“Client Related Activities” - Includes:

• Contributing to the evaluation of a client by gathering data, reporting observations and implementing assessments delegated by the supervising occupational therapist or licensed physician;
• Consulting with the supervising occupational therapist or licensed physician in order to assist him or her in making determinations related to the treatment plan, modification of client programs or termination of a client's treatment;
• The utilization of a program of purposeful activities, a treatment program, and/or consultation with the client, family, caregiver, or other health care or education providers, in keeping with the treatment plan and under the direction of the supervising occupational therapist or licensed physician;
• The use of treatment modalities and techniques that are based on approaches taught in an occupational therapy assistant educational program registered by the department or accredited by a national accreditation agency which is satisfactory to the department, and that the occupational therapy assistant has demonstrated to the occupational therapist or licensed physician that he or she is competent to use; or
• The immediate suspension of any treatment intervention that appears harmful to the client and immediate notification of the occupational therapist or licensed physician.

“Functional Evaluation” - Screening, observing, consulting, administering and/or interpreting standardized and non-standardized assessment tools, and simulating and analyzing activities or environments for the purpose of:

• Assessing levels of functional abilities and deficits resulting from developmental deficit, injury, disease or any limiting condition; and/or
• Identifying areas of function and dysfunction in daily life tasks; and/or
• Determining the need for and the types of initial and/or subsequent occupational therapy.

“Purposeful Activity” - Goal-directed behavior aimed at the development of functional daily living skills in the categories of self-care, work, homemaking or play/leisure.

“Occupational Therapy Assistant” - A person licensed or otherwise authorized in accordance with this Part who provides occupational therapy services under the direction and supervision of an occupational therapist or licensed physician and performs client related activities assigned by the supervising occupational therapist or licensed physician. Only a person licensed or otherwise authorized under this Part shall participate in the practice of occupational therapy as an occupational therapy assistant, and only a person licensed or otherwise authorized under this Part shall use the title occupational therapy assistant.

“The Practice of Occupational Therapy” - The functional evaluation of the client, the planning and utilization of a program of purposeful activities, the development and utilization of a treatment program, and/or consultation with the client, family, caregiver or organization in order to restore, develop or maintain adaptive skills, and/or performance abilities designed to achieve maximal physical, cognitive and mental functioning of the client associated with his or her activities of daily living and daily life tasks. A treatment program designed to restore function, shall be rendered on the prescription or referral of a physician, nurse practitioner or other health care provider acting within his or her scope of practice.

Reference

N.Y. Edu. Law §7901

N.Y. Comp. Codes R. §76.5

N.Y. Comp. Codes R. §76.6