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 Advocacy Update: Expanding OT Scope of Practice in Florida

Did you know Occupational Therapists in many states are already permitted to perform dry needling to reduce pain and improve function?
Florida OTs are seeking the same opportunity to better serve patients — with the same training standards already required of PTs.

Click below to learn what this means for patient care, access, and cost-effective treatment.
Allow Occupational Therapists to Perform Dry Needling

HILL DAY January 14th, 2025 Recap:  

The Florida Occupational Therapy Association held its annual Hill Day in Tallahassee on Tuesday, January 14^th, in advance of the 2025 Legislative Session. Occupational therapists and students from throughout the state attended to advocate for the profession and advance FOTA’s legislative priorities. For the 2025 Session, FOTA is focused on pursuing legislation to join the Occupational Therapy Licensure Compact, sponsored by Representative Adam Anderson (Pinellas) and Senator Alexis Calatayud (Miami). FOTA met with numerous legislators who serve on the House Health Professions & Programs Subcommittee and Senate Health Policy Committee, in anticipation of the bills being referred to their committees. We also met with the Governor’s Office of Policy and Budget, to discuss the Occupational Therapy Licensure Compact and ongoing challenges with Medicaid reimbursement.

The 60-day Legislative Session will officially begin on Tuesday, March 4th and is slated to end Friday, May 2^nd, pending the Legislature’s passage of the constitutionally required FY2025-26 budget.

If you have any questions, please contact us at [email protected]

• Florida Governor: http://www.flgov.com/
• Florida House Website: www.myfloridahouse.gov/
• The Florida Senate: http://www.flsenate.gov/
•  Find Your State Representatives:http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Representatives/myrepresentative.aspx
• United States House of Representatives: http://www.house.gov/
• https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml
• United States Senate: http://www.senate.gov/index.htm
•  Florida Healthcare Association: http://fhca.org/
• Florida Department of Health: http://www.doh.state.fl.us/
• Medicare: http://www.cms.gov/
• Florida Agency for Healthcare Administration (ACHA): http://ahca.myflorida.com/
• Medicaid: http://ahca.myflorida.com/Medicaid/childhealthservices/therapyserv/index.shtml
•  AOTA Political Action Committee: http://www.aota.org/aotpac
•  AOTAPAC Legislative Action Center: http://capwiz.com/aota/home/
•  Webmaster Editor’s Recommended  Sites for the Political Junkie: 
• http://www.politifact.com/florida/  http://www.politifact.com/
•  http://healthystate.org/  http://www.floridachain.org/index.php
• Center for Science in the Public Interest: http://www.cspinet.org/