History of Licensure for the Occupational Therapy Profession

The objective of this paper is to document the discussions and decisions that led the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) to initially reject and then support licensure for occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants as a historical documentation. The advantages and disadvantages of licensure are examined in relation to their influence on decision-making. The paper concludes with an update summarizing ongoing challenges in maintaining licensure and its current value to the profession.