Conference
2026 MiOTA Fall Conference
Thursday, October 1 - Saturday, October 3
Bavarian Inn
1 Covered Bridge
Frankenmuth, MI 48734
For questions related to conference, contact conference@miota.org
Bavarian Inn Hotel Reservations
Phone: 888-750-8251: Request MiOTA 2026 Fall Conference Discount Rate
Online Reservations Instructions:
1. Go to website
2. Enter group code: 13U0Z3
Room Types & Rates
Standard Double, Premium King or Queen- $229
Suites: Single, Double, Triple, Quad- $304
Addition of 5th or 6th person- $30 per person
Roll away- $15/night
Crib- $5/night
Daily Resort Fee- $29.95
Exhibitors & Sponsors
Click Here For More Information
Applications close September 15, 2026
For questions related to conference, contact conference@miota.org
Student Ambassadors
Click Here To Submit Your Application
Applications close August 15, 2026
Conference registration fee is waived!
Registration is now open!
Click the black button "reserve tickets"
For questions related to conference, contact conference@miota.org
Nominate a Colleague for An Award!
Click Here to Submit An Award Nomination
Award Descriptions
Purpose
To recognize an occupational therapist who has made sustained, significant, and exemplary contributions to occupational therapy in Michigan and to MiOTA through leadership, advocacy, scholarship, innovation, or service.
Criteria
The nominee must:
Be a current MiOTA member who is an occupational therapist.
Demonstrate sustained impact on the profession that extends beyond routine job expectations.
Show meaningful engagement with MiOTA and/or clear advancement of occupational therapy within Michigan.
Have contributed in one or more of the following areas: leadership, advocacy, research, education, program development, public awareness, professional service, or innovation in practice.
Be recognized as a model for advancing the profession, not simply for performing an assigned role well.
Examples of qualifying contributions
Examples may include leading statewide initiatives, advancing legislation or policy, building innovative programs with broader professional impact, mentoring future leaders, publishing or presenting work that influences practice in Michigan, expanding public understanding of OT, or serving MiOTA in significant leadership or volunteer capacities.
Not intended for
This award is not intended to recognize strong job performance alone, longevity alone, or excellence that is limited to routine position expectations without broader professional impact.
Purpose
To recognize an occupational therapy assistant who has made sustained, significant, and exemplary contributions to occupational therapy in Michigan and to MiOTA through leadership, advocacy, practice excellence, education, innovation, or service.
Criteria
The nominee must:
Be a current MiOTA member who is an occupational therapy assistant.
Demonstrate contributions that are clearly above and beyond typical job duties.
Show meaningful involvement in MiOTA and/or significant advocacy or advancement of occupational therapy within Michigan.
Demonstrate leadership and professional influence that elevates the role of the OTA within the profession and community.
Have made contributions with visible impact on practitioners, students, consumers, systems, or the association.
Examples of qualifying contributions
Examples may include leadership in MiOTA, state advocacy, mentorship of OTA colleagues or students, development of innovative practice resources, presentations or publications, community outreach, or advancement of OTA visibility and leadership in Michigan.
Not intended for
This award is not intended for excellent technical performance alone or for routine fulfillment of clinical, academic, or administrative responsibilities.
Purpose
To recognize occupational therapists whose careers reflect distinguished and sustained contributions to the profession in Michigan through expertise, scholarship, leadership, advocacy, mentorship, and service, with lasting impact on MiOTA, practitioners, and/or occupational therapy consumers.
Criteria
The nominee must:
Be a current MiOTA member who is an occupational therapist.
Have a record of distinguished contribution over time, not a single isolated accomplishment.
Demonstrate recognized expertise and influence in practice, education, research, administration, advocacy, or professional development.
Show contributions that have shaped the profession in Michigan and/or strengthened MiOTA.
Demonstrate impact beyond routine professional expectations, including mentorship, scholarship, leadership, or systems-level influence.
Examples of qualifying contributions
Examples may include major contributions to continuing education, development of practice standards, influential scholarship, long-term mentorship of practitioners, leadership in professional organizations, statewide program development, or sustained advocacy that advances OT in Michigan.
Not intended for
This recognition is not intended for nominees whose impact is primarily local, recent, or limited to job performance without broader professional influence.
4. Distinguished Service Award
Purpose
To honor a MiOTA member for extraordinary and sustained service to MiOTA through leadership, volunteerism, committee work, strategic contributions, and commitment to the growth and effectiveness of the association.
Criteria
The nominee must:
Be a current MiOTA member.
Demonstrate significant service directly to MiOTA over time.
Have made contributions that strengthened the association’s operations, programs, visibility, advocacy efforts, member engagement, or strategic direction.
Show service that goes well beyond expected participation or attendance.
Demonstrate reliability, initiative, and meaningful outcomes from their volunteer efforts.
Examples of qualifying contributions
Examples may include board or committee leadership, major project implementation, conference development, membership growth efforts, legislative engagement through MiOTA, strategic planning work, or sustained volunteer service that materially improved the association.
Not intended for
This award is not intended for basic committee participation, title-holding without impact, or short-term service with limited outcomes.
5. Award for Excellence in the Advancement of Occupational Therapy
Purpose
To recognize an individual, group, or organization whose extraordinary contributions have advanced occupational therapy in Michigan.
Criteria
The nominee may be a MiOTA member, non-member, group, or community partner. The nominee must:
Demonstrate a significant contribution to advancing occupational therapy in Michigan.
Show impact through advocacy, partnership, leadership, innovation, philanthropy, policy support, public awareness, or systems change.
Demonstrate contributions that are clearly beyond normal professional or organizational expectations, if the nominee is part of the profession.
Show meaningful benefit to MiOTA, occupational therapy practitioners, or the people and communities served by occupational therapy in Michigan.
Examples of qualifying contributions
Examples may include legislative champions, community partners, donors, administrators, interprofessional collaborators, or OT practitioners whose extraordinary efforts created substantial benefit for the profession in Michigan.
Not intended for
This award is not intended for courtesy recognition or for contributions that are appreciated but limited in scope, duration, or impact.
6. Legislative and Public Policy Advocacy Award
Purpose
To recognize a MiOTA member who has made significant contributions to advancing occupational therapy through legislative, regulatory, and public policy advocacy in Michigan.
Criteria
The nominee must:
Be a current MiOTA member.
Demonstrate active engagement in advocacy efforts related to state policy, legislation, regulation, reimbursement, licensure, education, or access to services.
Show leadership in mobilizing others, educating decision-makers, building advocacy capacity, or advancing policy priorities for the profession.
Demonstrate contributions that go beyond routine participation and produce meaningful professional or consumer impact in Michigan.
Examples of qualifying contributions
Examples may include educating legislators, organizing advocacy campaigns, responding consistently to MiOTA legislative action efforts, advancing state policy initiatives, representing occupational therapy in coalitions, supporting PAC-related efforts, or advocating for consumers and the profession in state-level forums.
Not intended for
This award is not intended for one-time attendance at advocacy events without broader leadership or impact.
7. Departmental Membership Recognition
Purpose
To recognize occupational therapy departments that demonstrate exceptional commitment to professional engagement through strong MiOTA membership participation and support for the advancement of occupational therapy in Michigan.
Criteria
The department must:
Have at least 80% of eligible occupational therapy staff as current MiOTA members.
Demonstrate active support of professional engagement, not just paid memberships.
Encourage participation in MiOTA, professional advocacy, continuing education, leadership development, or state-level initiatives.
Serve as a model for building a culture of professional responsibility and association involvement.
Examples of qualifying contributions
Examples may include financial support for membership, encouragement of conference participation, support for advocacy engagement, mentoring of emerging leaders, hosting student opportunities, or participation in MiOTA initiatives.
Not intended for
This recognition should not be based on membership percentage alone if there is no demonstrated culture of professional engagement.
Purpose
To recognize a retiring or retired MiOTA member whose career reflects distinguished and sustained service to occupational therapy in Michigan and to the profession.
Criteria
The nominee must:
Be a current or former MiOTA member who is retiring or retired, or nearing retirement, as defined by MiOTA policy.
Demonstrate distinguished service and sustained impact over the course of a career.
Show meaningful contributions to MiOTA, the profession in Michigan, and/or occupational therapy consumers.
Have a legacy of service that extends beyond routine job responsibilities and reflects professional leadership, advocacy, mentorship, scholarship, or association service.
Examples of qualifying contributions
Examples may include long-standing MiOTA leadership, statewide professional influence, advocacy accomplishments, mentorship of generations of practitioners, educational leadership, or development of services that shaped OT practice in Michigan.
Not intended for
This award is not intended to recognize retirement itself. Retirement is the context, not the accomplishment.
Purpose
To recognize a MiOTA member whose clinical practice reflects exemplary expertise, measurable impact, and professional influence that advances occupational therapy in Michigan beyond the expectations of routine clinical work.
Criteria
The nominee must:
Be a current MiOTA member.
Demonstrate exceptional clinical reasoning, outcomes, professionalism, and person-centered practice.
Show influence beyond direct service delivery through mentorship, teaching, program development, dissemination, leadership, or contribution to best practices.
Demonstrate that their clinical excellence has advanced occupational therapy in Michigan, supported MiOTA’s mission, or elevated standards within the profession.
Show contributions that exceed the normal expectations of their clinical role.
Examples of qualifying contributions
Examples may include mentoring clinicians and students, developing evidence-informed programs, presenting or publishing clinical innovations, leading quality improvement efforts with broader relevance, advancing access to OT services, or serving as a statewide clinical resource.
Not intended for
This award is not intended for a well-liked or highly competent clinician whose contributions remain fully within expected job duties and do not extend to broader professional impact.
