Allied Health Assistants (AHA)

Allied health assistants at Coree support occupational therapy in the community so you can receive more frequent, practical help with your goals, while your occupational therapist remains responsible for assessment and clinical decisions. AHAs help deliver therapy in real‑life settings like your home, local community and outdoor environments.

AHAs are part of the disability and health workforce in Australia and always work under the delegation and supervision of qualified allied health professionals.

What is an allied health assistant?

Occupational Therapy Australia describes allied health assistants as people employed under the supervision of an allied health professional who assist with therapeutic and program‑related activities. Supervision may be direct, indirect or remote and must occur within organisational and professional requirements.

AHAs:

  • Work under the clinical oversight of an occupational therapist or other allied health professional

  • Carry out less‑complex therapy tasks and program activities that have been planned by the therapist

  • Help free the therapist’s time for complex assessment, planning and review

  • They are not autonomous practitioners and must always work within the scope and direction set by the supervising clinician.

What AHAs are not

  • Allied health assistants:
    Do not diagnose conditions

  • Do not complete formal assessments

  • Do not prescribe treatment or design therapy plans independently

  • They work under the direction of allied health professionals such as occupational therapists, physiotherapists, speech pathologists, dietitians, psychologists, social workers and nurses. AHAs participate in regular supervision and professional development to maintain safe and effective practice.

Occupational therapy AHAs

Occupational therapy AHAs assist with client‑based services in home, clinic, hospital, day program and community settings.

Under the direction of an occupational therapist, an AHA may help people build skills in areas such as:

  • Self‑care and personal care routines

  • Activities of daily living (e.g. meal preparation, basic household tasks)

  • Community access and participation

  • Leisure, play and social skills

  • Using equipment and environmental modifications in everyday life

  • They gather information about how tasks are going, provide feedback to the OT and help implement parts of the therapy plan between OT reviews

How AHAs support people with disability

AHAs can be particularly helpful for people with disability who benefit from:

  • More frequent practice of skills than an OT alone can provide

  • Support to integrate strategies into home and community routines

  • Nature‑based or community‑based programs that require regular, structured sessions

  • Using an AHA under OT supervision can increase the “dose” of therapy within an NDIS budget, while keeping clinical reasoning and decision‑making with the occupational therapist.

What is the difference between an AHA and a support worker?

While both roles are important, they are different:

  • An AHA works under a specific occupational therapy (or other allied health) plan and supports therapeutic tasks and programs.

  • A support worker provides everyday assistance with daily living and community access and is not delivering therapy.

At Coree:

  • The occupational therapist designs goals and therapy plans.

  • AHAs help you practise therapy activities and routines under OT direction.

  • Support workers help you use your skills in daily life, outside formal therapy sessions.

  • AHAs can also coach and educate support workers (with your consent) about how to continue building specific skills day to day, within their role.

The role of an AHA at Coree

Coree uses a two‑person home and community visit model for many assessments and programs.

During initial assessments:

  • An AHA may attend appointments with the occupational therapist

  • They support with note taking, photographs for home modifications and assistive technology trials

  • They help set up and trial equipment or strategies in real‑life environments

  • This approach helps the OT gather detailed information and plan effectively, while the AHA becomes familiar with your environment and goals.

AHA and ongoing therapy

After your initial occupational therapy assessment, the OT will work with you to identify goals and recommend a plan.

If AHA involvement is appropriate, the OT will:

  • Develop a therapy plan and specify which tasks can be safely delegated to an AHA

  • Outline how often AHA sessions will occur (for example, weekly or fortnightly in 4–6 week blocks)

  • Set review points when the OT will check in, adjust the plan and complete formal reviews

During each block of therapy:

  • The AHA delivers the planned activities and records how they went

  • The AHA and OT have regular discussions after sessions

  • The OT remains responsible for all clinical decisions and documentation

  • At the end of a block, the OT completes a review with you to evaluate progress, update goals and decide whether to continue, change or finish therapy.

Is an AHA right for me?

An occupational therapy assessment is the first step in deciding whether AHA support is appropriate. Together, we consider:

  • Your goals and preferred way of working

  • The complexity and risk level of your needs

  • How often you would like support, and in which environments

  • How best to use your NDIS or other funding

If you would like to explore whether AHA support could help you get more from your occupational therapy, please contact us or mention this in your referral.

Enquire about AHAs