American Occupational Therapy Association
The American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) is the national professional association established in 1917 to represent the interests and concerns of occupational therapy practitioners and students and improve the quality of occupational therapy services. Current AOTA membership is approximately 43,000 occupational therapists, assistants and students globally.
Mission statement
AOTA advances the quality availability, use and support of occupational therapy through standard-setting, advocacy, education, and research on behalf of its members and the public.
Vision statement
AOTA advances occupational therapy as the preeminent profession in promoting the health, productivity, and quality of life of individuals and society through the therapeutic application of occupation.
Key initiatives
Among AOTA’s key initiatives for 2006–2009 are:
- developing a major image-building campaign to more effectively explain occupational therapy to a variety of audiences;
- engaging in broad-based advocacy to ensure funding for occupational therapy in traditional and emerging practice areas;
- making stronger linkages among occupational therapy research, education and practice to enable effective communication within and about the profession;
- building a cutting-edge research agenda for the profession;
- developing a model curriculum for occupational therapy and assistant educational programs to ensure consistency in how practitioners are prepared for the 21st century workforce; and,
- developing outcome measures to meet the growing demands of consumers payors and policymakers for demonstrating the value of occupational therapy.
See also
External links