At SCF, our Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) Program is preparing students for meaningful, in-demand careers while directly strengthening the health and vitality of our community.

Occupational therapy is often confused with physical therapy, but the focus is distinct. While physical therapy emphasizes movement, strength and mobility, occupational therapy centers on function and independence. Occupational therapy practitioners work with individuals across the lifespan, from newborns to older adults, helping them regain or develop the skills needed for daily life after illness, injury or disability. That may mean helping a child develop fine motor skills for handwriting, supporting an adult recovering from a stroke to dress independently, or training someone with a prosthetic limb to safely return to everyday routines.

Established in 1997, our two-year Associate in Science degree program admits 24 students each fall. After completing classroom instruction and hands-on labs, students participate in two eight-week clinical fieldwork rotations, where they apply their skills under supervision in real healthcare settings. Graduates sit for the national NBCOT certification exam and, upon passing, apply for state licensure.

The results speak to the program’s strength. Our graduation rate has risen significantly in recent years, and for the past four years our graduates have achieved a near-perfect board pass rate. Employment outcomes remain exceptional, with graduates securing positions as occupational therapy assistants or in related fields shortly after licensure. Nationally, OTA employment is projected to grow much faster than average, reflecting both workforce demand and the needs of an aging population.

Beyond the statistics, what truly sets the program apart is the depth of experiential learning and community engagement.

Students train in a newly renovated adaptive kitchen, where they experience firsthand what it feels like to complete tasks with physical limitations before teaching those same strategies to patients. They fabricate hand splints, participate in interprofessional simulations alongside nursing and physical therapist assistant students, and collaborate in real-world scenarios that mirror today’s healthcare teams.

Equally important is their work in the community. Students partner with organizations such as Easter Seals Southwest Florida, local mental health programs, adult day centers and dental clinics. In one recent collaboration, occupational therapy and dental hygiene students helped serve more than 300 children and teens who otherwise might not have accessed care, addressing sensory needs and reducing anxiety so they could comfortably receive treatment.

As one student shared, “I’ve always been a very creative person, but also very empathetic and compassionate. I wanted to work with people, but I also wanted to use my creative side. OT allows you to use your creative side to care for people, and you get to create fun interventions for them to help them reach their independent goals.”

Another student was drawn to the profession because of its purpose-driven focus. “The foundation of our interventions is what’s important to the life of another person,” he said.

Students consistently point to collaborative training as one of the program’s greatest strengths. The versatility of the profession is another powerful draw. As one student reflected, “There’s such a wide variety of places you can work in, which is super cool, and there’s so much room for growth.”

With competitive admissions, strong outcomes and growing workforce demand, the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program is not only transforming students’ lives but also helping meet critical healthcare needs in our region.

Through skill, compassion and innovation, our students are learning to help others live fuller, more independent lives.

For more information, visit SCF.edu/OTA

Tommy Gregory, J.D., is the President of State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota.  

Milestones invite reflection. This year, as Venice marks its Centennial and Gulf Coast marks 30 years of service in our region, the Better Together Block Party in Venice last Saturday offered more than a gathering for families and neighbors. It offered a moment to pause and consider what holds a community together – and how we carry that responsibility forward.

Hosting this event in Venice was a reminder of where our work began. Gulf Coast was founded here, rooted in the belief that local challenges are best met with dedicated leadership and shared commitment. The legacy of Venice is shaped by individuals like original city planner John Nolen, whose vision helped define the character of this city, and the “Grand Lady of Venice” Julia Cousins Laning, whose generosity and commitment to preserving Venice’s history continues to influence the city today. Their examples reinforce something we believe deeply: stewardship is about continuity and care for the place that we call home. It is about ensuring that what was built continues to serve the next generation.

As I walked through the event, what struck me most was not any single activity, but the joy of it all. I saw grandparents explaining pieces of Venice history to their grandchildren. I watched families linger longer than they planned to. My own family found their rhythm in the afternoon, moving from one experience to the next – including airbrush face tattoos. There was laughter, curiosity, and a genuine sense of happiness in the air.

Better Together represents something simple but powerful. When we create space for people to connect with one another, good things follow. The block party celebrated decades of steady work in education, culture, and civic life – work that continues not because of any single organization, but because people care enough to participate. Strong communities don’t form by accident; they grow when people show up for one another.

Looking across the crowd, I was reminded that progress does not always announce itself in grand gestures. Sometimes it looks like a conversation, shared laughter, or neighbors choosing to spend an afternoon together at the park. Those small choices, repeated over time, are what shape a region. As we honor our past and look toward the future, I am reminded that our role is to listen, learn and act with intention with our community at the heart of everything we do. When we do that well, moments like Better Together are not just events. It is proof that the most lasting impact comes when we engage, contribute, and create – together.

Phillip Lanham is the President and CEO of Gulf Coast Community Foundation. 

Photo courtesy of Julia Groom.

Sarasota County held its much-anticipated budget workshop on February 26th, and the results were a mixed bag. There was genuine progress to acknowledge budget problems, and the commission deserves credit where it is due. At the same time, several issues surfaced that will require continued scrutiny. Taxpayers need to stay engaged.

Starting with the good news: the Commission cut $5.46 million from the current 2026 budget. The Argus Foundation had called for $5 million in cuts back in December, and a narrow 3-2 vote in January directed staff to identify where those reductions could be made. Once commissioners saw that service levels would remain largely intact, that vote shifted to a unanimous 5-0 in favor of moving forward. That kind of consensus matters. Taking the initiative to reduce an existing budget is never popular with staff, and the last time the county did something similar was early in the 2018 budget year. The commission deserves recognition for following through.

Also worth commending are the Sheriff and the Supervisor of Elections. When asked to limit their budget increases to 1.6% for the upcoming 2027 fiscal year, both committed to doing so, barring any unfunded mandates from the legislature. That kind of cooperation and fiscal discipline from constitutional officers is not guaranteed, and it should not go unnoticed.

Now for the concerns. Of the $5.46 million in cuts, only $1.46 million was recurring. The remainder were one-time reductions that will not compound or carry forward into future budgets. That distinction is critical. One-time cuts can improve the current picture without doing much to address the structural imbalance underneath it, which is spending problems.

The commission also altered the rules governing the budget model itself, eliminating the $5 million safety floor in the economic uncertainty fund. Removing that cushion allows those funds to be fully counted in budget calculations and, more troubling, fully spent. On top of that, one-time funds were infused back into the general fund and then immediately designated for a specific project. It remains unclear whether staff will model future budgets with or without those funds in the baseline.

Perhaps most concerning were two slides presented on potential revenue generators. The commission had previously asked staff to research what other counties were doing, but that request was interpreted broadly enough to include proposals for new taxes and fees. A law enforcement Municipal Service Taxing Unit had been discussed in passing, but after receiving an informational memo, there had been no indication from any commissioner of a desire to bring it to a workshop discussion. A library MSTU had never been discussed at all. A public service tax of up to 10 percent on water, electricity, and gas, which failed under public pressure in 2017, also reappeared in the presentation.

Notably absent from those slides was any analysis of how other counties have reduced expenses or lowered their millage rates. How Jacksonville and Manatee County achieved rate reductions was never mentioned. The instinct for staff to reach for revenue before exhausting savings options is a pattern worth watching closely.

The Argus Foundation commends the County Commission, the Sheriff, and the Supervisor of Elections for their efforts. These are meaningful first steps. But meaningful first steps are just that, and the work ahead on controlling spending is significant.

Christine Robinson is the Chief Executive Officer of The Argus Foundation. 

Provided photo.