Advocacy
Occupational therapy supports the long-term health, quality of life and productivity of British Columbians and is an essential component to healthcare teams in BC. Investment in occupational therapy enables British Columbians living with injury, illness and/or disability to maintain their abilities and independence and reduces reliance on costly health services. CAOT-BC advocacy activities are focused on two main areas:
Improve access to occupational therapy in BC
To improve British Columbia’s access to occupational therapy services, CAOT-BC is focused on:
- Inclusion of occupational therapy on primary care teams in British Columbia.
- Improving accessibility of paediatric and early intervention occupational therapy services for children and families in BC.
- Coverage of occupational therapy on extended health benefit plans in BC.
Communicate the value of occupational therapy to external stakeholders
CAOT-BC uses a variety of means, including:
- Government and stakeholder relations initiatives including meetings with Members of the Legislative Assembly, Members of Parliament, Ministers and other key stakeholders.
- Raising the profile of occupational therapy profession to other health professionals.
- Collaboration with third party funders and community partners.
- Representation and promotion at consumer, interprofessional and intraprofessional events.
CAOT-BC collaborates with the CAOT National team to advance advocacy initiatives with a regional significance. Visit the CAOT advocacy webpage to learn more.
Infographics
The following infographics are everyday tools OTs can use in practice to highlight the importance and benefits of occupational therapy with clients and networks. All infographics below are available for sharing. Select the image for JPG download, or select the text for PDF download.
