How is occupational therapy defined in Oregon?

“Occupational therapy” means the analysis and use of purposeful activity with individuals who are limited by physical injury or illness, developmental or learning disabilities, psycho-social dysfunctions or the aging process in order to maximize independence, prevent disability and maintain health. The practice of occupational therapy encompasses evaluation, treatment and consultation.

What is included in the practice of occupational therapy?

OTs use selected methods or strategies to direct the process of interventions such as:

• Establish, remediate or restore skill or ability that has not yet developed or is impaired;
• Compensate, modify, or adapt activity or environment to enhance performance;
• Maintain and enhance capabilities without which performance in everyday life activities would decline;
• Promote health and wellness to enable or enhance performance in everyday life activities;
• Prevent barriers to performance, including disability prevention.

OTs evaluate factors affecting activities of daily living (ADL), instrumental activities of daily living (IADL), education, work, play, leisure, and social participation, including:

• Client factors, including body functions (such as neuromuscular, sensory, visual, perceptual, cognitive) and body structures (such as cardiovascular, digestive, integumentary, genitourinary systems);
• Habits, routines, roles and behavior patterns;
• Cultural, physical, environmental, social, and spiritual contexts and activity demands that affect performance;
• Performance skills, including motor, process, and communication/interaction skills.

OTs use the following interventions and procedures to promote or enhance safety and performance in activities of daily living (ADL), instrumental activities of daily living (IADL), education, work, play, leisure, and social participation, including

• Therapeutic use of occupations, exercise, and activities;
• Training in self-care, self-management, home management and community/work reintegration;
• Development, remediation, or compensation of physical, cognitive, neuromuscular, sensory functions and behavior skills;
• Therapeutic use of self, including one's personality, insights, perceptions, and judgments, as part of the therapeutic process;
• Education and training of individuals, including family members, caregivers, and others;
• Care coordination, case management, and transition services;
• Consultative services to groups, programs, organizations, or communications;
• Modification of environments (home, work, school, or community) and adaptation of processes, including the application of ergonomic principles;
• Assessment, design, fabrication, application, fitting, and training in assistive technology, adaptive devise, and orthotic devices, and training in the use of prosthetic devices;
• Assessment, recommendation, and training in techniques to enhance functional mobility, including wheelchair management;
• Driver rehabilitation and community mobility;
• Management of feeding and eating to enable swallowing performance;
• Application of physical agent modalities, and use of a range of specific therapeutic procedures (such as wound care management; techniques to enhance sensory, perceptual, and cognitive processing, manual therapy techniques) to enhance performance skills as they relate to occupational therapy services.

What is specifically excluded from the practice?

N/A

Are there any special trainings or requirements?

Oregon OT Mental Health and Behavioral Health Practice

Oregon OT Services for Children and Youth in Early Childhood Programs

Reference

ORS 675.210

OAR 339-010-0005