ABSTRACT Occupational therapy practices supporting population health are emphasized in the American Occupational Therapy Association’s Vision 2025 statement, yet limited examples of how practitioner’s design, construct, and evaluate health promotion practices exist in the literature. This manuscript describes how occupational therapy providers collaborated with early childhood education administrators, teachers, and parents to create a novel approach to supporting young children’s development and learning called the Occupational Therapy Embedded in Early Childhood Education (OTEEC) Partnership Model. Educational design research informed how the OTEEC Partnership Model was developed and refined via the integration of scientific inquiry within the context of program development. We completed literature reviews, conducted in-depth interviews with key decision-makers, hosted stakeholder focus groups, and engaged in critical reflection as an occupational therapy provider team to arrive at the foundational principles and unique practices of the OTEEC Partnership Model. Early childhood education center administrators, teachers, and parents believed the strengths of the OTEEC Partnership Model included universal access to an occupational therapy provider, collaborative partnerships with teachers and parents, and integrating occupational therapy practices within an early childhood classroom context. Occupational therapy providers can use the procedures described in this manuscript to develop innovative practices focused on population health and may consider if elevating their own classroom involvement, interprofessional collaboration, and partnerships with parents can enhance their current practices. Occupational therapists may also consider how to create new access pathways for children who might benefit from occupational therapy yet do not qualify for services within current practice guidelines.
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