Occupational Therapy Assistant

Occupational therapy is part of the health care and rehabilitation profession. Occupational therapy assistants work under the supervision of registered occupational therapists. They work with people of all ages who, because of physical, developmental, social or emotional deficits, need specialized assistance to lead independent, productive and satisfying lives.

Occupational therapy assistants find employment in hospitals, schools, psychiatric facilities, nursing homes, home health, community agencies, and health and wellness settings. GRCC’s Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) program prepares assistants for entry level into the profession. Occupational Therapy Assistants (OTA) work under the supervision of Registered Occupational Therapists. Students in the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program earn an Associate’s Degree in Applied Arts and Sciences.

The program has been meeting the health care needs of West Michigan since 1979 and it is accredited by the Accreditation Council of Occupational Therapy Education of the American Occupational Therapy Association.

The GRCC Occupational Therapy Assistant Program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200, North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929. Acote’s telephone number, C/O AOTA, is (301) 652-AOTA, and its web address is www.acoteonline.org. 

ACOTE® accredited occupational therapy and occupational therapy assistant educational programs satisfy the states’ educational requirements in all states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Students graduating from an ACOTE® accredited occupational therapy and occupational therapy assistant educational program are eligible to take the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) certification exam and apply for licensure in all states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. For more information regarding state qualifications and licensure requirements, please refer to the AOTA State Licensure webpage.  

Graduates of the program will be eligible to sit for the national certification examination for the Occupational Therapy Assistant administered by the NBCOT Occupational Therapy Certification. Current passing percentage data for OTA graduates is available at the https://www.nbcot.org/Educators-Folder/SchoolPerformance.  After successful completion of this exam, the graduate 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. For further information on limitations, you can contact NBCOT.

National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT®)

12 South Summit Avenue
Gaitherburg MD 20877
(301) 990-7979
https://www.nbcot.org/

American Occupational Therapy Association

6116 Executive Boulevard Suite 200
North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929
Members: 1-800-SAY-AOTA (729-2682)
Non-members: (301) 652-6611
www.aota.org

Additional Program Information

• OTA Estimated Program Cost
• Fieldwork Supervisors
• OTA Career Information
• GRCC Licensure Pass Rates
• Immunization Requirements