AOTA Approved Provider Program: Criteria & guidelines

To become an AOTA Approved Provider applicants must submit a Recognition as an AOTA Approved Provider Application. The application process is designed to verify that the applicant (organization or sole proprietor) has demonstrated the ability to comply with required systems, policies, procedures, and educational practices appropriate for occupational therapy practitioners in a manner that meets AOTA Approved Provider Program Criteria and Guidelines.

If approved, recognition is granted for a period of 7 years. At that time, the provider may submit a 7-year Renewal of Recognition Application to remain a Provider.

There is no additional charge for the 7-year Renewal of Recognition Application; however, to remain in good standing the Provider will pay the standard annual fee.

After an applicant's Recognition as an AOTA Approved Provider or 7-year Renewal of Recognition Application is approved, AOTA Approved Providers are required to submit individual PD activities for approval. Provider are also required to submit yearly reports (i.e., Annual Reports) to demonstrate ongoing compliance.

A. Annual report or renewal timeline:

• All AOTA Approved Providers must submit an annual report at the end of each Annual Reporting Term to maintain compliance within their 7-year Recognition Term.

Legacy Providers (approved prior to January 1, 2020) have an Annual Reporting Term that runs from October 1 to September 30 each year. The annual report is due by September 30.

All Other Providers (approved on or after [insert cutoff date]) have an Annual Reporting Term based on their approval anniversary date, and the annual report is due by the last day of the anniversary month each year.

Providers are granted a 30-day grace period following the report due date. Reports submitted after the grace period will be considered non-compliant and may affect the provider’s standing in the program.

• Annual reports and/or renewals will be reviewed in the order they are received and returned to the Provider within 45 business days. If additional information is needed, clarifications will be requested. Clarifications must be submitted back to the APP within 30 business days.

B. Non-compliance

APP Compliance Policy and Procedure page coming soon.

The PD activity approval process is designed to verify that PD activities are relevant to the profession of occupational therapy, fall within the scope of practice of occupational therapy, are consistent with AOTA official documents, reflect best practices, are occupation-centered, evidence-informed, and meet all APP Criteria and Guidelines.

All PD activities that award AOTA CEUs must be approved prior to the delivery of the activity. Organizations may not award CEUs retroactively.

All PD activities must be submitted at least 20 business days in advance of the starting date of the PD activity.

Recognition and approval of the PD activity is granted for a period of 5 years.

AOTA Approved Provider Program Applicant Agreement

This AOTA Approved Provider Program Applicant Agreement (the “Agreement”), effective as of this day of ____________ 202_ (the “Effective Date”), is entered into by and between the American Occupational Therapy Association, a District of Columbia Not-For-Profit corporation (“AOTA”) and the [NAME of ORGANIZATION OR INDIVIDUAL] (“Applicant” “Provider” “you” or “your”).

Whereas, AOTA seeks to promote high quality and relevant professional development (“PD”) activities for occupational therapy practitioners that support best practice services to consumers through the AOTA Approved Provider Program (“APP”); and

Whereas, Provider desires to participate in AOTA’s Approved Provider Program and AOTA has agreed to review Provider’s Application for Recognition as an Approved Provider (the “Application”);

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the above, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties agree as follows:

1. AOTA Approved Provider Program. To become an AOTA Approved Provider, applicants must apply by submitting an Application for Recognition as an AOTA Approved Provider and this Agreement. Your Application for Recognition as an AOTA Approved Provider is made a part of this Agreement and is incorporated by reference. You agree that you are in compliance, and shall maintain compliance, with the required systems, policies, procedures, educational practices and ethical behavior appropriate for occupational therapy practitioners in a manner that meets AOTA Approved Provider Program Criteria and Guidelines.

If approved, recognition is granted for a period of seven (7) years. There is no additional charge for the 7 Year Renewal Application (“Renewal”) and Agreement; however, to remain in good standing the Provider will pay the standard annual fee.

If your Application or Renewal is approved, you are required to submit individual Professional Development (PD) activities for approval. You are also required to submit yearly reports (i.e., Annual Reports) to demonstrate ongoing compliance.

The PD activity approval and re-approval process is designed to verify that PD activities are relevant to the profession of occupational therapy, fall within the scope of practice of occupational therapy, are consistent with AOTA official documents, reflect best practices, are occupation-centered, evidence-informed, and meet all APP Criteria and Guidelines.

All PD activities that award AOTA CEUs must be approved prior to the delivery of the activity. You may not award CEUs retroactively. All PD activities must be submitted at least 20 business days in advance of the starting date of the PD activity. Recognition and approval of the PD activity is granted for a period of 5 years.

2. Applicant and Provider Responsibilities.

As an Applicant, and if recognized as an AOTA Approved Provider, you agree to:

1. Provide accurate and truthful information to AOTA in all transactions to the best of your knowledge including, but not limited to, in the completion of the Application, all required Annual Reports and Renewals and this Agreement.
2. Abide by all APP Criteria and Guidelines currently in place or in the future.
3. Designate one or more persons who are the continuing education (CE) Administrator, OT Consultant and Secondary Contact in your organization and provide their name(s), address(es), telephone number(s), and email address(es) to AOTA.
4. Maintain sufficient financial resources to be able to provide quality professional development and otherwise comply with the terms of this Agreement and related current or future AOTA policies and requirements.
5. Properly account for all funds collected from participants for services and refund any and all such funds collected from participants for cancelled or postponed courses or programs within 30 days of the cancellation date.
6. Conduct all professional development activities in a professional and ethical manner that affirms the dignity, diversity, and rights of all individuals, particularly those from marginalized or historically underserved populations. Ensure that all staff and instructors demonstrate high standards of professional conduct and refrain from unethical or illegal behavior, including but not limited to: discrimination; ableism; deceptive advertising or claims; misrepresentation; or defamatory, disparaging, or stereotypical remarks about consumers or learners. All content and communications should reflect evidence-informed, inclusive, and person-centered approaches that uphold the core values of occupational therapy.
7. Provide full and accurate disclosure of information about your programs, services, and fees at all times in your promotion and advertising material and comply fully with all representations and terms set forth in such materials.
8. All individuals associated with the Approved Provider Program (APP), including but not limited to occupational therapy consultants and continuing education (CE) administrators, must adhere to the highest standards of professional and ethical conduct.
9. Occupational therapy consultants must comply with all applicable ethical codes required by AOTA, including but not limited to the AOTA Occupational Therapy Code of Ethics.
10. CE administrators and individuals from other disciplines must adhere to the ethical standards and codes of conduct applicable to their own profession.
11. Documented unethical behavior by any individual associated with the APP may result in corrective action, up to and including revocation of Approved Provider status, at AOTA’s sole discretion.
12. You agree to uphold the highest standards of civility and professionalism. Any violation of these standards — including, but not limited to, disrespectful communication, antagonistic behavior, or the use of inflammatory language — will result in immediate disqualification from the program. AOTA maintains a zero-tolerance policy for conduct that undermines professional decorum or creates a hostile or unsafe environment for others.
13. Payment of fees. You agree to pay all associated non-refundable application fees and, if granted Approved Provider status, the Annual Fees charged by AOTA that are applicable to you.

3. Intellectual Property. If you are recognized as an Approved Provider, you agree to use the authorized AOTA Approved Provider logo, name, and Provider approval statement (the “Marks”) as directed by AOTA, and in marketing or promotional materials without any modifications only for those activities to which you assign AOTA CEUs.

In the event AOTA approves your Application, AOTA hereby grants to you a non-exclusive, revocable, non-transferable, non-sublicensable license to use, reproduce and publish the Marks to publicize your status as an AOTA Approved Provider. If approved, you agree to communicate this Approved Provider status only by using the exact terms, words, or phrases related to the Mark(s) and approved by AOTA. You acknowledge and agree that the Marks, terms, words, or phrases approved by AOTA may only be used in advertising and marketing materials for PD activities after Step 2 approval and awarded AOTA CEUs by you. You shall immediately cease use of all AOTA Marks and other intellectual property upon the termination of this Agreement or upon notice from AOTA in its sole discretion.

You shall not use or publicize the Marks in any other way in any advertising and/or marketing activity. You shall not engage in any practice that could suggest or imply AOTA Approved Provider status of other professional development activities or products. You agree that nothing in this Agreement shall give you any right, title, or interest in the Marks other than the right to use the Marks in accordance with this Agreement.

Neither this Agreement nor any interest in this Agreement, including the Marks, may be assigned or transferred to a third party.

4. Marketing. You may use the following terms (or terms of similar intent) in marketing:

• AOTA approved CE
• AOTA approved continuing education
• CE approved by AOTA
• AOTA CEUs (this should be used to designate credit awarded rather than as search term)
• AOTA Approved Provider CE
• AOTA Approved Provider of continuing education

You may not use the following terms (or terms of similar intent) in marketing:

• AOTA CE
• AOTA continuing education

You agree to refrain from maligning the title of AOTA, the Marks, or the validity of this Agreement.

Unless approved as an AOTA Approved Sponsor, you agree to refrain from using AOTA Approved Provider status to assign AOTA CEUs to co-sponsored activities. The APP defines co-sponsorship as a joint effort between an approved provider and a non-provider. The APP considers co-sponsorship as one or more entities working together to present a PD activity that will offer AOTA CEUs in any of the following ways:

• planning
• organization
• development
• distribution
• branding
• implementation

5. Compliance. You agree to report to AOTA at app@aota.org within 30 days any change that may materially impact your organization’s ability to deliver services on which this Application is based, including, but not limited to, the change of the designated CE Administrator, or OT consultant.

On notification of a review by AOTA, you shall permit AOTA-designated representatives to monitor and audit any offering of a PD activity for purposes of evaluating your organization’s compliance with the AOTA APP Criteria and Guidelines, and to waive registration fees for such representatives.

You agree to furnish the requested information, work cooperatively with the AOTA staff or volunteers, and pay associated non-refundable fees on a timely basis. On notification by AOTA, you shall abide by any revision of the approval criteria or inform AOTA of intentions to withdraw as an Approved Provider.

6. Term and Termination. The Term of this Agreement begins on the date it is signed by you, ‘Effective Date’, and continues for seven (7) years. This Agreement shall terminate upon the following: 1) AOTA’s rejection of your Application associated with this Agreement, 2) upon expiration of the Agreement at the end of the Approved Provider Program term that is not renewed, or 3) upon termination of this Agreement by AOTA in its sole discretion.

If you wish to voluntarily withdraw from the AOTA Approved Provider Program, you agree to provide AOTA with written notice of your intent to withdraw at least thirty (30) days prior to the start of your next annual term. If you do not provide timely notice, you agree that you may be responsible for the full annual fee. If you withdraw after the start of your term, you agree that annual fees may be prorated at AOTA’s sole discretion based on the period of time during which your organization was marketed as an AOTA Approved Provider during that term year.

AOTA reserves the right to reject your Application or to terminate this Agreement and your recognition as an Approved Program Provider, in its sole discretion, if you have not fully met or maintained the Criteria and Guidelines of its Approved Provider Program, or if AOTA otherwise believes, in the exercise of its sole discretion, you will not offer or have not maintained high quality, ethically sound and topic appropriate professional development programming for occupational therapy practitioners that meets AOTA Approved Provider Criteria and Guidelines.

7. Rejection of Application, Renewal, or Annual Report. You will be denied recognition as an AOTA Approved Provider and your Application will be rejected if there is not sufficient evidence in the Application to demonstrate compliance with the Criteria and Guidelines. The reasons for denial of recognition will be specified in writing to you. You may ONLY submit a clarification for the Application for Recognition as an AOTA Approved Provider on ONE occasion.

If you request a third review of the Application for Recognition as an AOTA Approved Provider, then you will be charged a third review fee. You may request the additional review by checking the box below upon third submission of the application.

If your Annual Report or Renewal is rejected, not approved, or Approved Provider status is revoked and Agreement terminated, AOTA will provide the reasons for the rejection, non-approval, or termination. Any AOTA decision to reject Your Application, Renewal, or Annual Report is not appealable; however, you may re-apply after a period of at least 180 calendar days has transpired from the rejection date.

8. Waiver, Release, Indemnification and Covenant Not to Sue. You hereby knowingly and voluntarily release and forever discharge AOTA and its directors, officers, employees, volunteers and agents (together, the “Releasees”) from any and all causes of action, damages, costs, attorney’s fees, claims, liabilities, and any other demands arising from or related to the process, whether in law or equity, including without limitation claims for breach of contract, detrimental reliance, promissory estoppel, due process, discrimination on any basis, retaliation, negligence, infliction of emotional distress, interference with contract, or prospective economic advantage, invasion of privacy, personal injury, and/or any other cause of action in tort, contract, or any other theory (collectively, the “Claims”) which you have, now or in the future. You expressly waive the benefits of any statutory provision or common law rule that provides that a release and waiver of liability does not extend to causes of action of which You are unaware.

You knowingly, intentionally, and voluntarily covenant and agree you will not now or in the future bring any action in law or equity in any court, forum, or arbitration proceeding (whether by original process, counterclaim, cross-claim, third-party process, impleader, claim for indemnity or contribution, or otherwise) against any Releasees with respect to any Claims.

You further agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless the Releasees from and against any and all losses, costs, claims, demands, causes of action, damage, and/or liability (including, but not limited to, court costs and attorneys’ fees) as to any claim and/or litigation brought by you with respect to the Claims or (a) any violation of this Agreement or AOTA Criteria and Guidelines by you; (b) any intentionally inaccurate or untruthful information provided by you to AOTA; or (c) the event of your Application’s rejection or your termination as an AOTA Approved Provider.

You hereby represent and warrant to AOTA that you have the full right, power, and authority to enter this release and covenant not to sue, to grant the release contained herein, and to perform its obligations hereunder.

9. Jurisdiction and Venue. This Agreement and all rights of the parties arising in connection with this Agreement are governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the District of Columbia, regardless of the laws that might otherwise govern under applicable principles of conflicts of interest thereof. Each party agrees that any legal action to enforce or defend with respect to this Agreement must be brought only in the courts of the District of Columbia.

10. Notice. All notices required under this Agreement shall be considered given when deposited in the U.S. mail, registered or certified, return receipt requested, or sent via overnight delivery service, addressed to the respective parties on this agreement. Notice also shall be required to be given by electronic mail on the same date or before deposited in the mail or sent via overnight delivery. Notice given by mail or overnight delivery service alone shall not be sufficient. Notice shall be deemed effective one day after mailing, or in the case of overnight delivery, one day after deposit with the overnight delivery service.

AOTA Approved Provider Program

7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510E
Bethesda, MD 20814-6519

P: 301-652-6611

E: app@aota.org

11. Severability. Whenever possible, each provision of this Agreement shall be interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provision of this Agreement is held to be prohibited by or invalid under applicable law, such provision shall be ineffective only to the extent of such prohibition or invalidity, without invalidating the remainder of this Agreement.

12. Other Provisions. This Agreement represents the entire agreement of the parties and supersedes any other understanding of the parties concerning the subject matter herein. There are no other representations, covenants, arrangements, or understandings, either written or oral, between the parties relating to the subject matter which are not fully expressed herein or have been relied upon in entering into this Agreement. The waiver of a breach of any of the terms hereof or of any default hereunder, shall not be deemed a waiver of any subsequent breach or default, whether of the same or similar nature, and shall not in any way affect the other terms hereof. No waiver or modification shall be valid or binding unless in writing and signed by the waiving party. You and AOTA agree that all rights and obligations provided in this Agreement which do not expressly terminate pursuant to this Agreement, including but not limited to Waiver, Release, Indemnification and Covenant Not to Sue, shall survive beyond the Term of this Agreement and shall continue in full force and effect in perpetuity.

Criteria

The provider must have an identifiable, mission-driven professional development entity with assigned responsibility and resources for delivering professional development (PD) activities.

Guidelines

• Providers who are eligible to award the AOTA continuing education units (CEUs) will have a well-defined organizational structure in which the authority and responsibility for administering PD activities is assigned to a particular entity or group that can ensure that each of the AOTA CEU criteria are met. Individuals who are sole proprietors are also considered an entity.
• Large providers whose professional development is conducted by various parts of the organization may apply for AOTA Approved Provider status as a whole if all PD activities fall under the auspices of a single entity or group. The specific divisions, departments, colleges, or units that are responsible for various PD activities may choose to submit individual applications for approval.
• The provider’s professional development group or entity is clearly identified within the organizational structure. The activities of the group/entity must support the organization’s mission. This support must be evidenced by the group/entity’s own mission statement or similar document that defines the group/entity’s responsibilities. The provider’s mission or description must reflect a desire for excellence in providing professional development.
• Only the approved provider may award or assign AOTA CEUs to a PD activity, and cannot assigned AOTA CEUs for co-sponsored PD activities.

Co-sponsorship

AOTA Approved Provider status indicates that the provider has demonstrated compliance with the criteria. AOTA does not allow Approved Providers to use their Approved Provider Program (APP) status to offer AOTA CEUs for PD developed and offered by other non-approved organizations. The APP defines co-sponsorship as a joint effort between an approved provider and a non-provider.

The APP considers co-sponsorship as one or more entities working together to present a PD activity that will offer AOTA CEUs in any of the following ways:

• planning
• organization
• development
• distribution
• branding
• implementation

Entities serving only as financial sponsors of a PD activity are not considered co-sponsors under this definition.

Criteria

The provider demonstrates program oversight and implementation of procedures to ensure that the AOTA Approved Provider Program Criteria and Guidelines are met.

Guidelines

• Documentation should demonstrate that the professional development (PD) entity has authority and responsibility to establish and implement review procedures that ensure PD activities meet current AOTA Approved Provider Program (APP) Criteria and Guidelines.
• The provider must identify one person from the organization as the AOTA continuing education (CE) Administrator responsible for ensuring that all AOTA APP Criteria and Guidelines are followed. The person that the provider designates must be qualified by experience and training to ensure that all requirements and procedures are followed, to include making complete course information available to learners (including employees or other closed audiences) prior to registration.
• If the AOTA CE Administrator is not an OT practitioner, the provider must identify an OT practitioner to serve as a consultant to the provider at all levels of program development, planning, and implementation for each activity that awards AOTA continuing education units (CEUs). The OT Consultant and the provider must sign and date the OT Consultant Agreement and submit to the AOTA APP.
• The OT Consultant must have a role in determining if a PD activity is relevant to occupational therapy, evidence-based, and occupation-centered. If a PD activity does not meet these criteria establishing relevance to OT, the activity must not award AOTA CEUs.

Criteria

The provider has a system in place for awarding AOTA continuing education units (CEUs) that includes how the provider identifies learners who meet requirements for satisfactory completion of a learning activity.

Guidelines

• The provider has a process for calculating the AOTA CEUs, which includes the provision that the provider will not retroactively grant AOTA CEUs.
• One (1) AOTA CEU is the equivalent of ten (10) contact (clock) hours, excluding meals, breaks, or other non-educational time. In order to apply AOTA CEUs to a professional development (PD) activity, it must be at minimum 1 hour in length. The smallest increment that can be assigned to a course is .025 AOTA CEUs or .25 hours (15 minutes).
• To calculate CEUs:
  • Take the total length of the activity as measured in minutes; do not count non-educational time such as meals or breaks
  • Divide this number by 60; now you have your contact hours
  • Divide your contact hours by 10; now you have your CEUs
• When PD activities are time controlled by the provider (e.g., Live PD activities and Distance Learning—Interactive activities) an exact run time can be used, and 5 minutes can be added per 10 test questions (or actual averaged time for completing test questions could be used). For Distant Learning—Independent PD activities, the Provider must use a valid formula such as the Mergener Formula. If the provider awards units other than AOTA CEUs to comply with state laws and regulations, the provider must include a conversion formula or explanation so that the equivalent AOTA CEUs can be determined.
• When partial credit is awarded to learners who do not complete an entire activity, the provider has a system to track, calculate, and award variable credit.
• Providers must inform learners a) of completion requirements prior to registration for the learning activity, and b) that only learners who meet satisfactory completion requirements will earn AOTA CEUs.
• When attendance is part of the satisfactory completion requirements, attendance should be established and documented through sign-in/out sheets or other methods for tracking attendance.
• Certificates or letters of completion accurately reflect course and learner information, including the provider name, address, and/or website; course title, date, and location; learner name, speaker name (if one or two speakers); credits awarded (use both AOTA CEUs and contact hours); name, title, and signature of Provider APP CE administrator; and indication of AOTA PD activity approval.
• The provider must include the APP logo or imprimatur and APP statement on approved PD activity publications (APP Guidelines and Criteria | Section 10), and on the PD activity's certification of completion (unless otherwise granted an exception by the APP).
  • The APP statement for PD activities that do not lead to certification: [Name of organization] is an AOTA Approved Provider of professional development. PD activity approval ID# [number]. This [delivery format(s)] activity is offered at [number] CEUs, [educational level, category/categories]. The assignment of AOTA CEUs does not imply endorsement of specific course content, products, or clinical procedures by AOTA.
  • The APP statement for PD Activities that lead to a type of certification or recognition: [Name of organization] is an AOTA Approved Provider of professional development. PD activity approval ID# [number]. This [delivery format(s)] activity is offered at [number] CEUs, [educational level, category/categories]. The assignment of AOTA CEUs does not imply endorsement of specific course content, products, or clinical procedures by AOTA or indicate AOTA approval of a certification or other professional recognition.

Criteria

The provider maintains a complete, permanent (at least 7 years) record of each learner’s participation and can provide a copy of that record on request.

Guidelines

• The provider is responsible for maintaining permanent records of all AOTA continuing education units (CEUs) earned and must have a written policy on retaining and releasing such records that ensures the privacy and security of its learners’ records. The provider is expected to maintain a permanent record for each learner who successfully completes an activity and to record the number of AOTA CEUs earned. Cumulative records of all AOTA CEUs earned are to be available for a minimum of 7 years and are to be used as an official permanent record on request by the learner.
• Policies must include verification of learner identity when replacement records are requested and how to ensure that the learner has agreed to the release of any information.
• The permanent record may be maintained by the provider or a contracted service; however, the provider bears primary responsibility for maintenance and availability of permanent records.
• A permanent record is an official cumulative record or file issued by the Approved Provider that documents an individual’s participation in the Approved Provider’s continuing education activities. This individual record should include:
  • Provider name and address
  • Learner name and contact information (address, email, or phone)
  • Activity title
  • Type of activity (e.g., workshop, online course, self-study)
  • Start and completion date(s) of the activity
  • Number of AOTA CEUs awarded
  • Instructor(s) name(s) and credentials
  • Assessment scores, if applicable.
• The provider must maintain a record of all complaints (resolved and unresolved) filed against the provider.

Criteria

In advance of the activity, the provider and instructor disclose financial and non-financial interest in any product, instrument, device, service, or material discussed during the activity and the source of any compensation related to the presentation (if indicated).

Guidelines

• Individuals who participate in a professional development (PD) activity have the right to know of any financial and non-financial interest the provider or an instructor may have in a product or service mentioned during an activity. Financial and non-financial interests must be made available to the learners prior to the activity and must be conveyed through promotional materials. The disclosure may also be made via written handout, or an announcement prior to the commencement of the training.
  • Examples of situations requiring financial disclosure might include service as a paid or non-paid consultant or employee; receiving support from commercial sources for honoraria, travel, and lodging; receipt of financial support from commercial sources for research projects; major financial interests or stock holdings; and/or membership in a commercial speakers bureau.
  • Examples of situations requiring non-financial disclosure include personal or professional relationships that might present a bias.
• All providers must have a written policy on disclosure. If a disclosure policy is not currently in place, one must be developed. Speakers must be made aware of the policy.
• AOTA continuing education units (CEUs) should only be awarded for relevant PD activities offered to occupational therapy practitioners that primarily focus on evidence-informed and occupation-centered practice and not product or service promotion. Additionally, the provider must appropriately manage exhibits and advertising associated with PD activities.

Criteria

The provider has ownership or permission to use all materials used in conjunction with professional development (PD) activities offered by the provider. The provider follows guidelines established by the Copyright Clearance Center.

Guidelines

AOTA respects the ownership of materials by those who have developed them. The provider must be able to demonstrate ownership of all materials used in conjunction with an activity or provide documentation of permission to use copyrighted works.

The provider must also provide release of information forms/documentation when using materials that depict patients or clients and others not employed by the provider in any type of visual medium.

Criteria

The provider plans program development and learning activities in response to identified needs relevant to the practice of occupational therapy. The provider defines the potential learners/target audience, educational level, and any prerequisites for each professional development (PD) activity.

Guidelines

• The process of needs assessment should identify who the potential learner should be. Not every PD activity requires a separate needs assessment; however, the rationale and planning for each activity should be the result of needs previously identified and documented by some assessment method(s). Needs assessments should be documented, reviewed, and updated.
• Examples of methods for needs assessment include focus groups, questionnaires and surveys, learners’ comments and suggestions, records and reports, tests or self-assessments, literature review, demographic data, print media, observation, and work samples. In work settings, needs assessment may be done in a variety of ways: at staff meetings and recorded in minutes, by utilization review committees, by discipline (such as occupational therapy), or by program (such as stroke or spinal cord injury program). The focus for this application is on identifying education needs for occupational therapy.
• An educational level must be chosen for each PD activity, and learning outcomes must be congruent with the educational level chosen.
• Educational levels are categorized as one of the following:
  • Introductory—Information is geared to practitioners with little or no knowledge of the subject matter. Focus is on providing general introductory information.
  • Intermediate—Information is geared to practitioners with a general working knowledge of current practice trends and literature related to the subject matter. Focus is on increasing understanding and competent application of the subject matter.
  • Advanced—Information is geared to practitioners with a comprehensive understanding of the subject matter based on current theories and standards of practice as well as current literature and research. Focus is on recent advances and trends, and/or research applications.

Note: The following resources may be helpful:

Watkins, R., West, M. M., & Visser, Y. L. (2012). A guide to assessing needs: Essential tools for collecting information, making decisions, and achieving development results. World Bank. License: CC BY 3.0 IGO. https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/2231

McCawley, P. (2009). Methods for conducting an educational needs assessment. http://www.cals.uidaho.edu/edcomm/pdf/BUL/BUL0870.pdf

Sleezer, C, Russ-Eff, D., & Gupta, K. (2014). A practical guide to needs assessment (3rd ed.). John Wiley & Sons.

Criteria

Qualified personnel are involved in planning and conducting each learning activity.

Guidelines

Decisions about activity planning, development, and implementation are made by individuals who:

1. 1. Are competent in the subject matter.
   2. Understand the activity purpose and learning outcomes.
   3. Have knowledge and skill in the instructional methods and learning processes being used.
   4. Have knowledge and skill in the delivery format being used.

• Qualifications and credentials of personnel involved in planning, developing, and implementing professional development (PD) must be evident in documentation maintained by the provider, such as résumé, job descriptions, licenses, and certifications.
• Program planning and instructional personnel must demonstrate high standards of professional conduct and refrain from unethical or illegal behavior such as discrimination, deceptive advertising or claims, fraud, or misrepresentation; and defamatory or disparaging remarks about consumers or learners.
• It is a joint responsibility of the provider (e.g., continuing education [CE] Administrator, OT Consultant), the planner(s), and the instructor(s) to ensure that established content for each PD activity is relevant and meaningful to occupational therapy and that the learning experience results in achieving the learning outcomes. The CE administrator has oversight responsibilities for each activity and confers with the OT Consultant to ensure that PD activities are relevant to occupational therapy and meet the needs of occupational therapy learners.

Criteria

Learning facilities, resource or reference materials, and instructional aids and equipment are consistent with the purpose, design, and intended learning outcomes of the professional development (PD) activity. The learning environment will accommodate teaching strategies for, and the environmental comfort of, the learner in a supportive and non-threatening atmosphere, as well as the accessibility needs of learners with disabilities.

Guidelines

• The provider ensures an instructional environment that enhances the learning process. Resource or reference materials and instructional aids and equipment are current, appropriate for the PD activity, and support the intended learning outcomes. The provider creates a fully accessible educational environment from which all learners can benefit and provides an opportunity for learners to identify special needs in advance of the activity.
• A PD activity that is fully accessible addresses the needs not only of people with physical impairments, but also of those with sensory impairments (e.g., hearing, speech, vision), and emotional and learning disabilities. This includes accessible technology and compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act for distance learning.

Criteria

All publications must accurately reflect the professional development (PD) activities offered by the provider.

Guidelines

The provider ensures all publications (including web postings) accurately reflect the learning activity and include, at a minimum:

• Course Title, Date, and Location
• PD Provider Name and Contact Information
• Speakers/Authors
• Financial and non-financial disclosures
• Target Audience
• Educational Level (i.e., introductory, intermediate, or advanced)
• Prerequisites, if applicable
• Learning Outcomes*
• PD Activity Description
• Time Ordered Agenda or Outline
• Instructional Methods**
• Cancellation Policies (learner and provider)
• AOTA continuing education units (CEUs) and Contact Hours
• Registration Information, Including Special Needs Requests
• PD Activity Completion Requirements
• AOTA APP logo/imprimatur and statement

*overarching learning outcomes for conferences

**not required for conferences

• A PD activity that is fully accessible addresses the needs not only of people with physical impairments, but also of those with sensory impairments (i.e., hearing, speech, vision), and emotional and learning disabilities. This includes accessible technology and compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act for distance learning. Promotional materials/website information must indicate contact information for special needs requests.
• Providers must have policies on cancellation by the provider, cancellation by the learner, and complaint resolution. Learners must have access to contact information for activity cancellation prior to registration. If the PD activity is a conference, the providers’ publications should list learning outcomes for the entire conference.
• Providers must ensure that publications accurately advertise prices, fees, and/or discounts.

Criteria

Content is relevant to the profession of occupational therapy, falls within the scope of practice of occupational therapy, and is consistent with AOTA official documents such as the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework.

Guidelines

Professional Development (PD) activities may focus on one, and up to three, of the following categories:

1. Occupational Therapy Service Delivery: The process of service delivery is occupation-centered, and applied within the profession’s domain to support the client’s health and participation as delineated in the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework.

PD activities may focus on:

• Evaluation: Provides an understanding of the client’s occupational history and experiences and analysis of occupational performance.
• Intervention: The use of occupations and activities, preparatory methods and tasks, education and training, advocacy, and group interventions to facilitate engagement in occupations to promote health and participation.
• Outcomes: Determinants of success in reaching the desired end result of the occupational therapy process. Outcome assessment information is used to plan future actions with the client and to evaluate the service program.

Note: PD activities focused primarily on interventions to support occupations (formally preparatory methods and tasks) such as exercise, manual therapies, or complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) interventions must demonstrate an explicit connection to occupation-focused practice, which includes client ability to participate in desired activities of daily living in context. These activities’ learning outcomes and evidence must support the PD activity's occupation-focused content.

2. Professional Issues: Topics are acceptable for AOTA continuing education units (CEUs) when they pertain to the practice of occupational therapy.

PD activities may focus on:

• Administration & Management: Planning, organizing, controlling, and directing the activities of an organization to achieve desired outcomes in occupation-centered practice.
• Legal, Legislative, Regulatory & Reimbursement Issues: Coding and reimbursement, documentation, licensure, and scope issues related to occupational therapy practice.
• OT Education: Development, delivery, or administration of occupational therapy education and continuing professional development, including experiential components of occupational therapy education programs.
• OT Research: Clinical and academic activities that support scientific procedures and processes to gather data and generate knowledge that enhances the profession and clinical practice of occupational therapy.
• Supervision: Ensuring the safe and effective delivery of occupational therapy services and fostering professional competence and development.
• Contemporary Issues and Trends: Potential role of occupation in addressing societal issues.

3. Foundational Knowledge: Topics are acceptable for AOTA CEUs when they pertain to diagnoses or conditions encountered by OT practitioners and provide medical information, background, or context relevant to occupational therapy practice.

PD activities may focus on:

• Human Body, Development, and Behavior: Diagnoses & conditions, biological and physical sciences, neurosciences, kinesiology, biomechanics, human development, behavior, and social sciences needed for occupational therapy service delivery.
• Sociocultural, Socioeconomic, Diversity Factors, and Lifestyle Choices: The impact of sociocultural, socioeconomic, and diversity factors, as well as lifestyle choices in contemporary society to meet the occupational needs of persons, groups, and populations.
• Social Determinants of Health: Determinants of health for persons, groups, and populations with or at risk for disabilities and chronic health conditions.
• OT History, Philosophical Base, Theory, and Sociopolitical Climate: Occupational therapy history, philosophical base, theory, and sociopolitical climate and their importance in meeting society’s current and future occupational needs as well as how these factors influence and are influenced by practice.

Note: Each PD activity in the categories of Professional Issues, Foundational Knowledge, and interventions that support occupation (formally preparatory methods) must address specific relevance to OT practice or education using strategies such as, but not limited to:

• Address relevance to OT practice and/or education within the presentation.
• Incorporate discussion groups, case examples, homework, or similar structured activities that facilitate incorporation of knowledge and skills in OT practice.
• Discuss or demonstrate the distinct/specific contribution of occupational therapy.
• Integrate a reflective component to the course that facilitates learners’ ability to integrate material into their occupational therapy practice. This may be done within the PD activity and/or after by engaging learners in reflective practices related to utilizing the new knowledge and skills within their OT practice.

Resources

American Occupational Therapy Association. (2020). Occupational therapy practice framework: Domain and process (4th ed.). American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 74(Suppl.2), S1–S87. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2020.74S2001

American Occupational Therapy Association. (2017). The philosophical base of occupational therapy. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 71(Suppl. 2), 7112410045. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2017.716S06

Fisher, A.G. (2013). Occupation-centered, occupation-based, occupation-focused: same, same or different? Scandinavian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 20(3), 162–173. https://doi.org/10.3109/11038128.2012.754492.

Criteria

Content included in professional development (PD) activities is evidence-informed and reflects best practice. All PD activities must be supported by the most current literature.

Guidelines

• PD activities must be supported by the most current literature and resources, and highest level of supporting evidence available.
• PD activities must reflect evidence-informed practice. Evidence-informed practice is based on integrating critically appraised research results (e.g., practice guidelines, CATs, systematic reviews) with the practitioner’s clinical expertise, and the client’s preferences, beliefs, and values.
• In order to award AOTA continuing education units (CEUs), PD activities must reflect best available evidence. Interventions refuted by a professional association and/or regulatory agency in white papers or official documents cannot award AOTA CEUs.
• Evidence must support occupation-based practice.

To promote evidence-informed practice, AOTA has developed a number of resources to help members find and utilize clinically relevant literature to respond to both their clients’ needs and external demands for information from the scientific literature.

AOTA Resources

Evidence-Based Practice Knowledge & Research

• American Journal of Occupational Therapy
• Choosing Wisely

Resources

Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine. The Oxford 2011 levels of evidence. https://www.cebm.ox.ac.uk/resources/levels-of-evidence/ocebm-levels-of-evidence

Law, M., Pollack, N., & Stewart, D. (2004). Evidence-based occupational therapy: Concepts and strategies. New Zealand Journal of Occupational Therapy, 51(1), 14–22.

Thomas, A., & Law, M. (2013). Research utilization and evidence-based practice in occupational therapy: A scoping study. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 67, e55–e65. http://dx.doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2013.006395

Criteria

The provider has clear, specific, written statements of intended learning outcomes for each professional development (PD) activity that are based on identified needs.

Guidelines

• Learning outcomes provide the basis for providing periodic feedback, measuring progress, and conducting a final assessment of learning.
• Learning outcomes are congruent with the learning outcome assessment method.
• Learning outcomes are statements that specify what participants will know, be able to do, or be able to demonstrate when completing the learning outcome assessment (during or at the end of a PD activity).
• Learning outcomes specify an action by the student that must be observable, measurable, and demonstrable, and must be assessed beyond self-report and or self-reflection.
• Learning outcomes are realistic and appropriate in number for the planned activity. AOTA recommends assigning no more than 4 learning outcomes for an hour of educational time.
• Learning outcomes must reflect the educational level assigned to the PD activity.

Example: A PD activity at the advanced level should NOT have learning outcomes that solely begin with verbs such as identify, recognize, choose, or list. Instead, at the advanced level, learners should be designing, formulating, investigating and/or critiquing, etc.

For conferences and or multi-topic events/activities, overarching learning outcomes must be developed for the entire conference or event and for each session.

Note: There are a myriad of educational models to assist with writing learning outcomes. Bloom’s Taxonomy, or resources based on it, may prove helpful.

Criteria

The provider uses assessment procedures established during activity planning to determine whether learners attained the learning outcomes. The assessment procedure is congruent with the learning outcomes, consistent with the activity’s instructional and delivery format.

Guidelines

• Assessment of learning outcomes refers to the specific process through which learners demonstrate the attainment of learning outcomes. In every activity for which AOTA continuing education units (CEUs) are awarded, the provider must require learners to demonstrate that they have attained the learning outcomes.
• How learners will demonstrate their attainment of the outcomes should be an integral part of the activity planning and include determination of the assessment procedure, its timing, and its application.
• How the provider documents the learner's attainment of learning outcomes should be an integral part of the activity planning.
• In an activity in which individual practice competency is a goal, demonstration by each individual should be required. The assignment of individual scores would be appropriate. A pass/fail designation would also be appropriate. In an activity where individual proficiency is not a specific goal, group demonstrations (e.g., group activities, discussion) may be appropriate.
• While participant self-reflection of their competency (e.g., Likert scale) can be important, it should NOT be the only assessment procedure.
• Learners must be informed of how learning outcomes will be assessed prior to registering for a professional development (PD) activity.

Criteria

Instructional methods and delivery format(s) are congruent with the identified learning outcomes of each activity.

Guidelines

• Instructional methods (e.g., lecture, group discussion, lab, case study) should appeal to the diverse learning styles of each audience.
• The delivery format (e.g., Live, Distance Learning) should be appropriate for the given content and support the identified learning outcomes.

Delivery formats

Live: Course that takes place in a face-to-face format with both the instructor and learner in the same physical location.

Distance Learning—Interactive: Activity that occurs via the Internet, satellite broadcast, or telephone, in which an instructor is actively engaging the learner in a synchronous or asynchronous format.

Distance Learning—Independent: Activity that occurs via the Internet (e.g., recorded webinar), eLearning courses, or written text (e.g., article, self-study manual) where no faculty is actively engaging the learner during the course itself.

Blended/Hybrid: Activity that combines 2 of the 3 formats above (i.e., Live and DL—Interactive or DL—Independent; or DL—Interactive and DL—Independent).

Criteria

The provider conducts a post-evaluation for each professional development (PD) activity.

Guidelines

Post-evaluation of a PD activity is a measurement of the quality or worthiness of the activity as a whole. In planning for an activity, the provider ensures that an evaluation process is established to examine various aspects of the activity, including but not limited to:

• Assessment needs
• Instructional planning and execution
• Selection and preparation of instructors
• Program implementation
• The extent to which learning outcomes were addressed and achieved.

Post-evaluations should, at a minimum, include:

• Demographic data about the learner, including profession, so that needs can be identified by profession
• An opportunity for learners to evaluate how well they achieved each learning outcome
• An opportunity to evaluate the faculty
• An opportunity to evaluate the resources
• An opportunity to evaluate the learning environment
• Future programming needs
• Intended use of the knowledge and skills gained.

Using only learner-reaction surveys (e.g., self report) will not yield the data needed for an adequate evaluation of learning experiences. Any surveys utilized as part of the post-evaluation of a PD activity should be designed to capture specific information that will allow the provider to make continuous improvement in its offerings.

Criteria

A summary evaluation is a compilation of the data collected (e.g., aggregated) at the end of a learning activity to determine its effectiveness and worth. The provider has a process for compiling (e.g., aggregating) data from the PD activity's assessment of learning outcomes and the post-evaluation.

Guidelines

• Summary evaluations involve quantifying the value and quality of a learning activity. A list of only attendees’ comments and other self-reported data is not an adequate summary evaluation.
• Summary evaluations should include:
  • analysis of the learning outcome assessment data
  • analysis of post-evaluation data
  • suggested changes if needed