Background:

An occupational therapist is a person licensed by the Board of Occupational Therapy Practice to practice occupational therapy. "Occupational therapy" is the scientifically based use of purposeful activity that maximizes independence, prevents disability, and maintains the health of individuals who are limited by physical injury or illness, psychosocial dysfunction, developmental or learning disabilities, or the aging process. It includes evaluation, treatment, and consultation. Examples of the practice of occupational therapy include:

using specifically designed activities and exercises to enhance neurodevelopmental, cognitive, perceptual motor, sensory integrative, and psychomotor functioning;
administering and interpreting tests such as manual muscle and sensory integration;
teaching daily living skills;
developing pre-vocational skills and play and avocational activities;
designing, fabricating, or applying selected orthotic and prosthetic devices or selected adaptive equipment;
adapting environments for persons with disabilities; and
wound care management.

An occupational therapist may treat a medical case only upon referral of a physician, osteopathic physician, podiatric physician and surgeon, naturopath, chiropractor, physician assistant, psychologist, or advanced registered nurse practitioner. If an occupational therapist evaluates a patient and finds that the patient's case is medical, he or she must refer the case to a physician for appropriate medical direction if direction is lacking. A case is not a medical case if there is an absence of pathology or if a pathology has stabilized and the occupational therapist is only treating the client's functional deficits.

Votes on Final Passage:

House	96	0
Senate	49	0