Official Documents Available From the American Occupational Therapy Association

Official documents and professional policies are approved by the AOTA Representative Assembly and undergo scheduled review and approval by the Representative Assembly Coordinating Committee (RACC). These documents are used by the Association and its membership to guide education, practice, advocacy, and policy on behalf of the profession. The documents are a valuable resource for occupational therapy practitioners and provide a solid grounding in the profession for students, consumers, and external stakeholders.

Items in bold are new for 2024 and are available in this supplement to the American Journal of Occupational Therapy. Official documents are periodically reviewed, and documents may be superseded by newer versions or rescinded. A complete list of the most current documents is available at https://www.aota.org/practice/practice-essentials/aota-official-documents.

Guidance Documents

Guidance documents provide comprehensive perspective and guidance on topics that shape advancement of the profession and its future direction.

▪ A Descriptive Review of Occupational Therapy Education (2023)

▪ Guidelines for Documentation of Occupational Therapy (2018)

▪ Guidelines for Occupational Therapy Services in Early Intervention and Schools (2017)

▪ Guidelines for Reentry Into the Field of Occupational Therapy (2020)

▪ Guidelines for Supervision, Roles, and Responsibilities During the Delivery of Occupational Therapy Services (2020)

▪ Occupational Therapy Practice Framework: Domain and Process, 4th Edition (2020)

▪ The Practice of Occupational Therapy in Feeding, Eating, and Swallowing (2017)

▪ Scholarship in Occupational Therapy (2022)

Position Statements

Position statements present an official stance on the provision of services, practice of occupational therapy, or role of occupational therapy. They are developed in response to a professional issue, concern, or need.

▪ Assistive Technology Devices and Services in Occupational Therapy Practice (2024)

▪ Autism Spectrum Disorders Across the Life Course and Occupational Therapy Services (2022)

▪ COE Academic Terminal Degree (2022)

▪ Cognition, Cognitive Rehabilitation, and Occupational Performance (2019)

▪ Complementary Health Approaches and Integrative Health in Occupational Therapy (2023)

▪ Continuing Professional Development in Occupational Therapy (2016)

▪ Critical Care and Occupational Therapy Practice Across the Lifespan (2023)

▪ Driving and Community Mobility (2016)

▪ End-of-Life Care and the Role of Occupational Therapy (2023)

▪ Fieldwork Level II and Occupational Therapy Students (2018)

▪ Importance of Collaborative Occupational Therapist-Occupational Therapy Assistant Intraprofessional Education in Occupational Therapy Curricula (2017)

▪ Interprofessional Collaborative Practice (IPCP): Importance Across Populations and Settings (2024)

▪ Importance of Interprofessional Education for Occupational Therapy (2022)

▪ Importance of Primary Care Education in Occupational Therapy Curricula (2017)

▪ Inclusive Environments: Home, Work, Public Spaces, Technology, and Specialty Environments (2022)

▪ Mental Health Promotion, Prevention, and Intervention in Occupational Therapy Practice (2017)

▪ Occupational Therapy Doctoral Capstone: Purpose and Value (2022)

▪ Occupational Therapy Fieldwork Education: Value and Purpose (2022)

▪ Occupational Therapy in the Promotion of Health and Well-Being (2019)

▪ Occupational Therapy Scope of Practice (2021)

▪ Occupational Therapy Services for Individuals Who Have Experienced Domestic Violence (2017)

▪ Occupational Therapy Services in Facilitating Work Participation and Performance (2017)

▪ Occupational Therapy Services in the Promotion of Mental Health and Well-Being (2016)

▪ Occupational Therapy’s Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (2020)

▪ Occupational Therapy’s Perspective on the Use of Environments and Contexts to Facilitate Health, Well-Being, and Participation in Occupations (2015)

▪ Occupational Therapy’s Role in Case Management (2018)

▪ Occupational Therapy’s Role in Medication Management (2017)

▪ Occupational Therapy’s Role in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (2018)

▪ Occupational Therapy’s Role With Chronic Conditions (2022)

▪ Philosophical Base of Occupational Therapy (2017)

▪ Philosophy of Occupational Therapy Education (2018)

▪ Physical Agent, Mechanical, and Instrument-Assisted Modalities in Occupational Therapy Practice (2024)

▪ Role of Occupational Therapy in Pain Management (2021)

▪ Role of Occupational Therapy in Primary Care (2020)

▪ Role of Occupational Therapy in Wound Management (2018)

▪ Sensory Integration Approaches for Children and Youth Within Occupational Therapy Practice (2023)

▪ Telehealth in Occupational Therapy (2018)

▪ Value of Occupational Therapy Assistant Education to the Profession (2019)

▪ Vestibular Impairment, Vestibular Rehabilitation, and Occupational Performance (2017)

Professional Standards

Professional standards describe and define minimal standards for practice, continued competence, and other professional behaviors.

AOTA 2020 Code of Ethics

▪ Standards for Continuing Competence (2021)

▪ Standards of Practice for Occupational Therapy (2021)

Societal Statements

Societal statements are written in the form of public announcements and identify a societal issue of concern; state how the issue affects the participation of individuals, families, groups, or communities in society; and may offer action to be taken by individuals, families, groups, or communities.

▪ AOTA’s Societal Statement Denouncing Conversion “Therapy” (2022)

▪ AOTA’s Societal Statement on Disaster Response and Risk Reduction (2017)

▪ AOTA’s Societal Statement on Community Violence (2022)

▪ AOTA’s Societal Statement on Gun Violence (2022)

▪ AOTA’s Societal Statement on Health Disparities (2013)

▪ AOTA’s Societal Statement on Health Literacy (2016)

▪ AOTA’s Societal Statement on Livable Communities (2016)

▪ AOTA’s Societal Statement on Stress, Trauma, and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (2017)

▪ AOTA’s Societal Statement on Youth Violence (2016)

Additional Documents

▪ Specialized Knowledge and Skills of Occupational Therapy Educators of the Future (2009)