MiOTA Fall Conference 2026

Name: Don’t Push Your Clients Off a Cliff: A Contextual Financial Consideration for Low-Income Clients
Start: 2026-10-01T14:15:00-0500
End: 2026-10-01T15:15:00-0500

Welcome to MiOTA’s Fall Conference 2026!

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

Don’t Push Your Clients Off a Cliff: A Contextual Financial Consideration for Low-Income Clients

Thursday October 1, 2026 2:15pm - 3:15pm CDT

Danube (50)

Occupational Therapists aim to improve the quality of life for their clients. With some of these outcomes, their clients are able to increase their income. Although this is something to be celebrated, many low-income clients are brought to the edge of a benefits cliff:
Either take the raise at work but become ineligible for government support, or deny the raise but keep the benefits that are helping their family survive.
In most cases, the amount of money gained from their raise in income does not come near the amount that they were receiving in benefits. (Circles USA, 2019) This loss of benefits, or benefits cliff, leaves clients struggling to support themselves and their families. If practitioners, clients, or policy makers are not aware of this cliff, then they are unable to prepare for it or change the system that causes it. This session aims to educate practitioners on the reality of benefits cliffs and what can be done about them, both on a client and system level, so that our clients can continue to improve their lives without the risk of falling into a new unexpected financial situation.

References

Circles USA. (2019). THE CLIFF EFFECT: Policy Recommendations for Advocates, Leaders, and Stakeholders What can key supporters do next to support the current and future needs of Michigan’s people? Circles USA. https://www.circlesusa.org/post/the-cliff-effect-policy-recommendations-for-advocates-leaders-and-stakeholders
Spitzer, A., Chandler, J., Hicks, B., & Thal, D. (2024). Understanding Economic Risk for Low-Income Families Economic Security, Program Benefits, and Decisions About Work. In ASPE. The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation. https://www.aspe.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/5fdf4788ea74f64930c7b201e6523079/Economic-Risk-Report.pdf
Thampi, K. (2011, May 11). When Work Supports Don’t Support Work: A Case for Parental Health Coverage in Mississippi. National Center for Children in Poverty. https://www.nccp.org/publication/when-work-supports-dont-support-work/
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2019). Navigating Benefits Cliffs in HPOG Navigating Benefits Cliffs in HPOG

Speakers

Jessica Lyseng

Student, Eastern Michigan University

Jessica Lyseng is in her second year of the combined BS+MSOT program at Eastern Michigan University. Jessica is originally from Homewood, IL and works at a youth homeless shelter nearby campus. She is finding the swing of things in her occupational therapy journey , and is very motivated... Read More →

Thursday October 1, 2026 2:15pm - 3:15pm CDT
Danube (50)

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MiOTA Fall Conference 2026

Jessica Lyseng

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MiOTA Fall Conference 2026

Jessica Lyseng

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