OTAC will keep you updated as we learn new information from AOTA and local legislation. Immediate action items will be posted on our front page & sent via email. OTAC is dedicating more time and resources than ever to protecting our profession. Your support as a member is critical. Membership dues directly fund our lobbyists and state-level advocacy efforts. If you’re able to join a committee or volunteer in any capacity, we would truly appreciate your involvement. We need all hands on deck to defend our practice here in Colorado.

Have an advocacy request? Click here to make a request. 

How can you help?

• OTAC is dedicating more time and resources than ever to protecting our profession! Your support as a member is critical. Your membership dues are one of our largest money makers as a non-profit. Membership dues directly fund our lobbyists and state-level advocacy efforts. Our amazing lobbyists cost $30,000 annually - they are worth every penny but we need your support to continue to fund their services! Another reason we need your membership, is when we bring issues to the House and Senate, OTAC needs to be able to demonstrate that these issues are important to our membership. If we don't have OTAC members that work in these settings or are impacted by these issues, we cannot bring them forward! 
• Join a committee or task group! Our OTAC board and committees are run by volunteers - we can always use more passionate people to volunteer their time! Email info@otacco.org to get started!
• Donate

2026 Advocacy Updates

Click here to read all 2026 advocacy efforts!

OTAC Legislative Tracker:

Action Alert - HB26-1042: Dry Needling by Occupational Therapists 

The OTAC bill for this year, HB26-1042: Dry Needling for Occupational Therapists, has passed with unanimous support in the House of Representatives! Now the bill is headed to the Senate Health & Human Services Committee and we need your help in contacting your Senators. You can check out the fact sheet here to learn more.

We need Senate committee members to understand how this bill affects you, your colleagues, and your clients—and why they should vote yes. By making our voices heard, we increase the chances this bill will pass and highlight the importance of dry needling to our profession in Colorado.

Action Steps

• Email or call all committee members between Thurs., 3/5 - Tues., 3/10. 
• Share with supporters: Clients, colleagues, and other healthcare professionals can also reach out to committee members.
• Important: Dry needling is currently not legal for OTs in Colorado. Do not reference performing it in this state.
• Thank you for helping strengthen the occupational therapy profession and support the people we serve.

Email or Call Committee Members
Below are the emails and phone numbers for each committee member. It doesn’t matter if they aren’t your own representative—please contact all of them to maximize our impact:

• Senator Kyle Mullica (Chair) - kyle.mullica.senate@coleg.govor 303-866-4451
• Senator Dafna Michaelson Jenet (Vice Chair) - dafna.michaelson.jenet.senate@coleg.govor 303-866-4857
• Senator Scott Bright - scott.bright.senate@coleg.govor 303-866-4855
• Senator John Carson - john.carson.senate@coleg.govor 303-866-4881
• Senator Lisa Cutter - lisa.cutter.senate@coleg.govor 303-866-4859
• Senator Lindsey Daugherty - lindsey.daugherty.senate@coleg.govor 303-866-4840
• Senator Lisa Frizell - lisa.frizell.senate@coleg.govor 303-866-4869
• Senator Iman Jodeh - iman.jodeh.senate@coleg.govor 303-866-3432
• Senator Mike Weissman - mike.weissman.senate@coleg.govor 303-866-4879

Below is a draft email you can use to contact Senate Committee members—personalized messages are much more effective than a generic template. Questions? Email info@otacco.org.

Every message counts—keep encouraging colleagues and supporters to take action as we rally over the coming months!

Draft Email

Subject: Support Access to Care: Vote YES on HB26-1042 (Dry Needling by OTs)

Dear Senator [Last Name],

As you prepare for the upcoming Health and Human Services Committee hearing, we urge you to vote YES on HB26-1042, a bipartisan bill sponsored by Senator Ball, Representative Feret and Representative Bradley. This legislation allows qualified licensed occupational therapists (OTs) to perform dry needling, a modality already utilized by physical therapists and chiropractors in Colorado, to improve patient access to pain relief and rehabilitation.

What is Dry Needling?
Dry needling is an evidence-based therapeutic modality that uses thin, monofilament needles to target myofascial trigger points. By inserting these "dry" needles into the muscle, it increases blood flow, releases tightness, and reduces pain. For patients, this pain reduction, better function, and improved outcomes.

Why Occupational Therapists?
Occupational therapists are highly trained professionals who graduate from programs accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE). Their education includes rigorous coursework in:

• Neuroscience
• Kinesiology and Biomechanics
• Biological and Physical Sciences
• Risk mitigation and safety protocols, including the ability to assess vital signs and apply interventions using an indications/contraindications framework

This advanced clinical foundation ensures OTs have the necessary expertise to add dry needling to their practice safely and effectively. Dry needling is a perfect complement to their existing toolkit, which includes therapeutic exercise and manual therapy. 

Dry Needling is NOT Acupuncture
It is important to clarify a common distinction:

• Dry needling is a neuromuscular intervention based on modern anatomy and neurophysiology, used to treat musculoskeletal pain and dysfunction.
• Acupuncture is a separate discipline rooted in traditional Chinese medicine with its own distinct theoretical framework, training pathways, and licensure.
• • This bill explicitly does not authorize OTs to practice acupuncture and leaves acupuncture regulation unchanged.

Education and Consumer Protection
Colorado consumers are protected under this bill. Licensed OTs must meet specific education, competency, and consent requirements set by the Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA), including:

• Informed Consent: OTs must provide written informed consent to each patient outlining the potential benefits and risks of dry needling.
• Regulatory Oversight: Licensed OTs must meet specific education, competency, and consent requirements set by the Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA), with the law becoming effective September 1, 2027 to allow time for proper rulemaking.
• Scope of Practice: OTs are obligated to practice strictly within their competence and use interventions only when clinically indicated.
• Ethical Obligations: OTs must prioritize beneficence and nonmaleficence (do good/do no harm) in all treatment decisions.
• Professional Accountability: OTs remain subject to all existing licensing board oversight and disciplinary processes.

Thank you for your leadership and for considering the needs of Colorado’s patients and providers. We strongly urge you to vote YES on HB26-1042.

Sincerely,

[Your Name/Organization Name]
[Your Contact Information]

2025 Legislative Session Wrap-Up

The 2025 Legislative Session was a year of exciting firsts for OTAC! We’d like to extend a huge thank-you to our dedicated lobbyists, Steve and Tim, for guiding us through a successful and dynamic session. We’re already looking forward to the work ahead in 2026!

Legislative Wins 2025 Session
Read more of our advocacy efforts here!

• HB25-1016 Passes!
  OTAC successfully ran and passed HB25-1016, which allows occupational therapists to prescribe durable medical equipment (DME) without requiring a physician’s signature. This is a major step forward in increasing autonomy and efficiency for OT/OTRs in Colorado. Learn more here!
  

• MPPR Proposal Defeated
  The Joint Budget Committee proposed implementing a Multiple Procedure Payment Reduction (MPPR) to reduce Medicare spending. OTAC, in partnership with the state SLP and PT associations, mobilized quickly and effectively. Thanks to the overwhelming response from our members—who emailed and contacted their legislators—the amendment to remove the MPPR passed without issue. This is a powerful example of advocacy in action!
  

• Medicaid Provider Rate Update
  We were initially able to secure a 1.6% provider rate increase for Medicaid. However, the passage of the federal bill H.R. 1 – “A Big Beautiful Bill” significantly cut federal Medicaid funding. As a result, state legislators had to make difficult budget decisions, and the provider rate increase will end October 1st. Expect rates to return to what they were before the rate was increased. We will continue to monitor this issue.