Historical pathways of school-based occupational therapists regulations in United States of America

Abstract

Introduction: United States of America (USA) stands out for the expressive number of occupational therapists working in schools and for the production of specific regulations for this professional action. This article derives from a systematic mapping review, in which we collected 190 texts on the theme 'occupational therapy and schools.' Ten of them were related to the SBOTs practice (theoretical essays, reflection papers, one official document, and one 'informative' paper). Objective: To know how this professional regulation took place in the USA, taking laws, documents, and publications. Method: A comprehensive analysis of the selected publications (10) and the related legislation (5) was carried out, resulting in a general overview of the subject and a historicization of the regulation of the SBOTs in that country. Results: Since 1986, articles have been published for the theoretical debate and reflection on the development of USA occupational therapy practices in schools. Also, publications aimed to constitute theoretical-practical foundations, composing operational consensuses to make feasible the contracting of that service in this sector. The role of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) was evident, passing through all this construction. However, when certain consensuses were created, professional action was limited to the field of disability, especially focus on children and adolescents. Conclusion: Understanding this trajectory may inspire us about the efficient strategies created by occupational therapists in the USA, nevertheless, it is necessary to apprehend our singularities and to construct organic ways of expanding this field in Brazil.