Key Initiatives
“We envision that occupational therapy is a powerful, widely recognized, science-driven, and evidence-based profession with a globally connected and diverse workforce meeting society’s occupational needs.” —Centennial Vision Statement for Occupational Therapy, April 2006
For nearly 100 years, occupational therapy has been helping people live meaningful lives. Occupational therapy practitioners take a holistic view of their clients—their physical diagnoses, their cultural values, their everyday roles, and above all, their goals and aspirations—in developing and executing plans for helping people live to their fullest potential.
With its unique approach and perspective, occupational therapy can do much to meet the needs of society. This includes providing cost-effective, client-centered solutions to promote productive aging for an increasingly older American population; foster healthy development among children and youth; and help people with illnesses or injuries regain, develop, and build skills that are essential for independent functioning, health, and well-being.
The profession will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2017. AOTA is shepherding the Centennial Vision for the profession to demonstrate to the public, policymakers, payors, and clients the unique role occupational therapy can play in meeting these challenges and the value of occupational therapy in the 21st Century.
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 occupational therapy assistant educational programs to ensure consistency in how practitioners are prepared for the 21st century workforce; and,
- developing occupational therapy outcome measures to meet the growing demands of consumers, payors, and policymakers for demonstrating the value of occupational therapy.
Over the next 10 years, much work will be required—of AOTA volunteer leaders and occupational therapy practitioners everywhere—to show everyone just what occupational therapy can do. We hope you’ll join us in making the vision a reality.