Occupational therapy assistants work under the supervision of the registered occupational therapist, helping patients achieve maximum independence in activities of daily living (ADL), instrumental activities of daily living, work, leisure and play, education and social participation.

Assistants help therapists in evaluating patients to determine patient and family needs. Once the therapist sets the treatment goals the assistants may be responsible for implementing therapy by using selected activities. Treatment may involve group activities such as role playing, games or work and discussion groups, or individual programs to help strengthen impaired muscles, to improve coordination or to compensate for perceptual problems. Assistants may also instruct and train patients in the use of specially designed devices to allow people with physical disabilities to dress or feed themselves, take care of their homes or return to work.

Coursework focuses on human development and the tasks and skills used in everyday life. Prospective students in the occupational therapy assistant technology program must have one year of high school biology or one semester of college anatomy and physiology and one year of high school algebra.

The occupational therapy assistant program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), 4720 Montgomery Lane, P.O. Box 31220 Bethesda, MD 20824-1220 • 301-652-2682. Graduates of the program will be eligible to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapy assistant administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). After successful completion of this exam, the individual will be a certified occupational therapy assistant (COTA). In addition, most states require licensure in order to practice; however, states licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination.