Amends TCA Title 63, Chapter 13.

Under present law, the screening, evaluation, assessment, planning, implementation and discharge planning of an occupational therapy program or services in consultation with the client, family members, caregivers and other appropriate persons are part of occupational therapy practice for which a license is required. This bill instead specifies that screening, evaluation, assessment, planning, implementation, or discharge planning in order to determine an occupational therapy treatment diagnosis, prognosis, plan of therapeutic intervention, or discharge plan, or to assess the ongoing effect of intervention are part of occupational therapy practice for which a license is required. This bill adds the practice of dry needling of the upper limb, with proper training and certification, to the present law list of services that a licensed occupational therapist may provide, and specifies that the provision of such service by a licensed occupational therapist is not the practice of acupuncture. This bill requires the board of occupational therapy to establish minimum competency requirements that an occupational therapist must demonstrate in order to practice dry needling of the upper limb. This bill authorizes occupational therapy practice to occur via telehealth, telemedicine, or provider-based telemedicine.