Professional Practice Resources

The professional practice team supports the day-to-day practice of occupational therapy practitioners with resources and information on supporting best practice. Our focus includes:

Supporting Find an OT & Find an OT Expert directory with the option to locate self-identified experts;
Supporting Find an OT Mentor (not to be confused with supervision – not a role of association);
Providing free resources on the Practice Resource Hub supporting dozens of areas of practice;
Providing Practice Documents on specific areas of practice (Coming June 2024);
Supporting Occupational Therapy Networks and Communities of Practice;
Connecting occupational therapy practitioners to Volunteer Opportunities.

For questions pertaining to regulatory issues (e.g. specific issues pertaining to client/patient care, issues regarding scope of practice, issues regarding fitness to practice, etc.) please click here.

Practice Documents

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.

More OT Practice Documents coming soon!

Find an OT Expert

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.

Practice Resource Hub

Search Practice Hub | Centre de ressources pour la pratique

Resource title/key word:

Area of Practice:

Format:

Language:

The Practice Resource Hub offers relevant, reliable and diverse resources, developed by CAOT and several external sources, related to dozens of different areas of practice. The Hub is reviewed and updated regularly, ensuring it remains a relevant and valuable tool.

Read the areas of practice and their definitions used in the Practice Hub.

CAOT Programs


Find an OT Mentor	Occupational Therapy Networks	OT Conversations that Matter: Podcast

Find an OT	CarFit	Careers

Economic Evidence Clearinghouse	CAOT Volunteer Program	Periodicals

CAOT Practice Resources


Mental Health and Occupational Therapy	Planetary Health & Sustainable Occupations	Resources for OTAs

Find an OT	Primary Care	TRC & Indigenous Health

Long COVID	Equity & Justice	Competencies for OTs in Canada