AOTA-S4 — Standards of Conduct 4: Service Delivery
What does AOTA-S4 say?
Occupational therapy personnel strive to deliver quality services that are occupation based, service recipient centered, safe, interactive, culturally sensitive, evidence based, and consistent with occupational therapy's values and philosophies. Standards include: 4A. Respond to requests for occupational therapy services (e.g., referrals) in a timely manner as determined by law, regulation, or policy. 4B. Provide appropriate evaluation and a plan of intervention for recipients specific to their needs. 4C. Use evaluation, planning, intervention techniques, assessments, and therapeutic equipment that are evidence based, current, and within the recognized scope of occupational therapy practice. 4D. Obtain informed consent (written, verbal, electronic, or implied) after disclosing appropriate information and answering any questions posed. 4G. Respect the service recipient's right to refuse occupational therapy services temporarily or permanently, even when that refusal has potential to result in poor outcomes. 4H. Provide services, including education and training, that are within each practitioner's level of competence and scope of practice. 4I. Reevaluate and reassess recipients of service in a timely manner to determine whether goals are being achieved and whether intervention plans should be revised. 4J. Terminate occupational therapy services in collaboration with the service recipient when services are no longer beneficial. 4K. Refer to other providers when indicated by the needs of the service recipient. 4L. Provide information and resources to address barriers to access. 4M. Report systems and policies that are discriminatory or unfairly limit or prevent access to occupational therapy. 4N. Provide professional services within the scope of occupational therapy practice during community-wide public health emergencies as directed by federal, state, and local agencies.
Official source: read the full text in the AOTA Occupational Therapy Code of Ethics (2025) (official document).