Associate in Applied Science Code: 5385
Contact swidergala@bhc.edu for information; Advising Center, 309-796-5100, Rm 1-213; East Campus Advising Center, 309-854-1709.
New students applying to Black Hawk College should select the AAS/General Occupational and Technical Studies (GOTS) until such time as they have been officially accepted by the department into this program.
The associate-degree-level Occupational Therapy Assistant program has applied for accreditation by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510E, Bethesda, MD 20814. ACOTE’s telephone number c/o AOTA is (301) 652-AOTA and its web address is www.acoteonline.org. The program must be granted Candidacy Status, have a preaccreditation review, complete an on-site evaluation, and be granted Accreditation Status before its graduates 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, all states require licensure to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination. A felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure.
The Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) program is designed to prepare individuals to function as entry-level occupational therapy assistants working in partnership with the occupational therapist. OTA graduates can find employment in a variety of healthcare and human service settings including hospitals, clinics, extended care facilities, schools and specialized community care and wellness programs.
Occupational therapy is a profession that is essential to the promotion of health and wellness. Occupational therapy assistants, under the supervision of the occupational therapist, plan and implement goal-directed therapeutic occupations uniquely designed to help patients and clients achieve optimal function in their daily life roles. In response to the effects of disabling disease or disorder, the OTA also may facilitate an individual’s level of functional independence by modifying or re-designing any of the multiple environments in which patients and clients live and work.
Students must successfully document and meet all drug testing and badkgroudn checks required by the Black Hawk College OTA program and/or the fieldwork sites prior to attending fieldwork. A physical examination and immunizations are required prior to beginning fieldwork rotations.
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