During the California Board of Occupational Therapy meeting on March 7, a significant discussion emerged regarding supervision standards for occupational therapy assistants (OTAs). Sami Rafidi, president of the Occupational Therapy Association of California, presented a letter addressing concerns about proposed regulations that would limit the number of OTAs an occupational therapist could supervise.

Rafidi emphasized that the existing statute already allows therapists to supervise up to three OTAs at a time. He argued that imposing additional caps would restrict access to services and hinder fieldwork placements for training programs. The board had previously agreed with the recommendations from both the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) and the Occupational Therapy Association of California (OTAC) during a November 2024 meeting, and Rafidi sought to ensure that these discussions remained active and did not fall by the wayside.

While the board acknowledged the letter and the ongoing dialogue, they clarified that further discussion on the regulations would need to be scheduled for a future agenda, as the current meeting was not the appropriate time for in-depth debate. The board expressed appreciation for the collaborative efforts between the associations and confirmed that the matter would be documented in the meeting minutes.

This ongoing conversation highlights the importance of regulatory clarity in the occupational therapy field and the commitment of the board to address the concerns of practitioners and educators alike. As the board prepares to revisit these regulations, stakeholders are encouraged to stay engaged and informed about future developments.