MiOTA Fall Conference 2026

Welcome to MiOTA’s Fall Conference 2026!

You will be able to validate your attendance (Check-In to sessions) using your personal schedule.

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9:45am CDT

The Role of Occupational Therapy in Assessing and Treating Medication Management

LIMITED

Friday October 2, 2026 9:45am - 11:45am CDT

Beethoven (96)

Limited Capacity seats available

Medication management is a complex occupation that significantly impacts health outcomes, safety, and participation in everyday outcomes. Occupational therapy practitioners play a distinct role in promoting medication adherence by evaluating performance barriers, analyzing routines and contexts, and implementing client-centered strategies. This interactive 2 hour session will explore occupational therapy's role in medication management across adult practice setting including assessment approaches, functional cognition considerations, environmental modifications, habit formation strategies, and interprofessional collaboration. Participants will examine evidence-based interventions and practical clinical application to support safe, effective medication management. Additionally, participants will learn to implement and interpret two assessment tools that can be easily adopted within their practice. References: American Occupational Therapy Association (2017). Occupational therapy's role in medication management. American Occupational Therapy, 71(Suppl. 2). Schwartz, J. K. & Smith, R. O. (2016). Intervention promoting medication adherence: A randomized, Phase 1, small-N study. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 70, 7006240010. Zartman, A. L., et al. (2013). The Pillbox Test: An ecological measure of executive functioning and estimate of medication management abilities. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 28, 307-319.

Speakers

Dr. Cathleen Johnson, OTD, OTRL, FMIOTA, FNAP, FAOTA

Director of Admissions, Associate Professor, South College

Dedicated professional with 36 years of experience creating rehabilitation programs and productive learning environments while utilizing various methodologies to increase student satisfaction. Quality leader who leverages creativity and teaching experience to engage a diverse student... Read More →

Friday October 2, 2026 9:45am - 11:45am CDT
Beethoven (96)

2 hour session

1:00pm CDT

The Occupation of Suicide: How People with Autism Die at Alarming Rates Due to Suicide

LIMITED

Friday October 2, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm CDT

Beethoven (96)

Limited Capacity seats available

In the United States, suicide ranks as a leading cause of death among individuals with autism. Compared to non-autistic adults, those with autism are significantly more prone to thoughts, behaviors, and feelings surrounding suicide. Youth with autism face a higher risk; according to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, they are three times more likely to suffer from depression and eight times more likely to experience suicidal thoughts and actions than their non-autistic peers. As the number of people diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder continues to grow in the United States, it becomes crucial for occupational therapists to understand the risk factors, signs, and mental health issues linked to suicidality in both youth and adults with autism. Using the Occupational Adaptation Model and the Ecology of Human Performance model, occupational therapists can intervene in these situations and help this population with this specific problem in practice.

References:

Autistic burnout explained. Embrace Autism. (2026, March 6). https://embrace-autism.com/autistic-burnout/#:~:text=This%20can%20delay%20awareness%20of,Josyfon%20et%20al.%2C%202023)

Dunn, W., Brown, C., & McGuigan, A. (1994). The ecology of human performance: A framework for considering the effect of context. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 48, 595-607.
Guan, J., & Li, G. (2017). Injury mortality in individuals with autism. American Journal of Public Health, 107(5), 791–793. https://doi.org/10.2105/ajph.2017.303696
Oswald, K. (n.d.). Autistic burnout: What it is and how to prevent it presenter: Katie Oswald. https://med.stanford.edu/content/dam/sm/neurodiversity/documents/SIGNeurodiversity/Katie-Oswald-Autistic-Burnout-presentation-March-2022.pdf
Pelton, M.K., Crawford, H., Robertson, A.E. et al. Understanding Suicide Risk in Autistic Adults: Comparing the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide in Autistic and Non-autistic Samples. J Autism Dev Disord 50, 3620–3637 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-020-04393
Marshall, C. A., Crowley, P., Carmichael, D., Goldszmidt, R., Aryobi, S., Holmes, J., Easton, C., Isard, R., & Murphy, S. (2022). Effectiveness of Suicide Safety Planning Interventions: A systematic review informing occupational therapy. Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 90(2), 208–236.

Speakers

Katherine Nurss

Student, Eastern Michigan University

Katherine(Katie)Nurss is an Occupational Therapy student at Eastern Michigan University. When she was diagnosed with Autism at age three, she had Occupational Therapy and wished to pursue Occupational Therapy to help others like her. She wishes to specialize in neurorehabilitation... Read More →

Friday October 2, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm CDT
Beethoven (96)

1 hour session

2:15pm CDT

Building Authentic Relationship Skills and Making Friends: The Development of a Pediatric Social Skills Hierarchy

LIMITED

Friday October 2, 2026 2:15pm - 3:15pm CDT

Beethoven (96)

Limited Capacity seats available

Neurodiverse children and those who have experienced trauma sometimes struggle to make and keep friends. They may present with constant control seeking, trouble attending to conversational exchange, difficulty winning or losing games, apathy, or conversational monopolization. These behaviors may turn off peers and can stem from difficulty with regulation, self-esteem, or skill deficits. Also, decreases in felt-safety with peers are common in these children due to sensory processing challenges or past experiences.
There is a need for greater understanding of the underlying causes of relationship challenges that go beyond simple skill deficits. This presentation explores foundational characteristics that can underlie social connection difficulties and presents a hierarchy of skills that could lead to increases in connection and ultimately, quality of life.

Speakers

Michelle Ann Suarez

Professor, Western Michigan University

Michelle Suarez, PhD, OTR/L, is an occupational therapist and Professor of Occupational Therapy at Western Michigan University. Her research, clinical, and teaching interests include pediatric mental health and behavioral health including regulation, feeding, social skills and... Read More →

Friday October 2, 2026 2:15pm - 3:15pm CDT
Beethoven (96)

1 hour session

3:30pm CDT

OTA SIS

LIMITED

Friday October 2, 2026 3:30pm - 4:30pm CDT

Beethoven (96)

Limited Capacity seats available

Speakers

Mary Ellen East

MS, COTA, ROH, MiFOTA

Mary Ellen East has been an occupational therapy assistant practitioner
for 40 years and an educator for over 25 years. Volunteering at both
the national and state level which began as a student and has
continued throughout her career. At the national level she has served in
roles of... Read More →