Occupational Therapy Assistant, A.A.S.

A Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA), works with people of all ages with physical, developmental, social or emotional problems who need assistance to lead independent, productive and satisfying lives. The COTA, under the supervision of a registered occupational therapist, provides clients with occupation based activities which aid them in mastering the skills necessary to perform daily tasks at home, school and in the community. As an important member of the health care or educational team, you will work closely with doctors, nurses, physical therapists, teachers, speech-language pathologists and other allied health or educational professionals. You will also be able to provide instructions to clients, family members and caregivers on safe and effective methods to regain function, compensate for deficits and achieve health. The program will prepare you to be generalists by providing broad exposure to evaluative and treatment methods used in various practice settings.