and have produced a measurable impact on members, consumers of occupational therapy services, or the profession as a whole.

The Roster of Honor (ROH) recognizes occupational therapy assistants who have made a sustained, documented contribution to the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) through volunteer service, leadership, advocacy, and/or expertise. Recipients have demonstrated a pattern of giving back to the Association, going beyond the expectations of professional practice, and have produced a measurable impact on members, consumers of occupational therapy services, or the profession as a whole.

The esteemed commendation honors a respected leader of the profession who has made sustained contributions to occupational therapy over a lifetime of service.

Established to express the appreciation of the Association for extraordinary contributions to the advancement of occupational therapy. It is conferred by the Association, not nominated by members, in recognition of service or contributions whose impact on the profession is unambiguous and exceptional.

Established to honor Dr. Lela A. Llorens, an occupational therapy pioneer, this award recognizes AOTA members who have utilized Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Justice, Accessibility, and Belonging (DEIJAB) principles to address the needs of marginalized, under-resourced, and/or underrepresented persons, groups, and populations. Recipients have made substantial and lasting scholarly and/or practice contributions that advance equitable and inclusive occupational therapy.

The Lindy Boggs Award recognizes occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants who have made significant, sustained contributions to advancing occupational therapy in the political and legislative arena. Recipients have demonstrated exceptional skill in shaping policy, influencing elected and appointed officials, and building a legislative culture within the profession.

Established to recognize individuals whose extraordinary advocacy efforts of national significance advance health, well-being, and access to health care. The award honors leadership that influences policy and systems in ways that promote equitable opportunities for individuals, communities, and populations.

The Terry Brittell OTA/OT Partnership Award recognizes an occupational therapist (OT) and occupational therapy assistant (OTA) whose sustained intraprofessional collaboration advances occupational therapy practice, education, research, advocacy, or professional leadership. This award honors partnerships that model the highest standards of OT/OTA collaboration — characterized by role delineation, mutual respect, and shared professional responsibility.

Established to recognize occupational therapy practitioners who have made notable, sustained contributions to the profession and its consumers in a focused area of occupational therapy practice. This award recognizes depth of impact within a specific domain of practice.

Established to recognize occupational therapy practitioners (clinician, educator, or researcher) who have demonstrated exceptional mentorship that fosters professional growth, leadership development, and career advancement within inclusive and collaborative practice, academic, and research environments. This award honors sustained mentoring relationships characterized by mutual respect, shared learning, professional empowerment, and a commitment to developing occupational therapy practitioners and leaders.

This award honors occupational therapy practitioners, including clinicians, educators, and researchers, who have demonstrated bold, creative leadership in expanding the reach and impact of occupational therapy. Recipients have pioneered new practice models, transformed service delivery for communities with the greatest need for occupational therapy services, or applied occupational therapy expertise in ways that challenge convention. Their work produces meaningful, documented changes for the people and communities they serve, with demonstrated impact on client outcomes and the advancement of the profession.

This award recognizes one OT or OTA student, or one student group, who has demonstrated outstanding commitment to advocacy for the occupational therapy profession above and beyond the typical requirements of their program.

This award recognizes an occupational therapy practitioner (clinician, educator, or researcher) who has demonstrated emerging leadership early in their career and whose efforts have meaningfully contributed to moving the profession closer to achieving the goals set forth in the Association’s vision. This award celebrates the promise and early impact of practitioners who are shaping the profession’s future.

Established in 2018, this award recognizes occupational therapy educators who have demonstrated excellence in teaching and learning, a sustained commitment to evidence-based practice, and meaningful impact on the lives of students and their communities. Recipients have made their mark not simply by doing their jobs well, but by transforming the educational environments they inhabit. Strong nominations clearly distinguish contributions from standard faculty responsibilities and demonstrate documented impact and influence beyond individual courses or advising assignments.

This award recognizes an occupational therapist (OT) or occupational therapy assistant (OTA) who demonstrates sustained excellence in fieldwork education through service as a Fieldwork Educator in Level I or Level II fieldwork experiences. This award acknowledges exemplary leadership, innovation, and commitment to high-quality fieldwork education and honors those who are shaping the next generation of occupational therapy practitioners.

This award recognizes occupational therapy practitioners who have demonstrated a sustained and outstanding commitment to international occupational therapy service. Recipients have advanced occupational therapy’s reach, impact, and equity in underserved countries and communities, promoting a globally connected profession and contributing to the resolution of global health challenges.

Interprofessional Collaboration Award recognizes occupational therapists (OTs) and occupational therapy assistants (OTAs) who demonstrate exemplary, sustained collaboration with professionals from other disciplines to advance person-centered and population health outcomes. Recipients exemplify the spirit of interprofessional practice by fostering mutual respect, shared decision-making, innovation in education or service delivery, and meaningful impact on health equity through collaborative practice, education, or research.

The Writer's Award recognizes the author(s) of a feature article in OT Practice that inspires occupational therapy practitioners to use their management and leadership skills to improve access to services and promote the profession.

This award recognizes a high-impact study that has particular relevance to a priority in occupational therapy or an established knowledge gap that is timely, highly relevant, and addresses an urgent need for information in the field.