Mississippi Code 1972 (2023) › Title 73 - PROFESSIONS AND VOCATIONS (§§ 73-1-1 — 73-79-1) › Chapter 24 - Occupational Therapy Practice (§§ 73-24-1 — 73-24-51) › Article 1 - MISSISSIPPI OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY PRACTICE ACT (§§ 73-24-1 — 73-24-29) › Section 73-24-3 - Definitions

The following words and phrases shall have the following meanings, unless the context requires otherwise:
(a)
"Association" shall mean the Mississippi Occupational Therapy Association.
(b)
"Board" shall mean the Mississippi State Board of Health.
(c)
"Occupational therapy" means the therapeutic use of purposeful and meaningful (goal-directed) activities and/or exercises to evaluate and treat an individual who has, or is at risk for, a disease or disorder, impairment, activity limitation or participation restriction which interferes with his or her ability to function independently in daily life roles and to promote health and wellness across his or her lifespan.
(d)
"Occupational therapy intervention" includes:
(i)
Remediation or restoration of performance abilities that are limited due to impairment in biological, physiological, psychological or neurological processes;
(ii)
Adaptation of task, process or the environment, or the teaching of compensatory techniques in order to enhance functional performance;
(iii)
Disability prevention methods and techniques which facilitate the development or safe application of functional performance skills; or
(iv)
Health promotion strategies and practices which enhance functional performance abilities.
(e)
"Occupational therapy service" includes, but is not limited to:
(i)
Evaluating, developing, improving, sustaining or restoring skill in activities of daily living (ADLS), work or productive activities, including instrumental activities of daily living (IADLS), play and leisure activities;
(ii)
Evaluating, developing, remediating or restoring physical, sensorimotor, cognitive or psychosocial components of performance;
(iii)
Designing, fabricating, applying or training in the use of assistive technology or orthotic devices, and training in the use of prosthetic devices;
(iv)
Adaptation of environments and processes, including the application of ergonomic principles, to enhance functional performance and safety in daily life roles;
(v)
Application of physical agent modalities as an adjunct to or in preparation for engagement in an occupation or functional activity;
(vi)
Evaluating and providing intervention in collaboration with the client, family, caregiver or other person responsible for the client;
(vii)
Educating the client, family, caregiver or others in carrying out appropriate nonskilled interventions;
(viii)
Consulting with groups, programs, organizations or communities to provide population-based services; or
(ix)
Participation in administration, education and research, including both clinical and academic environments.
(f)
"Occupational therapist" means a person who is licensed or holds a compact privilege to practice occupational therapy as defined in this article, and whose license or compact privilege is in good standing.
(g)
"Occupational therapy assistant" means a person who is licensed or holds a compact privilege to assist in the practice of occupational therapy under the supervision of or with the consultation of the licensed occupational therapist or occupational therapist who holds a compact privilege, and whose license or compact privilege is in good standing.
(h)
"Occupational therapy aide" means a person not licensed in the field of occupational therapy who assists occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants in the practice of occupational therapy, is under the direct supervision of the licensed occupational therapist or licensed occupational therapy assistant or occupational therapist or occupational therapy assistant who holds a compact privilege, and whose activities require an understanding of occupational therapy.
(i)
"Person" means any individual, partnership, unincorporated organization or corporate body, except that only an individual may be licensed or hold a compact privilege under this chapter.
(j)
"Council" means the Mississippi Advisory Council in Occupational Therapy.
(k)
"Compact privilege" means the authorization to practice as an occupational therapist or occupational therapy assistant under the Occupational Therapy Licensure Compact provided for in Section
73-24-51
.
(l)
"Licensee" means a person who has been issued a license to practice as an occupational therapist or occupational therapy assistant in this state, or a person who holds a compact privilege to practice as an occupational therapist or occupational therapy assistant in this state.
Laws, 1988, ch. 451, § 2; Laws, 2001, ch. 424, § 1, eff. 7/1/2001.
Amended by Laws, 2023, ch. 424, HB 259,§ 5, eff. 7/1/2023.