Professional Practice Resources

The Occupational Therapy Practice Documents have been developed and reviewed in collaboration with diverse occupational therapists with lived experience and expertise in the respective areas of  practice. They are intended for occupational therapy practitioners working in different areas of  practice. The two-page documents are meant to explain the role of occupational therapy to relevant partners, which may include clients, families, government officials, insurance companies, employers, educators, and interprofessional healthcare professionals. Developed in alignment with recommendations from Occupational Therapy Canada and the World Federation of Occupational Therapists, these documents represent a concerted effort to facilitate career advancement and professional recognition of occupational therapy practitioners.

• Pediatrics
• Mental Health
• Home Assessment and Modifications
• Acute Care
• Chronic Pain
• Intensive Care Unit (ICU)
• Assistive Technology & Artificial Intelligence
• Equity & Justice
• Health Promotion & Wellness
• Dementia
• Neurology

More OT Practice Documents coming soon!

OTs with expertise in different areas of practice are sought after and consulted by interested parties(e.g., researchers, healthcare providers and clients). To facilitate the connection between OTs with expertise and parties interested in working with them, and to promote the fair compensation of OTs for their knowledge and expertise, CAOT has added a new feature to the FIND an OT tool. This new feature will allow OTs to self-identify as experts in their area of practice and to identify their fee rate based on their work experience and expertise.  

FIND AN OT EXPERT

Terms of Use

Specialization and Advanced Occupational Therapy Competencies 

 The WFOT recommends five criteria1 that should be met for an occupational therapist to be considered an expert in an area of practice: 

• Meet the accreditation standards required by their country and be a registered member of their national and/or local occupational therapy association. 
• Have at least three years of experience, with at least half of those years in the area of practice.
  Have completed additional education and/or professional development certificates on top of their generalist training.
• Have completed/participated in a structured clinical supervision program that includes defined education as a supervisor, supervised practice, and experience supervising others.
• Demonstrate the application of their knowledge, skills and attitudes in the practice area. For example, through written material (e.g., scientific paper), presentation at conference or workplace innovations and initiatives. 

Based on these criteria, CAOT members can identify as experts in an area of practice. Members are to avoid making any false representation about their level of competence and expertise in the area of practice that they are self-identifying as an expert. CAOT does not independently verify whether the occupational therapist meets these criteria. Therefore, it remains the sole responsibility of users to ensure that the occupational therapist possesses the necessary expertise and knowledge to be considered an expert in their area(s) of practice.