Rhode Island Code of Regulations › Title 216 - Department of health › Chapter 40 - Professional licensing and facility regulation › Subchapter 05 - Professional Licensing › Part 12 - Occupational Therapists and Occupational Therapy Assistants (216-RICR-40-05-12) › Section 216-RICR-40-05-12.2 - Definitions

Current through June 14, 2024
A. Wherever used in this Part the following
				  terms shall be construed as follows:
1. "Act"
				  means R.I. Gen. Laws Chapter 5-40.1, entitled "Occupational Therapy".
2. "Administrator" means the Administrator of
				  the Division of Professional Regulation.
3. "Board" means the Board of Occupational
				  Therapy within the Division of Professional Regulation established pursuant to
				  the provisions of R.I. Gen. Laws §
											5-40.1-4.
4. "Director" means the Director of the Rhode
				  Island Department of Health.
5.
				  "Division" means the Division of Professional Regulation.
6. "Occupational therapist" means a person
				  licensed to practice occupational therapy under the provisions of the Act and
				  this Part.
7. "Occupational
				  therapy" means the use of purposeful activity or interventions designed to
				  achieve functional outcomes which promote health, prevent injury or disability,
				  and develop, improve, sustain, or restore the highest possible level of
				  independence of any individual who has an injury, illness, cognitive
				  impairment, sensory impairment, psychosocial dysfunction, mental illness,
				  developmental or learning disability, physical disability, or other disorder or
				  condition.
a. Occupational therapy includes
				  evaluation by means of skilled observation of functional performance and/or
				  assessment through the administration and interpretation of standardized or
				  nonstandardized tests and measurements.
b. Occupational therapy services include, but
				  are not limited to:
(1) The evaluation and
				  provision of treatment in consultation with the individual, family or other
				  appropriate persons;
(2)
				  Interventions directed toward developing, improving, sustaining, or restoring
				  daily living skills, including self-care skills and activities that involve
				  interactions with others and the environment, work readiness or work
				  performance, play skills or leisure capacities or educational performance
				  skills;
(3) Developing, improving,
				  sustaining or restoring sensorimotor, oral-motor, perceptual or neuromuscular
				  functioning; or emotional, motivational, cognitive or psychosocial components
				  of performance; and
(4) Education
				  of the individual, family or other appropriate persons in carrying out
				  appropriate interventions.
(5)
				  These services may encompass evaluation of need and the design, development,
				  adaptation, application or training in the use of assistive technology devices;
				  the design, fabrication or
(6)
				  Application of rehabilitative technology, such as selected orthotic devices;
				  training in the functional use of orthotic or prosthetic devices; the
				  application of therapeutic activities, modalities, or exercise as an adjunct to
				  or in preparation for functional performance; the application of ergonomic
				  principles; the adaptation of environments and processes to enhance daily
				  living skills; or the promotion of health and wellness.
8. "Occupational therapy
				  assistant" means a person licensed to practice occupational therapy under the
				  provisions of the Act and this Part.
9. "Occupational therapy aide" means a person
				  not licensed pursuant to the statutes and rules applicable to the practice of
				  occupational therapy, who works under the supervision of a licensed
				  occupational therapist or occupational therapy assistant, who assists in the
				  practice of occupational therapy and whose activities require an understanding
				  of occupational therapy, but do not require professional or advanced training
				  in the basic anatomical, psychological and social sciences involved in the
				  practice of occupational therapy.
10. "Supervision" means that a licensed
				  occupational therapist or occupational therapy assistant shall at all times be
				  responsible for supportive personnel and students.