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Therapy at the VA: what VA says about OT, PT, and speech-language pathology

The Department of Veterans Affairs provides occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech-language pathology to Veterans and Servicemembers through its Rehabilitation and Prosthetic Services. VA’s pages describe OTs and COTAs, PTs and PTAs, and speech-language pathologists separately, in inpatient, outpatient, home, and telehealth settings. These are VA patient-care program pages, not job postings; this page copies no pay, openings, or hiring incentives.

Quoted from official pages checked November 10, 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 10, 2026: VA Rehabilitation and Prosthetic Services pages for Occupational Therapy (last updated January 23, 2025), Physical Therapy (last updated October 16, 2025), and Speech-Language Pathology (last updated May 27, 2025). These pages describe care VA provides to patients. VA’s Audiology page is linked for completeness; audiology is outside this site’s scope. Staffing counts on VA’s pages are not copied.

Occupational therapy

VA’s OT page states: “Occupational Therapy services are provided by occupational therapy practitioners which include occupational therapists (OTs) and certified occupational therapy assistants (COTAs).” It states: “VA occupational therapists are licensed independent practitioners who are experts across varied practice settings in habilitation, rehabilitation, and health promotion and disease prevention through the application of their unique clinical lens and use of evidence-based interventions.”

It also states: “Occupational Therapy covers a broad spectrum of neurological, orthopedic, medical, pre/post-surgical, and mental (behavioral) health conditions, as well as health promotion, wellness, and management of chronic conditions.” Other official sources on OTs in mental health are on mental and behavioral health.

Physical therapy

VA’s PT page states: “The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provides Physical Therapy services to Veterans and Service members.” It states: “PTs are further supported by Physical Therapist Assistants who are able to provide treatment based on a PT plan of care.” On settings: “PTs and PTAs practice across the continuum of care, providing services in inpatient settings (including medical centers and community living centers), home health, outpatient clinics, and tele-rehabilitation.”

It states: “Physical therapists are licensed health care professionals.” It also states that “PTAs are also graduates of CAPTE accredited programs.” VA’s PT residencies are described on that page and are not summarized here; see PT residencies and fellowships.

Speech-language pathology

VA’s SLP page states: “The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) offers comprehensive speech-language pathology services to Veterans and Servicemembers.” It states: “VA speech-language pathologists are professionals dedicated to providing high quality, comprehensive, caring and timely services to individuals who have a wide range of communication and swallowing disorders.”

On settings: “Speech-language pathology personnel provide services in outpatient clinics and inpatient settings (including medical centers and community living centers) and in their homes.” And: “Telehealth is also available as a treatment modality to provide specialized treatment in settings closer to the individual’s home.” It also states: “Speech-language pathologists often work as members of specialized interdisciplinary teams to provide coordinated, comprehensive care to Veterans and Servicemembers.” VA’s SLP page also describes student and clinical fellow traineeships; their terms are on VA’s page and are not copied here. ASHA’s clinical fellowship rules are on the clinical fellowship.

What this page does not do

It does not list VA job openings, pay, grades, bonuses, or hiring incentives, and it does not describe Veterans’ eligibility for care. For Veterans’ health benefits, use VA.gov. National pay and employers are on pay and outlook and work settings.

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