MAOT PROVIDES A PROFESSIONAL NETWORK FOR ITS MEMBERS WHILE DEVELOPING AND PRESERVING OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY AS A PROFESSION. MAOT SERVES THE INTEREST OF ITS MEMBERS BY REPRESENTING THE PROFESSION TO THE PUBLIC AND PROMOTING BETTER ACCESS TO, AND UNDERSTANDING OF, OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY. MAOT HAS HISTORICALLY PROVIDED LEADERSHIP AND DIRECTION TO MOVE ITS PROFESSION FORWARD. MAOT IS A VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATION RUN BY ITS MEMBERS. IT IS THROUGH THE PROFESSIONAL AND DEDICATED SERVICE OF THE MANY HUNDREDS OF OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS THROUGH MASSACHUSETTS THAT OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY IS VIEWED AS VITAL TO HELPING INDIVIDUALS, INCLUDING THE ELDERLY, CHILDREN AND THE DISABLED TO LEAD INDEPENDENT, SATISIFYING AND PRODUCTIVE LIVES.