Mission Statement

The New Jersey Occupational Therapy Association strives to provide excellence in educational, legislative, and professional networks and services for our membership, promoting the highest quality care for our clients and the community in the state of New Jersey through maximizing well-being and facilitating participation in everyday activities.

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AOTA–NBCOT^® Joint Initiative: Developing the Occupational Therapy Licensure Compact

AOTA and NBCOT staff recently collaborated to write a Health Policy Perspectives column in AJOT regarding the licensure compact initiative.
The article is open to all, so please feel free to share the link with anyone who might be interested.

In Memory of Dr. Lynne Richard

NJOTA is saddened to share the news that Dr. Lynne Richard passed away on January 13, 2025. Lynne graduated from the University of Kansas with a Bachelor of Science. She earned a master’s degree in counseling from Seton Hall University and a Ph.D. in educational psychology from Rutgers University.

As a practicing occupational therapist, Lynne was drawn to work with underserved populations in both mental health and physical rehabilitation. With a passion for mentoring others, Lynne naturally transitioned into higher education.  Lynne earned tenure at Kean University where she also served as department chair. In 2008, she moved with her husband to Miami Florida. She continued her commitment to students at Florida International University by serving as a professor, mentor, chair, and eventually Interim Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.

Lynne has always been a leader in the occupational therapy community. She continued contributing to the profession by serving on numerous American Occupational Therapy committees and as a member of the Advisory Council for the American OT Foundation. In 2022, she was inducted as a Fellow of the American Occupational Therapy Association, one of the highest honors in the profession.

In addition to her OT activities, Lynne’s most important role was that of a family member. Her husband John, children Aaron and Rachel, daughter-in-law Mabel, and four grandchildren provided a foundation of love, motivation, and dedication.

Lynne’s memory will continue in the lives of the students she taught, the faculty she mentored, people she served as an OT, and future practitioners who will continue to read her research.