SUNY Orange

Occupational Therapy Assistant

Allied Health Major

OCCUPATIONAL SUMMARY

Occupational Therapy Assistants work under the direction of an occupational therapist to provide rehabilitative services to people with mental, physical, emotional, or developmental impairments. The OTA follows a treatment plan developed in collaboration with the occupational therapist. The activities can involve teaching a patient how to move from a wheelchair to a bed to the best way to stretch and loosen hand muscles. They also monitor a patient's activities to insure proper movement, and they provide encouragement. The OTA must also record the client's progress for the occupational therapist who may have to modify the treatment plan.

The OTA's usually work during the day, but they may occasionally have to work evenings and on weekends to accommodate a client's schedule. Employment for occupational therapy assistants is expected to grow much faster than the average for all other occupations through 2008. Growth is the result of an aging population, including the baby-boom group which will probably be in need of therapeutic services. The increased need for OTA's will also result from advances in medicine which allow more people with critical problems to live longer lives, but not without supportive therapies.

RELATED JOB TITLES FOR THE
OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST ASSISTANT
(Some require more education and training)

Occupational Therapist Occupational Therapist Aide
Dental Assistant Medical Assistant
Pharmacy Assistant Physical Therapy Assistant
Physical Therapy Aide  

REPRESENTATIVE EMPLOYERS LOOKING FOR
SUNY ORANGE OTA MAJORS

Haven Healthcare of Greenwich Wingate at St. Francis
St. Claire's Health Services Ferncliff Nursing Home
RehabCare BOCES, Malone, New York
Rehabilitation Services Inc. Select Medical Rehabilitation
Anderson School Good News Personnel
Healthbridge Management Yates ARC
Ability Beyond Disability Affinity Rehab
Ortho & Neuro Rehab Milestone Pediatric
Catskill Regional Medical Center The Ellenville Children's Annex

SOURCES

*Occupational Outlook Handbook published by the U.S. Department of Labor

*America's Top Job for People Without a Four-Year Degree. Fifth edition by J.Michael Farr. 2001 JIST Works, an imprint of JIST Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana

*150 Great Tech Prep Careers. Andrew Morkes, Managing Editor, Career Publications. 2001 Ferguson Publishing Company, Chicago, Illinois

*Orange County Community College - College Catalog 2002-2003.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL (845) 341-4444

HOURS OF OPERATION

8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. – Mon, Tues, Thurs & Fri

8:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. – Wed