What Does “Service Delivery” Entail?

Initial certification for both Board and Specialty Certification require a certain number of service delivery hours. Service delivery involves the provision of “services to an individual, group or population that includes the occupational therapy process of evaluation, intervention, and outcomes.”

In case you already read that in your handbook glossary and still have questions, let’s break it down…

First of all, your employment verification hours can be from either paid work or volunteer work. Your clients can be

• individuals receiving 1:1 OT services
• groups of persons receiving services, or
• populations

Some examples of service delivery with a population include:

• Serving as a consultant to make artistic programming at the local theater accessible to persons who may be in wheelchairs, have vision impairment, have a limiting psychiatric diagnosis, etc.
• Establishing transitional programs at a university for students on the autism spectrum who are starting college.
• Developing an aquatic therapy program for the local YMCA for persons with arthritis.

Service delivery may occur in any setting – clinics, homes, schools, work places, sports centers, etc. – and may involve research, consultation, and more. The key is that in all cases, you must be

• evaluating the client need
• establishing an intervention plan (delivery of intervention may be either direct or through others)
• and assessing the outcomes of your intervention

So whether it’s on the job in a clinic or through volunteer work in your community, when you bring your expertise as an OT practitioner to the table in an effort to influence quality of life, you’re probably “delivering service!”

Service delivery hours…are they really too much?

Would you go for a root canal with a dentist who hadn’t actually touched a patient in 5 years? If you were told you needed to see a medical specialist because your needs were beyond the capacity of your general practitioner, would it be enough for you to see someone who rarely dealt with your condition?

One of the foundations of the AOTA Board and Specialty Certifications is that they are considered to be practice certifications. That doesn’t mean that managers, researchers, and faculty can’t apply. It does mean, however, that all applicants need to have some actual service delivery hours in the area. What does that mean for certification candidates?

Let’s break it down using the assumption of 4 vacation weeks in a year and a 35 hour work week.

Specialty Certification

Specialty certification is valid for a period of 4 years. Applicants need to have 600 hours delivering services with clients in the specialty area. Given the above criteria for work hours and vacation, that breaks down to approximately 3 hours a week over 4 years – less than 2 days a month.

Board Certification

A minimum of 5 years as an OT is necessary to apply for Board Certification and BC is valid for 5 years. Applicants need 5,000 hours in the certification area, which can include anything from service delivery, to teaching, to management, to research, to consultation. Those hours can be met in 3 years working full time in the area; 4 years if you don’t work summers.

Of the 5,000 hours, 500 need to be delivering services with clients (individuals or groups). Those 500 hours break down to approximately 2 hours a week over 5 years.

Want to do it in less time?
Here’s what you need to meet the service delivery hour requirement…

Specialty Certification

4 years = 3 hours/week = 9% of caseload
3 years = 4 hours/week = 18% of caseload
2 years = 6 hrs 15 min/week = 27% of caseload
1 year = 12½ hours/week = 36% of caseload
6 mos. = 25 hours/week = 72% of caseload

Board Certification

5 years = 2 hours/week = 6% of caseload
4 years = 2½ hours/week = 12% of caseload
3 years = 3½ hours/week = 18% of caseload
2 years = 5 hours/week = 24% of caseload
1 year = 10½ hours/week = 30% of caseload
6 mos. = 21 hours/week = 60% of caseload

So what do you do if you don’t have the hours? Keep working on getting them! And use that time to develop a great portfolio that really highlights your achievements in meeting the competencies and indicators. Then, when you have your hours, all you have to do is click “Submit” and you’re on your way!

The Employment Verification Form

How do I track my hours for verification?

It is up to you how you would like to track the specifics of your service delivery. We ask only for the employment verification form to be submitted, so you just need to be sure that whoever is verifying the information feels comfortable and ethical with whatever tracking system you use.

Keep in mind that if you work in a setting in which you have a diverse caseload and you are applying for specialty certification, you may need a more discreet tracking system. For example, if I see a variety of diagnoses for phys rehab and am applying for Board Certification in Physical Rehabilitation, my total hours worked is going to be fine. However, if I am applying for Specialty Certification in Low Vision, I need to be able to count only those hours with clients whose intervention included low vision as part of my service delivery hours for part B of the Employment Verification Form.

I’m Self-Employed, who can sign my Employment Verification Form?

Because private practice takes on many different forms, there are varying ways in which employment verification may be handled. Examples of who might verify the form include:

• an administrator for a company/organization that contracted with the private practitioner for services
• the referral source
• a business partner or co-owner
• the accountant for the practice

You may include multiple verification forms if that is what is needed. If none of the options listed above fit your situation and you have an alternative source for verification that you would like to use, you may forward that information for review and approval to prodev@aota.org prior to submitting an application.

What do I do if my former place of employment has closed or been sold?

In the case a business has been sold, you may still be able to get verification from the new owners since they are required to maintain records for a period of time. If you are able to contact a supervisor from a previous employer, you may use that person as well.

What do I do if my former supervisor no longer works at the institution from which I am trying to obtain employment verification?

Typically institutions will have employment records and another individual can verify the hours worked. Consult the human resources department of the agency/institution.

Until next time, keep working on collecting your evidence and moving forward on your application!

Living Life To Its Fullest!

Christine Urish, PhD, OTR/L, BCMH &
Maria Elena E. Louch, Professional Development Program Manager