OT Practice Article
advocacy issues
Schools & early intervention
Primary education and early intervention services are largely controlled by state and local governments. However the federal government has some influence over these programs through federal laws such as the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act (IDEA) and the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), which was most recently amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). The AOTA policy team works at both the state and federal levels to protect and promote the role of occupational therapy in both of those settings.
Why early intervention matters
AOTA works at the federal and state levels to make sure policies support occupational therapy practitioners using the full scope of their knowledge and skills within school and early intervention settings, in order to support student achievement. We work to make sure children have access to occupational therapy services and that occupational therapy practitioners are a valued part of early intervention and school-based teams.
Webinars and Continuing Education
Browse these webinars to learn more about advocacy efforts surrounding OT in schools and early intervention
Promoting the profession
AOTA has partnered with various organizations as part of our ongoing efforts to promote the unique roll of occupational therapy in schools. Read more about these efforts and watch the corresponding webinars.
schools & early intervention
Related resources
