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California OT board debates whether occupational therapists should be classed as "first responders," schedules follow-up and new survey
Summary
Board members, an ad hoc disaster committee and outside experts discussed whether occupational therapists should be considered first responders or disaster support personnel, reviewed a small survey of 82 respondents, and directed further outreach and an April 16 committee meeting to gather more data.
The California Board of Occupational Therapy spent a large portion of its March 6 meeting discussing the role occupational therapy practitioners could play in disaster response and how the board should proceed.
The board's ad hoc Disaster Preparedness and Response Committee reviewed results of a recent survey of 82 respondents and debated whether to pursue official recognition of occupational therapists (OTs) as "first responders" or, as several speakers and public commenters preferred, as disaster support professionals. Committee members and several board members agreed to hold further work and to reconvene the committee on April 16 to collect more input and, if warranted, field a shorter follow-up survey.
Why it matters: recognition as a first responder can carry legal and financial implications (benefits, deployment status, eligibility for certain emergency programs). The board’s decision could affect training, readiness expectations and how OTs are…
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