Through both collaborative and selective initiatives, CAOT-Sask provides members with relevant and timely resources in support of professional practice. We would like to acknowledge the Saskatchewan Society of Occupational Therapists (SSOT) who have shared the professional information from their webpage to provide the occupational therapists of Saskatchewan with continuity of resources and valuable information. We are grateful for the opportunity to be able to share this content with you on this webpage. 

Role of Saskatchewan OTs in reporting driving concerns

Occupational Therapy Process for Driving and Community Mobility Algorithm   

The Occupational Therapy Process for Driving and Community Mobility is an algorithm1 for general practice occupational therapists when considering the complex instrumental activity of driving. It specifies the clinical reasoning process for determining occupational therapy services for community mobility and when to refer to a driving specialist.  

What role is there for OT in determining the capacity for safe driving?  

Generalist 

Ask each client about community mobility in the context of assessment.  
  • May perform basic screening
  • May provide general education on community mobility, driving alternatives, warning signs.
  • May gather information from functional observation that suggests driving concerns exist  

Advanced training 

  • All of the above
  • Screening, education and functional observation
  • Assessments specifically to determine driving readiness or readiness to proceed with the next level of evaluation. (in clinic only)
  • Vehicle and equipment recommendations
  • Ingress/egress (transfer) training
  • Mobility device and seating prescription
  • Remediation or retraining of pre-requisite skills  
Advanced/Specialized 
  • Driver Rehabilitation Specialist
  • May perform all of the above plus:
  • Performs a comprehensive, function based driving assessment usually including an on-road evaluation
  • Gives an opinion on medical fitness to drive
  • Specialized/Advanced equipment recommendations  

Korner-Bitensky,N., Toal-Sullivan, D., & von Zweck, C., (2007). Driving and older adults: a focus on assessment by occupational therapists. Occupational Therapy Now, 9(4), 3-5.  

Vrkljan, B., McGrath, C., & Letts, L., (2011). Assessment tools for evaluating fitness to drive: A critical appraisal of evidence. Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 78(2), 80-96.  

SSOT/SGI Education Sessions  

Education sessions were held in Saskatoon on September 20, 2012, and in Regina on September 25, 2012.  The following Powerpoint presentations were presented at those sessions.    

Published News Articles  

Use the following Sage link to find the article “ Development of the Saskatchewan Psychiatric Occupational Therapy Driving Screen ” by Alicia Carey, Carolyn Burton, Aleksandra Grochulski, Paige Pinay, and AJ Remillard, published in the British Journal of Occupational Therapy.  

1- This algorithm is taken from Dickerson, A., Reistetter, T., Schold Davis, E., & Monahan, M., (2011). Evaluating driving as a valued instrumental activity of daily living. The American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 65(1), 64-75.

Saskatchewan community resources

Saskatchewan Aids to Independent Living (SAIL)  

Established by government legislation in 2002, the Health Quality Council (HQC) is a provincial organization with a mandate to accelerate improvement in the quality of health care in Saskatchewan. Since then, HQC has been working with patients and families, clinicians, administrators, researchers, and quality improvement specialists to make health care better and safer for everyone in Saskatchewan.  

The Alzheimer Society of Saskatchewan provides information, education and support to people affected by dementia. People with Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia and their families/caregivers may self-refer to our organization or be directly referred by health/allied health professionals through the First Link® Program . We also publish many dementia-related resource for health care professionals and people affected by dementia. A few examples include: What is Alzheimer’s disease?, Communication, Conversations about Dementia and Driving, Multi-step Safety Plan – Checklist to reduce the risk of wandering, Personal Care, Supporting clients through ambiguous loss and grief: Strategies for healthcare providers, etc.  

The Saskatchewan Health Information Resources Partnership provides access to a comprehensive suite of online health information resources for all health practitioners in Saskatchewan. Practice areas include medicine, nursing, pharmacy, psychology, and therapy. The SHIRP digital library includes:  

  • 13 Medical and Interdisciplinary Health Databases  

  • Over 6,000 Full text Journals  

  • 144 Full text Books  

  • 3 Clinical Decision Support Tools  

SHIRP's Mandate:

  • ensure that critical evidence-based health information is available to all health care practitioners in the province  

  • provide training and reference support for all health care practitioners in accessing these vital resources  

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease) is a fatal neuro degenerative disease. ALS has no known cure or effective treatment yet. Approximately 2,500 – 3,000 Canadians currently live with this fatal disease.  

Tech for Good provides people of all ages with professional assistance so they can independently use or control their mobile phone and tablet. We offer customized recommendations, one-to-one training with an assistive technology specialist, and support on mobile devices and related assistive technology in order to help individuals overcome barriers to digital accessibility as well as becoming more independent in their daily activities. This program is offered virtually across Canada in both English and French.   

COVID-19 & long-COVID updates & resources for OTs in SK

Career and volunteer SK opportunities

Career Opportunities

See our Careers webpage (link) for listings in your area. If you would like to post a job opportunity please contact CAOT (link contact).  

Saskatchewan Health Authority Job Opportunities  

Volunteer Opportunities

See our Volunteer Program webpage for current volunteer listings.  

Funding SK Opportunities 

  • March of Dimes Canada - Funding is available to help individuals with disabilities with low income to obtain technology like smart phones, tablets, computers, and other adaptive pieces such as communication apps.  

Private practice


Worker's Compensation Board (WCB)  

The WCB and SSOT have signed an agreement that outlines the relationship and responsibilities of Occupational Therapists working with WCB clients, SSOT and WCB. If you provide occupational therapy services to WCB clients, it is your responsibility to review this attached Agreement, Standards of Practice and Fee Schedule. Agreement with Fee Schedule.  

Saskatchewan Government Insurance (SGI)  

The following are the fees agreed upon by SGI and the Saskatchewan Society of Occupational Therapists (SSOT).  The fees are to be used to bill for services provided to SGI clients by occupational therapists (OTs).  

Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) / Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) 

The CAF Program of Choice (POC) 12 - Related Health Services, Occupational Therapist - Benefit Grid Update effective April 1st, 2022.  

Research & surveys

Research Information and Surveys (Practice Resource)  

Saskatchewan Centre for Patient-Orientated Research (SCPOR) 

The Saskatchewan Centre for Patient-Oriented Research (SCPOR) is a partnership of organizations that support and advance patient-oriented research in Saskatchewan. Learn more at:  

Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation (SHRF) 

SHRF is the provincial funding agency that funds, supports and promotes the impact of health research that matters to Saskatchewan. Learn more at:  

Occupational therapy for children in SK


Occupational Therapy for Children in Saskatchewan: Resource Document 2020
Joint publication with the Saskatchewan Pediatric Occupational Therapy (SPOT) Practice Network and the Saskatchewan Society of Occupational Therapists (SSOT).

Resource Document 2020 

 

Saskatchewan Agencies and Resources 
Information on supports, programming, and funding resources, with a focus towards children with developmental disabilities. 

Saskatchewan Agencies and Resources List