Occupational Therapy

For Native Americans

Occupational therapy is a rehabilitation profession that focuses on helping people develop, regain, or maintain
INDEPENDENCE and FUNCTION.

OT practitioners work with all ages - birth through the end of life - to help people do the things (occupations) they want and need to do by using activities, tools and strategies.

Occupational Therapy for Native Americans (OTNA) aims to provide a safe, supportive space for Indigenous students and practitioners. We advocate for Native Americans with disabilities, so that we can attain the highest quality of life possible by maximizing our physical, mental and spiritual independence.

As advocates, we develop and share resources for OT practitioners currently working with, or interested in working with, Native Americans. OTNA promotes the recruitment and retention of Indigenous students into the field of occupational therapy and the development of materials to educate the profession about Native issues.

HEALTH

SOVEREIGNTY

COMMUNITY

OTNA is a part of the Multicultural, Diversity & Inclusion (MDI) Network, which includes multiple independent advocacy groups each supporting a specific cultural community (hyperlinks below). These groups work together to amplify each others' causes and promote justice, equity, diversity and inclusion.

* Association of Asian-Americans & Pacific Islanders in OT

* National Black OT Caucus

* Network of OT Practitioners with Disabilities and their Supporters

* The Network for LGBTQIA+ Concerns in Occupational Therapy

* Occupational Therapy for Native Americans

* Orthodox Jewish OT Chavrusa

* Terapia Ocupacional para Diversidad, Oportunidad, y Solidaridad (TODOS) Network of Hispanic Practitioners

We have been involved in advocacy in the OT profession for 25 years! Through grassroots collective action, the MDI Network has been successful in influencing AOTA to add "inclusive" as a pillar for Vision 2025, improving accessibility at conferences & events, establishing standing diversity sessions at conference and acted as the impetus for AOTA's recently announced diversity & inclusion task force. Please let us know how we can best serve you and our community!