OOTA Awards

Description, Selection Criteria and Nomination Forms

Award of Merit: The highest honor of OOTA, Inc., for a member who has demonstrated outstanding qualities of leadership, academics, or clinical achievement in the initiation, development or perpetuation of occupational therapy in the state of Ohio.
Selection criteria:
Nominee shall have demonstrated quality of leadership in development and perpetuation of occupational therapy in one of these areas: outstanding contributions made or the development of OT standards and facilities within the state of Ohio; personal interest and efforts of financial contributions made to promote the establishment of OT; guidance for the professional growth of OT and OOTA, Inc.; other contributions. One or two awards may be given annually. Nomination form for Award of Merit


Continuing Education Award: To recognize members who with their knowledge and expertise have made a significant contribution to the continuing education and professional development of members of OOTA.
Selection criteria: Nominees shall have demonstrated outstanding contributions to continuing education through shared skills and/or knowledge in research, therapeutic practice, education, or administration in workshops, lectures, seminars, and/or professional writings or publications. Nominee may also have demonstrated guidance for the professional growth of continuing education of occupational therapy and OOTA. More than one award may be given annually. Nomination form for Continuing Education Award

Virginia Scardina Lectureship Award: To honor a member who has contributed to the development of the body of knowledge of the profession through research, education, and/or clinical practice.
Selection criteria: Nominees shall have contributed to the development of the body of knowledge of the profession through research, education or clinical practice. Nominees shall be OTs or OTAs who will share their knowledge and expertise with the membership. Only one award will be given. The nominee will agree to present a talk or workshop at the next OOTA, Inc. meeting. Nomination form for Virginia Scardina Lectureship Award

Pioneer Award: To recognize an individual outside of the profession as a pioneer of OT who has contributed to the establishment and/or development of a specific phase of the profession of OT and has demonstrated continued interest in OT and its effective promotion.
Selection criteria: Nominees shall be seen to have demonstrated a continual interest in occupational therapy and its effective promotion. Nominees shall be seen as leaders in one or more of the following: Development of Standards - a professional who has represented occupational therapy to their associates, or physicians and others who have counseled and assisted occupational therapy in the development of standards; Development of Occupational Therapy - individuals who have fostered occupational therapy within the state of Ohio where it was previously unknown or who have sustained this interest for an appropriate length of time; Professional Development - persons who have been influential in the professional development of occupational therapy practice and/or the OOTA. Nomination form for Pioneer Award

OT/OTA Student of the Year: To acknowledge student members of OOTA who participate in activities to promote occupational therapy in their community and who contribute to the professional growth of occupational therapy by participation in leadership roles in their district, state, and/or national associations.
Selection criteria: Nominees shall have demonstrated one or more of the following: served on committees, boards or clubs; mentored; been the recipient of awards of recognition; authored or published articles for AOTA, OOTA, OT Practice, OT Newsbreak; been a presenter at state or national conference; have advocated/promoted occupational therapy; attended/participated in inservice, conferences or district meetings; served as AOTA state delegate. Nominee must have a GPA of 2.5 or better. Two awards may be given: one in an OT and one in an OTA program. Nomination form for Student of the Year Award

Certification of Appreciation: To express the appreciation of the Ohio Occupational Therapy Association for extraordinary contributions to the advancement of occupational therapy in the state of Ohio.
Selection criteria: Nominees for this award shall be individuals or groups of individuals whose services and contributions are clearly beyond those of normal professional duties or responsibilities. Nominees who are non-members show a service or contribution that has markedly benefited occupational therapy. Nominees may be members or non-members. There is no limit to the number of certificates that may be awarded. Nomination form for Certificate of Appreciation

Honorary Membership: To be conferred for distinguished service in the field of occupational therapy or to a nominee who, by the virtue of professional or community status, has related occupational therapy to the public need.
Selection criteria: The nominee need not be a member of OOTA. The nominee shall be recognized by peers as having performed distinguished service in the field of occupational therapy. The nominee shall have professional or community status that relates occupational therapy to the public need. There is no limit to the number of certificates that may be awarded. Nomination form for Honorary Membership

Legislator Award: To honor a political figure for support and commitment to the advancement of the profession of occupational therapy in the political arena.
Selection criteria: The nominee will have demonstrated advocacy for the promotion of OT through legislative means. There shall be no limit of awards given in this category. Nomination form for Legislator Award

Model Practice Award: To recognize members for outstanding achievement in the practice of occupational therapy in the state of Ohio.
Selection criteria: Nominees for this award may be individual members or a group of members at one facility. Nominees shall have made significant professional contributions in demonstration of innovative and progressive state of the art treatment and or development of assessment tools. Nominees may also have demonstrated guidance in the professional growth of occupational therapy through clinical education, continual quality improvement, client satisfaction and/or demonstration of significant research activities. One award will be given for each individual practice area. There is no limit to the number of awards given annually. Nominees will present a workshop at the next annual OOTA conference. Nomination form for Model Practice Award

Service Award: To recognize individual members of OOTA who have provided services to the association and/or profession through time or task limited activities, or to recognize individual members who have served in state offices.
Selection Criteria: The Nominee shall have provided sustained service to a working body of the OOTA. Services shall have benefited the profession and the Association. There is no limit to the number of recipients or the number of times an individual may receive this award. Nomination form for Service Award

Active Involvement Pin Award: To recognize OOTA members who have demonstrated active involvement in OOTA through public relations, continuing education or officer activities.
Selection criteria: After completing four or more qualifying activities within one calendar year, the member shall fill out the application form and submit it to the district chair or district membership chair. The pin will be awarded at the next district meeting. Nomination form for Active Involvement Pin Award.