Occupational Therapists
An occupational therapist is a person who has graduated from an entry-level occupational therapy program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) or predecessor organizations, or approved by the World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT), or an equivalent international occupational therapy education program; has successfully completed a period of supervised fieldwork experience required by the occupational therapy program; has passed a nationally recognized entry-level examination for occupational therapists, and fulfills state requirements for licensure, certification, or registration. An occupational therapist provides interventions based on evaluation and which emphasize the therapeutic use of everyday life activities (i.e., occupations) with individuals or groups for the purpose of facilitating participation in roles and situations and in home, school, workplace, community and other settings. Occupational therapy services are provided for the purpose of promoting health and wellness and are provided to those who have or are at risk for developing an illness, injury, disease, disorder, condition, impairment, disability, activity limitation, or participation restriction. Occupational therapists address the physical, cognitive, psychosocial, sensory, and other aspects of occupational performance in a variety of contexts to support engagement in everyday life activities that affect health, well-being, and quality of life. *Specialization: Environmental Modification
Occupational therapy practitioners are experts at identifying the cause of difficulties in performance of activities of daily living and instrumental activities of daily living. Occupational therapy practitioners evaluate the client, their environment, and their occupational performance in that environment, as well as make recommendations for products to improve the fit between the client, place, and activity. Occupational therapists can evaluate both the skills of the client and the environmental features that support or limit the performance of meaningful or necessary activities, thereby enhancing health, safety and well-being. Based on this assessment, they recommend modification and intervention strategies that improve the fit between the person and his or her environment. *** Source: The Guide to Occupational Therapy Practice, 2nd edition. Bethesda: American Occupational Therapy Association, 2007. [7/1/2008: new] Additional Resources: The American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) does offer voluntary specialty certification for an Environmental Modification Occupational Therapist if the applicant meets the following requirements: <ul> <li>Professional or technical degree or equivalent in occupational therapy. <li>Certified or licensed by and in good standing with an AOTA recognized credentialing or regulatory body. <li>Minimum of 2,000 hours of experience as an occupational therapist or occupational therapy assistant. <li>600 hours of experience delivering occupational therapy services in the certification area to clients (individuals, groups, or populations) in the last 3 calendar years. Service delivery may be paid or voluntary. <li>Verification of employment. </ul>AOTA Fact Sheets: Home Modifications
** Source: The Guide to Occupational Therapy Practice, 2nd edition. Bethesda: American Occupational Therapy Association, 2007. [7/1/2008: new] Additional Resources: The American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) does offer voluntary specialty certification for an Environmental Modification Occupational Therapist if the applicant meets the following requirements: <ul> <li>Professional or technical degree or equivalent in occupational therapy. <li>Certified or licensed by and in good standing with an AOTA recognized credentialing or regulatory body. <li>Minimum of 2,000 hours of experience as an occupational therapist or occupational therapy assistant. <li>600 hours of experience delivering occupational therapy services in the certification area to clients (individuals, groups, or populations) in the last 3 calendar years. Service delivery may be paid or voluntary. <li>Verification of employment. </ul>AOTA Fact Sheets: Home Modifications