Standards of Practice For Occupational Therapy
Standards of Practice For Occupational Therapy
Standards of Practice For Occupational Therapy
Occupational therapy practice addresses the physical, state laws (AOTA, 2020a). To practice as an occupational
cognitive, psychosocial, sensory–perceptual, and other therapist, the individual trained in the United States
aspects of clients’ performance in a variety of contexts to
support their engagement in occupations that affect
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has graduated from an occupational therapy program
physical and mental health, well-being, and quality of life accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupa-
(AOTA, 2011, p. 1). tional Therapy Education (ACOTE®; 2018) or prede-
The Standards of Practice for Occupational Therapy cessor organizations;
are requirements for occupational therapists and 䊏
has successfully completed a period of supervised
occupational therapy assistants for the delivery of fieldwork experience required by the recognized edu-
occupational therapy services. The Reference Manual of cational institution where the applicant met the aca-
the Official Documents of the American Occupational demic requirements of an educational program for
Therapy Association, Inc. (AOTA, 2018b), contains occupational therapists that is accredited by ACOTE
documents that clarify and support occupational therapy or predecessor organizations;
practice, as do various issues and supplements of the 䊏
has passed a nationally recognized entry-level exami-
American Journal of Occupational Therapy. These nation for occupational therapists; and
documents are reviewed and updated on an ongoing 䊏
fulfills state requirements for licensure, certification, or
basis for their applicability. registration.
The American Journal of Occupational Therapy, November/December 2021, Vol. 75, Suppl. 3
PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS
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has successfully completed a period of supervised 䊏
Discontinuation of services: Occurs when the client
fieldwork experience required by the recognized ends services after meeting short- and long-term
educational institution where the applicant met the goals or chooses to no longer receive services
academic requirements of an educational program for (AOTA, 2020c, p. 28).
occupational therapy assistants that is accredited by 䊏
Evaluation: “The comprehensive process of obtaining
ACOTE or predecessor organizations; and interpreting the data necessary to understand the
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has passed a nationally recognized entry-level exami- person, system, or situation. . . . Evaluation requires
nation for occupational therapy assistants; and synthesis of all data obtained, analytic interpretation of
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fulfills state requirements for licensure, certification, or that data, reflective clinical reasoning, and consider-
The American Journal of Occupational Therapy, November/December 2021, Vol. 75, Suppl. 3
PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS
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Transition: Movement from one life role or experience 7. An occupational therapy assistant is responsible for
to another. In occupational therapy, transitions are providing safe and effective occupational therapy serv-
actions coordinated to prepare for or facilitate a ices under the direct and indirect supervision of and in
change, such as from one functional level to another, partnership with the occupational therapist and in
from one life stage to another, from one program to accordance with laws or regulations and AOTA official
another, or from one environment to another. documents (AOTA, 2020b).
8. An occupational therapy practitioner maintains current
Standard I. Professional Standing and knowledge of legislative, political, social, cultural, soci-
Responsibility etal, and reimbursement issues that affect clients and
nerstones identify the distinct knowledge and skills of address them (ACOTE, 2018; AOTA, 2020c).
the occupational therapy practitioner. 11. An occupational therapy assistant demonstrates pro-
2. An occupational therapy practitioner is knowledgeable fessional and clinical reasoning to address occupa-
about and delivers occupational therapy services in tion-based interventions, client factors, performance
accordance with AOTA standards, policies, and guide- patterns, and performance skills (ACOTE, 2018;
lines and state, federal, and other regulatory and AOTA, 2020c).
payer requirements relevant to practice and service 12. An occupational therapy practitioner obtains the cli-
delivery. ent’s consent before and throughout the occupational
3. An occupational therapy practitioner maintains current therapy process.
licensure, registration, or certification as required by 13. An occupational therapy practitioner is an effective
law or regulation. advocate for the client’s intervention and accommoda-
4. An occupational therapy practitioner abides by the tion needs.
AOTA 2020 Occupational Therapy Code of Ethics 14. An occupational therapy practitioner is an integral
(AOTA, 2020a). member of the interprofessional collaborative team
5. An occupational therapy practitioner abides by the and works to ensure the client-centeredness of the
Standards for Continuing Competence (AOTA, 2015) service delivery process.
by establishing, maintaining, and updating profes- 15. An occupational therapy practitioner providing client-
sional performance, knowledge, and skills. centered services demonstrates cultural humility, rec-
6. An occupational therapist is responsible for all aspects ognizes gaps in cultural knowledge and maintains a
of occupational therapy service delivery and is account- constant process of learning, understands differentia-
able for the safety and effectiveness of the occupational tions between and within cultures, acknowledges
therapy service delivery process (AOTA, 2020b). implicit and explicit bias, and recognizes power
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PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS
dynamics in the delivery of services (Agner, 2020; 4. An occupational therapist initiates and directs the
AOTA, 2020d). screening, evaluation, and reevaluation process and
analyzes, interprets, and synthesizes the data in
accordance with federal and state laws, other regula-
Standard II. Service Delivery
tory and payer requirements, and AOTA official
1. An occupational therapy practitioner provides skilled documents.
occupational therapy services through a direct service 5. An occupational therapy assistant contributes
delivery approach when interventions are completed in to the screening, evaluation, and reevaluation
direct contact with clients and families during in-person process by administering delegated assessments
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PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS
Standard IV: Intervention Process 7. An occupational therapist modifies the intervention plan
throughout the intervention process and documents
1. An occupational therapist has overall responsibility for changes in the client’s needs, goals, and performance.
the development, documentation, and implementation
8. An occupational therapy assistant contributes to the
of the occupational therapy intervention plan based on
modification of the intervention plan by exchanging
the evaluation, client goals, best available evidence,
information with and providing documentation to the
and professional and clinical reasoning. When delegat-
occupational therapist about the client’s responses to
ing aspects of the occupational therapy intervention to
and communications throughout the intervention.
the occupational therapy assistant, the occupational
9. An occupational therapy practitioner documents the
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PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS
sition or discontinuation process in collaboration with American Occupational Therapy Association. (2018a). Guidelines for
documentation of occupational therapy. American Journal of
the client, family members, significant others, other pro-
Occupational Therapy, 72(Suppl. 2), 7212410010. https://doi.org/
fessionals (e.g., medical, educational, social services), 10.5014/ajot.2018.72S203
and community resources, when appropriate. American Occupational Therapy Association. (2018b). The reference
manual of the official documents of the American Occupational Therapy
7. The occupational therapy practitioner ethically reports
Authors
Revised by the Commission on Practice, 2020:
Shelley Coleman Casto, MS, OTR/L, CPST
Charlotte Davis, MS, OTR/L
Julie Dorsey, OTD, OTR/L, CEAS, FAOTA, Chairperson
Elizabeth “Liz” Griffin Lannigan, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA
Lizabeth Metzger, MS, OTR/L
Julie Miller, MOT, OTR/L, SWC
Amy Owens, OTR
Krysta Rives, MBA, COTA/L, CKTP
Caitlin Synovec, OTD, OTR/L, BCMH
Wayne L. Winistorfer, MPA, OTR, FAOTA
Deborah Lieberman, MHSA, OTR/L, FAOTA, AOTA Headquarters Liaison
The American Journal of Occupational Therapy, November/December 2021, Vol. 75, Suppl. 3
PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS
Note. These standards are intended as recommended guidelines to assist occupational therapy practitioners in the provision of occupational
therapy services. These standards serve as a minimum standard for occupational therapy practice and are applicable to all individual populations
and the programs in which these individuals are served.
This revision replaces the 2015 document Standards of Practice for Occupational Therapy (previously published and copyrighted by the
American Occupational Therapy Association in the American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 69(Suppl. 3), 6913410057. https://doi.org/
10.5014/ajot.2015.696S06
Citation. American Occupational Therapy Association. (2021). Standards of practice for occupational therapy. American Journal of Occupational
The American Journal of Occupational Therapy, November/December 2021, Vol. 75, Suppl. 3