The principles of occupational therapy practice, as they relate to the vocational process, are applied through the provision of a planned and orderly sequence of services designed to prepare the individual for vocational evaluation, training, and eventual employment or the highest degree of independent function.

Screening
The occupational therapist conducts an initial screening interview to obtain a history of occupational performance related to work, self-maintenance, leisure, and social roles. This preliminary assessment will guide further evaluations needed to determine the nature of the client’s functional capacities, performance skills, and future vocational goals.

Evaluation
Evaluative methods are employed to identify the individual’s capacities and deficits in the motor, sensory integrative, cognitive, psychological, and social components of performance. The assessment of the client’s ability to perform specific tasks, as required in self-maintenance, leisure, and work-related goals, is undertaken. A summary of the client’s capacities, goals, and task performance is prepared, and a statement of short- and long-term goals of occupational therapy intervention is recorded.

Treatment
The treatment process involves the use of selected activities, assistive devices, and educational techniques to restore the client to the highest level of independent function. The application of activity to treatment is directed toward improving muscle strength. range of motion, coordination, endurance, and sensory function. Activities are also used to improve working capacity, cognitive functions, social relatedness, personal habits, time management, and role function. The specific aims of the occupational therapy treatment are to assist the individual to recover or to develop competence in the physical, psychological, social, and economic aspects of daily living and to provide opportunities to learn those skills needed for adaptation in educational, work, home, and community environments.
Once the restorative phase of treatment has been completed, the need for pre-vocational assessment of clients with residual disabilities is considered. Preparation for the prevocational phase of rehabilitation involves a determination of whether the client can return to a previous occupation or whether vocational evaluation and training will be required to achieve gainful employment.