Practice Act Definitions, Scope, and License Categories
Domain 1: Practice Act definitions, scope, and license categories
This section tests the statutory vocabulary that controls New Mexico occupational therapy practice: who may call themselves an OT or OTA, what counts as occupational therapy, and where the aide line sits. The exam favors applied questions about delegation and title use.
Core rules
- The Occupational Therapy Practice Act, NMSA 1978, §§ 61-12A-1 et seq., governs practice; Board rules are in 16.11.1 NMAC.
- Occupational therapy is the therapeutic use of everyday activities to develop, restore, or maintain performance; it includes evaluation, intervention, consultation, education, and documentation.
- Licensed categories are occupational therapist (OT) and occupational therapy assistant (OTA). An OT aide is not a licensed practitioner.
- The OT evaluates, interprets results, sets goals, designs the plan, and modifies it. The OTA implements delegated interventions under OT supervision and contributes observations. The aide performs non-skilled, delegated tasks.
- Use of titles and abbreviations is restricted to licensees.
Worked example
A clinic asks an aide to work on dressing with a client after the OT's evaluation. The aide may set out clothing and assist with safety per delegated routine, but teaching dressing techniques or adapting the task is skilled OT intervention. The OT or OTA must provide that training; the OT remains responsible for the plan.
Traps
Do not treat the OTA as an aide; the OTA has a license and a defined implementation role. Do not let an aide perform initial evaluations, interpret tests, or design plans. Scope is set by the Practice Act and Board rules, not by an employer's job description.