Ethics Commission

The Ethics Commission (EC) is responsible for developing the Occupational Therapy Code of Ethics and Ethics Standards for the profession, which apply to occupational therapy personnel at all levels and in all professional and societal roles. The EC has two primary responsibilities: the provision of educational resources for American Occupational Therapy (AOTA) members and consumers, and enforcement of the Code.

Two women and three men in professional clothes sitting around a table having a business meeting with open laptops and notebooks

Development & enforcement of the Code of Ethics

The primary role of the EC is to promote and maintain professional conduct in all occupational therapy roles and support the delivery of high-quality services and contributions to society's health and well-being. The EC handles the following tasks as a part of the Commission's responsibilities.

Providing education & resources

The development of a variety of ethics educational resources is a major focus of the EC.

Develops and revises the AOTA Occupational Therapy Code of Ethics (Code) and submits revisions to the Assembly for approval.
Provides a process whereby existing and proposed Association documents can be reviewed and monitored from an ethical perspective for consistency with the Code.
Informs and educates Association members and consumers regarding the Code.
Serves as a resource for any Association body requiring interpretation of the Code.
Issues advisory opinions on the interpretation and application of the Code as well as ethical trends.
Provides members and Association bodies with descriptions of the roles of regulatory or associated agencies or bodies (e.g., NBCOT, State Regulatory Boards) that oversee the delivery of occupational therapy services and educational programs.
Provides ethics workshops at AOTA conferences and events, and provides continuing education products on ethics in response to member needs, inquiries, and ethical trends.