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Paradigm Shift: From Arts and Crafts to Restoration of Function
One of the results of World War II was the thousands of soldiers returning back home from fighting on the front lines with wounded physical and mental states. Around this time period, there was a great increase in need for rehabilitation services to manage this issue. There was a large paradigm shift within occupational therapy away from the arts and crafts model and toward rehabilitation and restoration of function (Christiansen Haertl, 2024). -
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OT Historical Timeline 1950-1975
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Wilma West
Wilma West served as a U.S. army colonel during WWII alongside Ruth Robinson. She was the executive director of AOTA from 1947-1952 where she emphasized the importance of advancement within the profession. Wilma West went on to become the president of the AOTF where she highlighted the significance of research as it correlated with professional advancement (Christiansen Haertl, 2024). Research/evidence-based practice continue to be foundational to the OT profession today. -
Helen Willard
Helen Willard was an influential figure in occupational therapy. She co-authored the first textbook, Principles of Occupational Therapy, now known as "Willard and Spackman". Helen Willard was instrumental in establishing the World Federation of Occupational Therapists in 1952 and she served as the AOTA President from 1958 to 1961. -
Vocational Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1954
Occupational therapy is listed in the Vocational Rehabilitation Act Amendments as a service provided in rehab facilities. These amendments resulted in the development of pre-vocational units within rehabilitation facilities where OTPs worked tirelessly to establish principles for pre-vocational exploration. Rehabilitation continues to be one of the three major practice settings in OT today. -
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Establishment of OTA Programs
Occupational therapy assistant programs were started this year to address the increasing demands for occupational therapy in the workforce. OTA programs became accredited by AOTA two years later in 1958 (Christiansen Haertl, 2024). -
Mary Reilly's Eleanor Clarke Slagle Lecture
Dr. Mary Reilly, a clinician in the US Army Medical Corps and professor at USC, delivered her Eleanor Clarke Slagle Lecture, a prestigious honor awarded to an AOTA member who has “creatively contributed to the development of the profession’s body of knowledge” (AOTA, 2025). Dr. Reilly made a call to action for the entire profession to “regain its roots in occupation” (Christiansen Haertl, 2024, p. 26). Occupation remains central to OT, guiding both evaluation and intervention. -
Civil Rights Act
President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act. This significant piece of legislation banned discrimination and segregation based on race, color, religion, or sex (Accessibility.com, 2025). This act impacted the OT profession by promoting greater equity, access, and inclusion in healthcare and education. Additional legislation, combined with the Civil Rights Act, expanded the scope of OT to community and school-based settings (Christiansen Haertl, 2024, p. 25). -
Social Security Amendment Act
President Lyndon B. Johnson signed Medicare and Medicaid programs into effect, which provided federally subsidized health care to disabled and elderly Americans (Accessibility.com, LLC, 2025). This turning point in U.S. history brought OT practitioners into new settings such as hospitals, clinics, and eventually schools. Medicare and Medicaid laid the groundwork for increased services for older adults, individuals with disabilities, and the poor (Christiansen Haertl, 2024, p. 25). -
Establishment of the American Occupational Therapy Foundation (AOTF)
AOTA launched the American Occupational Therapy Foundation in order to “advance the science of occupational therapy and to increase the public knowledge and understanding of occupational therapy” (AOTA, 2022). Efforts such as these highlighted both science and theory development, which resulted in improved graduate education and the eventual development of models, theories, and frames of reference that continue to guide OT practice today (Christiansen Haertl, 2024, p. 25). -
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IDEA Education for All Handicapped Children Act
