ABSTRACT
More than ever before the occupational therapy profession is con fronted with the need to be more externally oriented as its members continue to define and expand the practice of occupational therapy and its particular niche in providing health care services. A void has been created with the transition of registered occupational therapists
(OTR or therapist) from the role of generalists to specialists with a corresponding requirement that they assume different levels of re sponsibilities. Many therapists have been reluctant to let go of tech nical skills that were part of their domain of practice prior to recog nition of the certified occupational therapy assistant (COTA or assistant). Some of this reluctance arises because the education of therapists has, of necessity, focused on acquisition of clinical knowledge and in the past has not generally included knowledge of and experience in supervision, particularly as both are relevant to the utilization of assistants.
