Core Forty

Newsletter 1 | October 29, 2025

United States Occupational Therapy Clinician Coalition (US-OTCC)

Uniting clinicians. Reclaiming our professional voice.

With this inaugural newsletter, we welcome the Core 40 — the first clinicians to join the conversation and express their commitment to strengthening the clinical voice of occupational therapy. These early supporters represent the beginning of what will soon become a national clinician-led coalition, rooted in history, guided by science, and powered by the conviction that occupational therapy must once again lead through clinical strength and unity across all settings within the medical model.

The Core 40 reminds us that every movement begins with those who raise their hands first. As we prepare for the January 11 meeting and the launch of our community space, we look forward to welcoming many more clinicians who share this vision and are ready to stand for the future of our profession.

Why Engagement Matters

During our profession’s earliest days, progress was driven by dialogue: clinicians writing letters, meeting in parlors, and challenging each other to refine what “occupational therapy” meant. That same spirit of engagement is what will move us forward today.

When you contribute your voice — whether through a discussion, reflection, or shared experience — you are helping to shape the collective intelligence of this coalition. The OTCC isn’t a passive organization; it’s a living forum built by clinicians who refuse to be silent observers of their own profession.

Shaping the Conversation

Before we gather in January, begin reflecting on what matters most in your clinical world. The Coalition exists to give voice to the realities of practice — the barriers you face, the science you apply, and the solutions you wish were visible at the national level related to concrete concerns like reimbursement, respect for OT scope of practice, autonomy, productivity, Medicare guidelines, etc. 

Consider questions like:

• What clinical challenges or patterns do you believe are being overlooked in today’s professional dialogue?

• What existing evidence for OTs in the medical model currently exists but requires more advocacy for its legitimacy?

• How can the Coalition amplify the clinical side of occupational therapy while staying grounded in science and ethical care?

• Consider the daily realities we face as clinicians — productivity pressures, ethical conflicts in determining skilled need versus hospice appropriateness, and directives that prioritize physical goals over psychosocial well-being. These issues reveal the disconnect between true occupational therapy practice and the systems that constrain it. What examples from your own work illustrate these tensions, and how might a clinician-led coalition begin to address them collectively?

Your insights will shape the first discussion threads once our community space opens.

This coalition is strictly focused on clinical visibility and professional strength. Every contribution should reflect the defined mission and core principles so that we can begin making progress in clinical visibility as soon as we are able. 

Leadership in the Coalition

Are you a clinician who’s already leading in your setting, or someone ready to take a stronger role in shaping the clinical direction of our profession? Leadership within the Coalition is about action, not titles. We are building a structure where clinicians can:

• Organize working groups around core clinical priorities (practice visibility, payer relations, continuing education).

• Serve as state-level contacts to strengthen local communication, advocacy, and resource sharing.

• Coordinate state-level initiatives that highlight the science, integrity, and practical impact of occupational therapy in real-world settings.

As the Coalition grows, these leadership positions will form the foundation of a national clinician-led network — ensuring occupational therapy remains visible, evidence-driven, and clinically grounded.

Leadership here means advancing occupational therapy through organization, collaboration, and clarity of purpose. 

Making the Most of the Coalition

Being part of the OT Clinician Coalition is more than subscribing; it’s a commitment to elevate the collective voice of clinicians. Register and Attend the January 11th national meeting, participate in the dialogues, share your expertise, and bring a colleague or fellow student into the collective. 

As our founders once reminded us, “Organize, agitate, educate — for a group, even if not large, is more likely to be heard than an individual.” Every comment, idea, and connection strengthens the professional clinical identity we’re rebuilding together. 

Thank you for being part of the founding circle. The work ahead requires courage, clarity, and consistency. Together, we will bring all three.

With resolve,
Michelle Eliason, MS, OTR/L, PhD candidate, CDS, ITOT
Co-founder of United States Occupational Therapy Clinician Coalition