Occupational Therapy Assistant

Program Chair
Adrienne Shelton
Morton Hall (Russellville)
(479) 880-4175
Ashelton2@atu.edu

Academic Fieldwork Coordinator
Lindsey Peck

The Occupational Therapy Assistant program is designed to prepare successful graduates for entry-level employment in the field of as Occupational Therapy Assistants. A Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA), under the supervision of an Occupational Therapist, provides rehabilitative services to individuals with mental, physical, emotional, or developmental disabilities. The COTA's purpose is to improve a client's quality of life and enhance his/her ability to perform daily activities. COTAs provide clients with adaptive skills that enable them to reenter the workforce, instruct clients in compensating for a loss of motor skill function, and plan activities that increase the independence of those with disabilities.

Arkansas Tech University-Ozark Campus' Associate of Applied Science in Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) has applied for accreditation and been granted Developing Program Status by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 4720 Montgomery Lane, Suite 200, Bethesda, MD 20814-3449. ACOTE's telephone number c/o AOTA is (301) 652-AOTA. Once accreditation of the program has been obtained, its graduates will be eligible to sit for the national certification examination for occupational therapy assistants administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). After successful completion of this exam, the individual will be a COTA. In addition, most states require licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT certification examination. Note that a felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure.

Prior to admission to the technical phase of the Occupational Therapy Assistant program, students must complete a platform of 28 hours which includes general education and medical courses. Students must also hold a current CPR for Health Care Providers certification prior to the first day of class. Students must submit an application to the program and meet entrance requirements for acceptance into the technical phase of the Occupational Therapy Assistant program.

Students who are pursuing a program of study where admission is limited (Cardiovascular Technology, Cosmetology, Medical Assistant, Occupational Therapy Assistant, Physical Therapist Assistant, Practical Nursing and Registered Nursing), will be assigned a major of Associate of General Studies until admitted into their selected program.