Occupational Therapy Assistants

We hope the resources in this section will help you, as an Occupational Therapy Assistant, in your practice section. 

The Why's and How's of Getting Involved

There are many volunteer opportunities for OTAs to get involved at both the state and national level. Being an active participant in our profession gives immeasurable rewards and considerable potential for enriching our profession, community and personal growth. There are a variety of ways of getting involved. Active volunteering can be informal and formal. You may already be involved at some level.

Informal:

• Voting for officers of your local or state association
• Voting for officers for the National Association
• Informing your Representative or other appropriate officials of your professional concerns and needs
• Responding to requests for information (i.e. surveys) that will benefit the profession and its members
• Keeping informed of current professional issues and events.

Formal:

• Attending local and state OT association meetings
• Informing a Representative or other appropriate official of your desire and willingness to volunteer
• Responding to a "Call for Volunteers"
• Serving on committees and helping at conferences
• Submitting a proposal to make a presentation
• Running for local and state offices.
• Additional Ways to Get Involved
• Speaking to consumers and community groups about occupational therapy services
• Recruiting individuals into the field of occupational therapy
• Serving as a mentor to other OTA practitioners.

For more information on how to get involved, please contact the Practice Department at the AOTA national office 1- 800-SAY-AOTA x 2040 (members) or 301-652-6611 x 2040 (nonmembers) or by e-mail practice@aota.org.