Kentucky Occupational Therapy Practice Act: Definitions, Scope, and Licensure Framework
The Kentucky Occupational Therapy Practice Act domain tests whether you can separate licensed titles, actual occupational therapy scope, and the statutory framework that controls practice. KRS Chapter 319A supplies the definitions and the requirement that persons who practice or hold themselves out as occupational therapists or occupational therapy assistants be licensed by the Kentucky Board of Licensure for Occupational Therapy.
Core rules
- Occupational therapy is the therapeutic use of occupations and purposeful activity to evaluate and treat physical, cognitive, psychosocial, sensory, and developmental limitations. It includes evaluation, intervention planning, treatment, consultation, education, and research.
- The OT is responsible for evaluation, interpretation, treatment planning, and outcomes. The OTA provides services under OT supervision and may not independently evaluate, diagnose, or design the plan of care.
- Title protection is separate from scope: an unlicensed aide may perform delegated non-skilled tasks but may not call those tasks occupational therapy or use an OT or OTA title.
- Licensure is state-based. A license from another state does not by itself authorize Kentucky practice; the board's endorsement or reinstatement route must be used.
- Exemptions are narrow and statutory, such as supervised students in approved educational experiences.
Worked example
A clinic advertises an occupational therapy aide who will evaluate home safety and write OT goals while the OT is off-site. The evaluation and goal-setting are OT services; delegating them to an aide exceeds scope and creates unlicensed practice risk. The aide could carry out a non-skilled task assigned by the OT, but the OT must perform the evaluation and plan.
Traps
Do not confuse an OTA with an aide; do not assume consultation lets an unlicensed person design treatment; do not treat Medicare or facility rules as the source of scope, because Kentucky statute and board rules control.