Fall prevention with CDC’s STEADI: where physical and occupational therapy come in
STEADI (Stopping Elderly Accidents, Deaths & Injuries) is CDC’s fall prevention initiative for health care providers who treat adults 65 and older. It has three core elements: screen, assess, and intervene. CDC’s STEADI algorithm lists a referral for physical therapy when poor gait, strength, or balance is observed, and a referral to an occupational therapist to evaluate home safety when home hazards are likely. This page quotes CDC’s own words.
Quoted from official pages checked November 11, 2026. Confirm current requirements, fees, and dates on those sites. This page is not legal advice and does not guarantee eligibility, certification, or licensure.
Sources read on November 11, 2026: CDC’s STEADI - Older Adult Fall Prevention page, its About STEADI page, and the STEADI Algorithm for Fall Risk Screening, Assessment, and Intervention (PDF, dated 2019).
What STEADI is
CDC states: “The CDC's Stopping Elderly Accidents, Deaths & Injuries (STEADI) Initiative comprises three core elements: Screen, Assess, and Intervene”. It says the initiative was created “expressly for you—healthcare providers who treat older adults who are at risk of falling, or who may have fallen in the past.”
CDC also states: “More than one out of four people 65 and older falls each year, and over 3 million are treated in emergency departments annually for fall injuries.” And: “The STEADI Initiative offers a coordinated approach to implementing the American and British Geriatrics Societies' Clinical Practice Guideline for fall prevention.”
Screen, assess, intervene
The algorithm is titled “STEADI Algorithm for Fall Risk Screening, Assessment, and Intervention among Community-Dwelling Adults 65 years and older”. Its first step: “SCREEN for fall risk yearly, or any time patient presents with an acute fall.” Its three key screening questions are “Feels unsteady when standing or walking?”, “Worries about falling?”, and “Has fallen in past year?”
For patients screened at risk, the algorithm lists “Evaluate gait, strength, & balance” and names common assessments, including the “Timed Up & Go” and the “30-Second Chair Stand”.
Where therapy is named
Under poor gait, strength, and balance, the algorithm lists “Refer for physical therapy” and “Refer to evidence-based exercise or fall prevention program (e.g., Tai Chi)”.
Under home hazards (“Ask about potential home hazards (e.g., throw rugs, slippery tub floor)”), it lists “Refer to occupational therapist to evaluate home safety”.
The algorithm ends with: “FOLLOW UP with patient in 30-90 days.” Other items on it, such as medication review, orthostatic blood pressure, vision, feet and footwear, and vitamin D, are aimed at the referring provider and are not repeated here.
Using STEADI in therapy practice
CDC’s About page says STEADI includes “Standardized gait and balance assessment tests” and “Online trainings that offer continuing education”. Whether a STEADI training counts toward your renewal depends on your board; see how continuing education works. Whether a patient can see a PT without a referral depends on state law; see direct access.
What this page does not do
It does not tell any patient what to do and does not replace CDC’s full algorithm or the clinical guideline it implements. It is not legal, medical, or compliance advice. Confirm current rules with the agency or organization that publishes them, your employer, and your state board.