State Auditor Marion Higa says continued regulation of the occupational therapy practice in Hawaii is not needed and should end next year as scheduled. Occupational therapy
deregulation urgedBy Pat Omandam
pomandam@starbulletin.comOccupational therapists are now registered under a law scheduled to expire at the end of next year under the state's sunset law.
"Although the department defers to the Legislature on this matter, we generally support elimination of regulation when it is not warranted," Kathryn Matayoshi, director of the state Department of Commerce & Consumer Affairs, said in response to the auditor's report.
Occupational therapy is a health-care profession that focuses on restoring useful functionality and independence to those who are mentally, physically, developmentally or emotionally disabled.
Higa, in a final or sunset evaluation of the state's regulation of occupational therapy issued yesterday, said the scope of the practice has not changed significantly since a state audit of it in 1997, in which Higa said regulation was not needed.
She said there have been no complaints filed against occupational therapists in Hawaii since the state Legislature required registration of these practitioners in 1999. Higa added there have been few complaints of them nationwide.
There were about 78,000 occupational therapists nationwide in 2000. In Hawaii the state DCCA reported 331 registered occupational therapists as of last March.
Office of the Auditor
