{"id":8382,"date":"2026-04-02T13:19:30","date_gmt":"2026-04-02T17:19:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.coto.org\/?page_id=8382"},"modified":"2026-04-02T13:19:31","modified_gmt":"2026-04-02T17:19:31","slug":"considerations-when-hiring-an-occupational-therapist","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.coto.org\/public\/working-with-an-occupational-therapist\/considerations-when-hiring-an-occupational-therapist\/","title":{"rendered":"Considerations\u00a0when hiring an occupational therapist"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Any occupational therapist should ask you a series of questions to understand your needs and goals. It\u2019s just as important to have your questions answered, so that you have the information needed to make good decisions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Consider asking or confirming the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n<div class=\"content-section-block has-fade-in-up  align wp-block-acf-content-section\" id=\"section-can-they-help-you-with-your-needs\">\n    <div class=\"section-header \">\n        <h2>Can they help you with your needs?<\/h2>\n            <\/div>\n\n    <div class=\"content-section\" aria-hidden=\"false\">\n        <div class=\"acf-innerblocks-container\">\n\n<p>Since occupational therapists work in a variety of settings, they will have different skills and experiences. Therefore, it is important to discuss your situation with your occupational therapist so they can tell you if they can help. Ask the occupational therapist about any knowledge and experience they have working with similar clients and how their training can help you meet your treatment goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Can you tell me about a time you worked with others in similar situations?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What kinds of treatment did you offer for past clients with similar challenges?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How often will we need to meet to achieve my treatment goals?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"content-section-block has-fade-in-up  align wp-block-acf-content-section\" id=\"section-are-they-taking-new-clients\">\n    <div class=\"section-header \">\n        <h2>Are they taking new clients?<\/h2>\n            <\/div>\n\n    <div class=\"content-section\" aria-hidden=\"false\">\n        <div class=\"acf-innerblocks-container\">\n\n<p>If the occupational therapist has the knowledge, skills and experience you need, ask if they are taking on new clients. If not, ask if they can refer you to a colleague, or if they have a waitlist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Are you taking on new clients?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>When is the earliest date that I can begin working with you?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If you are not available, can you refer me to another therapist that can help me?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Can I be added to your waitlist if you have one?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"content-section-block has-fade-in-up  align wp-block-acf-content-section\" id=\"section-how-do-i-pay-for-the-services\">\n    <div class=\"section-header \">\n        <h2>How do I pay for the services?<\/h2>\n            <\/div>\n\n    <div class=\"content-section\" aria-hidden=\"false\">\n        <div class=\"acf-innerblocks-container\">\n\n<p>Ask the occupational therapist if they know of any funding for the services (including insurance). If you will need to pay directly (upfront or reimbursement through insurance), ask about payment schedules and acceptable forms of payment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Will I need to pay at every session, or do you send an invoice?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What are the acceptable methods of payment?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Do you provide direct billing for any insurance coverage I might have?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>See our resource for information on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.coto.org\/public\/working-with-an-occupational-therapist\/funding-for-occupational-therapy-services\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"1309\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Funding for Occupational Therapy Services<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"content-section-block has-fade-in-up  align wp-block-acf-content-section\" id=\"section-how-much-do-the-services-cost\">\n    <div class=\"section-header \">\n        <h2>How much do the services cost?<\/h2>\n            <\/div>\n\n    <div class=\"content-section\" aria-hidden=\"false\">\n        <div class=\"acf-innerblocks-container\">\n\n<p>Have the occupational therapist provide you with a breakdown of their fees, including the cost of an initial assessment, follow-up visits and charges for additional services such as phone calls, emails, reports and any supplies or equipment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Would you be able to provide me a list of your services and fees?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Are there additional costs associated with any supplies\/equipment used for services?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"content-section-block has-fade-in-up  align wp-block-acf-content-section\" id=\"section-when-and-where-will-treatment-take-place\">\n    <div class=\"section-header \">\n        <h2>When and where will treatment take place?<\/h2>\n            <\/div>\n\n    <div class=\"content-section\" aria-hidden=\"false\">\n        <div class=\"acf-innerblocks-container\">\n\n<p>Depending on your situation, treatment may be virtual (via phone or computer), at your home or another location (work, school, etc.). For virtual therapy, your occupational therapist can help you set up any technology you may need. If you need community or home services, ask the occupational therapist if there are any additional costs associated with travel time or mileage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Do you offer virtual or home-based services?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Are there any additional costs for you to travel to see me?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>For virtual service, what technology and equipment will I need?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"content-section-block has-fade-in-up  align wp-block-acf-content-section\" id=\"section-is-there-any-paperwork-involved\">\n    <div class=\"section-header \">\n        <h2>Is there any paperwork involved?<\/h2>\n            <\/div>\n\n    <div class=\"content-section\" aria-hidden=\"false\">\n        <div class=\"acf-innerblocks-container\">\n\n<p>To properly support you, the occupational therapist may need a referral from your doctor or information from other health professionals involved in your care. The occupational therapist may benefit from speaking with them, with your consent. The occupational therapist may want you to sign a consent form as part of their informed consent process. If it is easier for you, have the occupational therapist provide you with paperwork before the first session so you can review it and ask any questions. You may want to keep a copy of each form for your own records.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Can you send me any forms that I need to read and sign prior to treatment?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Are there any forms for me to sign to grant you permission to speak to other healthcare professionals on my healthcare team?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"content-section-block has-fade-in-up  align wp-block-acf-content-section\" id=\"section-what-if-i-want-to-change-occupational-therapists\">\n    <div class=\"section-header \">\n        <h2>What if I want to change occupational therapists?<\/h2>\n            <\/div>\n\n    <div class=\"content-section\" aria-hidden=\"false\">\n        <div class=\"acf-innerblocks-container\">\n\n<p>At any time, you can tell an occupational therapist to stop services. The consequences of this decision will vary based on many factors, including the system that the occupational therapist is working in. However, when you have chosen your occupational therapist and hired them on your own, changing providers is your choice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Before replacing any occupational therapist,&nbsp; you are encouraged to talk to them to see if any challenges can be resolved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Any occupational therapist should ask you a series of questions to understand your needs and goals. It\u2019s just as important to have your questions answered, so that you have the information needed to make good decisions. Consider asking or confirming the following:<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"parent":157,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"wp-custom-template-sidebar-page","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-8382","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.coto.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/8382","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.coto.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.coto.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.coto.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.coto.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8382"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.coto.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/8382\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8388,"href":"https:\/\/www.coto.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/8382\/revisions\/8388"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.coto.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/157"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.coto.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8382"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}