• Occupational Therapy Assistant - OCCUP/ASST.AAS

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Program Coordinator Debbie Witsken

The fundamental purpose of occupational therapy is the development and maintenance of a person’s capacity throughout life to perform those tasks and roles essential to productive living. As an Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA), an individual will provide services to those impaired by physical illness, psychosocial disability, developmental deficits, and aging. Through occupational therapy intervention, clients are returned to their maximum level of independence, mastering life skills that include: self-care, home-management, leisure, and work.

The OTA carries out a treatment plan under the guidance and supervision of an occupational therapist (OT). The OTA provides a variety of treatment modalities to the client such as: activities of daily living  and home management training, splinting, environmental modifications, safety training during daily occupations, wheelchair positioning and modifications, sensory integration, teaching life skills to clients with mental illness, job site analysis, energy management techniques, cognitive retraining and neuromuscular retraining techniques for clients with neurological dysfunction, management of chronic illness, and health and wellness promotion. Other duties include documenting client progress and assisting with discharge planning. The OTA also maintains clinical equipment and supervises OT aides.

Student Learning Outcomes

1. Apply and utilize the occupational therapy process consistent with the OTA role for the needs of individuals throughout the lifespan
2. Use communication and interpersonal skills needed to relate to a diverse population of people and other healthcare professionals
3. Establish therapeutic relationships with OT clients that foster and support the selection and use of purposeful activity and occupation-based activities needed to enhance occupational role performance
4. Recognize various types of physical and psychosocial dysfunction, and implement therapeutic activities for individuals throughout the lifespan and various contexts to remediate dysfunction and to promote health and well-being
5. Analyze clients’ participation in daily occupations within contexts and environments, and teach selected life tasks through the use of everyday activities to promote maximum occupational engagement
6. Practice as an OTA according to the profession’s Code of Ethics, Standards of Practice, Role Delineation, and according to all federal, state, and facility regulatory guidelines
7. Participate effectively in a supervisor/supervisee relationship
8.  Use independent learning skills to engage in continuing education essential to the continued provision of ethical and appropriate occupational therapy services
9. Act as a member of a professional community through membership and participation in professional organizations including local, regional, and national groups and organizations promoting the positive impact of occupational therapy
10. Educate professional and consumer communities about the purpose and scope of occupational therapy services
11. Educate and mentor future members of the occupational therapy profession

Skills and Abilities: To pursue a career as an OTA, an individual must possess physical stamina, manual dexterity and be able to work with people of all ages, temperaments, and personalities. Good communication skills, self-initiation, established organizational skills, ingenuity, ability to grade and adapt activities and treatment, and a caring personality are needed for effective client care. All students must be able to fulfill certain “technical functions.” These functions are the essential requirements of the OTA program that students must master to successfully complete the program and become employable in the field of occupational therapy.

Technical functions for students in the Occupational Therapy Assistant program:

1. Students must possess the manual dexterity, physical stamina, and visual capacity to perform all required technical procedures.
2. Students must be able to communicate in an effectual manner. Students will be required to read and comprehend technical material, as well as write technical reports in a clear and concise manner. In addition, all students must be able to verbally communicate effectively with clients, co-workers, and other occupational therapy personnel.

Each applicant needs to assess his/her own ability to meet the above technical functions.

Accreditation: Lewis and Clark Community College’s (L&C) OTA 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. AOTA’s phone number is (301) 652-AOTA. Direct access to the ACOTE website is: www.acoteonline.org.

Graduates will be able to sit for the national certification examination for the OTA 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). Illinois and Missouri require candidates to be licensed in order to practice once the graduate has passed the NBCOT examination. Missouri and Illinois Department of Professional Regulations, as well as NBCOT, may refuse licensure to applicants who may jeopardize the well-being of their citizens or who have a felony conviction.

L&C is committed to the most fundamental principles of human dignity, equality of opportunity, and academic freedom. This commitment requires that decisions involving students and employees be based on individual merit and be free from discrimination or harassment in all its forms. L&C is committed to equal educational and employment opportunity and to affirmative action. Program services and employment opportunities are administered by L&C without regard to sex, race, ethnicity, color, creed or religion, national origin, disability, age, marital status, military status, sexual orientation, and other protected categories.

The College abides by affirmative action principles, makes reasonable efforts to accommodate qualified individuals with special needs, and complies with all federal and state nondiscrimination, equal opportunity and affirmative action laws, orders, and regulations. These include, but are not limited to: (a) Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; (b) Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972; (c) Section 504 or the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1960; (d) the Age Discrimination Ace of 1975, and (e) the Illinois Human Rights Act.

Complaints of discrimination prohibited by College policy are to be resolved within the existing College procedures. For additional information or assistance on the equal opportunity, affirmative action and harassment policies and procedures of L&C, please contact: Ms. Lori Artis, Vice President of Administration and Community Services. (Title IX, ADA, and 504 Coordinator), Erickson Hall, Room 103, Lewis and Clark Community College, Godfrey, IL 62035. Lori Artis can also be reached at (618) 468-3000.

It is the policy of the College that sexual harassment of employees or students on campus is unacceptable and shall not be tolerated. Any employee or student of the College who feels that he/she has been a victim of a sexual harassment should notify the College’s Personnel Office and the complaint will be investigated.

Application and Admission:  The application deadline is June 1 (except when falls on a weekend, then the following Monday is the deadline). A new program cycle will begin each spring semester. Because the number of applicants may exceed the number of positions available in a given class, the OTA program will employ the following admission process.

All components of application must be completed by each student and will be reviewed by the application committee using a numerical ranking system for each admission criterion.

TO APPLY TO THE OTA PROGRAM, STUDENTS MUST COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING:
This checklist is a tool to assist students with the application process for the OTA program. It is recommended that interested students meet with the OTA Program Coordinator to discuss the application process. Completion of application does not ensure seat in class.

Apply for Selective Admission

• Complete the Lewis and Clark Community College Selective Admission application for the OTA program
  • Go to: www.lc.edu/program/ota and click “Apply Now”  

Meet with OTA Program Coordinator

• Email Debbie Witsken (dwitsken@lc.edu)to schedule an appointment

Complete Academic Requirements And Submit To The OTA Program Office By June 1*

Forms for additional academic requirements listed below are located in the online OTA admissions packet under Links & Resources which can be found at: www.lc.edu/program/ota

• Submit OTA Program Essay Questions
• Submit Clinical Observation Form documenting eight hours of observation in an occupational therapy (OT) department with a licensed OT practitioner (occupational therapist or a certified occupational therapy assistant). Observation Requirements are temporarily waived due to COVID-19 restrictions.
• Submit two Recommendation Forms - one recommendation must be from a high school or college instructor
• Submit proof of residency (see below)
• Earn a Cumulative GPA of 2.75 or greater on a 4.0 scale from the last five years. If less than 12 credit hours have been completed at college level in the last five years, cumulative high school GPA will also be used.  If student has less than 12 credits within the last five years, but has previous college experience, the following will be used to determine GPA:
  • If student has college degree: final GPA for most recent degree from an accredited institution
  • If student does not have a degree: cumulative GPA from most recent 15 credit hours completed from an accredited institution
• Submit an official high school or GED transcript**
• Submit official transcript(s) from all colleges, universities, and schools of Occupational Therapy Assistant attended previously**

*Except when falls on a weekend, then the following Monday is the deadline.

**Email documents to dwitsken@lc.edu 

Meet Academic Requirements By The End Of The Fall Semester Prior To The Start Of The Program

Prerequisites below must be completed before starting the OTA Program, not before applying.

• Qualify for ENGL 131 First-Year English I  by appropriate L&C placement test score (through the Assessment Center) or have completed one semester of college level English.
• Qualify for MATH 116 Intermediate Algebra  by appropriate L&C placement test score (through the Assessment Center) or standardized test score or completion of MATH 112 Elementary Algebra  with a grade of C or better
• Complete the following courses with a grade of C or better:  BIOL 132 Human Biology , PSYC 131 General Psychology , and SOCI 131 Introduction to Sociology  

Prove Residency
Prove residency in Lewis and Clark Community College District No. 536, Southwestern Illinois College District No. 522, or East St. Louis Community College Center thirty days before beginning the OTA Program. Students who are residents in other community college districts, who have a CAREER agreement with L&C, may be eligible to apply if there is not an OTA program in the student’s home district. Students from other community college districts within the state of IL will be eligible for admission only if positions are available after the OTA class has been selected from qualified candidates within the above districts

Important Contacts:

Enrollment - 618-468-2222, enroll@lc.edu

Academic Advisor - Kelly Wilson, 618-468-2276, kwilson@lc.edu

Financial Aid - 618-468-2223, finaid@lc.edu

Assessment Center - 618-468-5232, testingcenter@lc.edu

OTA Program Coordinator - Debbie Witsken, 618-468-4419, dwitsken@lc.edu

OTA Division Assistant - Sheila Emerick, 618-468-4402, semerick@lc.edu

Point system for admission procedures:
Maximum points possible are designated as follows:

Area	Points
Grade point average (GPA) (total points awarded based on GPA earned over last 5 years)	50
Meeting with OTA Program Coordinator for advising session prior to application deadline	5
Completion of pre-requisite and general education courses*	9
At least 12 credits/semester and earned 2.75 or better for 1 semester (2 points), 2 or more semesters (5 points)	5
Eight-hour skilled observation in OT	6
Two recommendation forms	10
OTA Program essay questions	15
Total Points	100

                     *Pre-requisites - BIOL 132 , PSYC 131 , SOCI 131  . General education courses - BIOL 141 , BIOL 142 , ENGL 131 , PSYC 232 , SPCH 131  or SPCH 145 , Humanities Elective

Ranking of Applicants: Students who have met all application requirements listed above will be ranked based on the total number of points earned on the application. Up to 24 students who have earned the minimal number of points on the application materials will be offered provisional acceptance. For full acceptance in the OTA program, students will also need to complete the following items listed before starting spring semester (specific date will be provided to students at OTA Program Orientation).

For full acceptance into the OTA Program, students must do the following before starting OCTA courses in Spring Semester 1:

• Complete the following OTA Program pre-requisite courses with a grade of C or better: 
  • BIOL 132 Human Biology  
  • PSYC 131 General Psychology  
  • SOCI 131 Introduction to Sociology  
• Be eligible for MATH 116  (can be achieved by earning C or better in MATH 112 , through placement testing, or standardized test scores)
• Earn a Cumulative GPA of 2.75 or greater on a 4.0 scale from the last five years. If less than 12 credit hours have been completed at college level in the last five years, cumulative high school GPA will also be used.  If student has less than 12 credits within the last five years, but has previous college experience, the following will be used to determine GPA:

  • If student has college degree: final GPA for most recent degree from an accredited institution

  • If student does not have a degree: cumulative GPA from most recent 15 credit hours completed from an accredited institution

• Participate in OTA program orientation
• Sign and return all OTA program release forms
• Annual Student Membership to American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) ($75- self pay)
• Annual Student Membership to Illinois Occupational Therapy Association (ILOTA) ($25- self pay)
• Payment of OTA Club Activity Fee ($30- self pay)

To participate in off-campus learning experiences as part of Semester 1 curriculum, students must complete the following by end of February (semester 1):

• Provide written evidence of the following:
  • Satisfactory Physical Exam (LCCC Healthcare Form and DCFS Physical Form)
  • Proof of immunizations
  • MMR - must have 2 doses
  • Td/Tdap
  • Varicella (chicken pox) - must have 2 doses
  • Proof of a negative TB skin test (2-step required) or chest x-ray
  • Flu Shot (to be completed fall semester)
  • HEP B release or verification of 3 doses of HEP B vaccine
  • Background check
  • Negative drug screen
  • CPR certification for Basic Life Support for Infants through Adults (CPR and AED)
  • Proof of health insurance (copy of card)

To continue from Spring Semester 1 to Fall Semester 2 of the OTA Program, students must:

• Pass OCTA 134 , OCTA 138 , and OCTA 163 , and all other OTA Program General Education Courses listed below with a ‘C’ or better
  • ENGL 131 First-Year English I  
  • BIOL 141 Anatomy-Physiology I  
  • BIOL 142 Anatomy-Physiology II  (must be completed within the last 5 years)
  • PSYC 232 Human Development  
  • SPCH 131 Public Speaking  or SPCH 145 Public And Private Communication  
  • Humanities Elective (must be completed before beginning final semester)

To participate in off-campus Level I and Level II Fieldwork Experiences, students must:

• Provide documentation of being fully vaccinated against COVID-19
• Provide documentation of receiving COVID-19 Booster if required by any fieldwork sites
• Update health information required for site placement

To complete the requirements of the OTA Program, a student must:

• Register for all OCTA courses offered each semester as outlined in the OTA program curriculum
  • A student may not progress to the next semester coursework without having successfully completed all of the current semester courses (OCTA and general education courses) with a grade of C or better
• Complete the didactic portion of the program within three years of initiating OTA course work
• Successfully complete the supervised clinical education (Fieldwork) component of the program within eighteen months following completion of the didactic portion of the program

In order to reduce the course load, students are strongly encouraged to have all general education courses completed prior to the start of the second semester (fall) in the program.

To be eligible for graduation with an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Occupational Therapy Assistant, a student must:

• Earn a grade of C or better in each of the following courses:
  • All program courses with an OCTA prefix
  • All general education courses required for AAS-Occupational Therapy Assistant
• Satisfy all other requirements for an Associate of Applied Science degree specified by L&C
• Apply for graduation by the indicated deadline

Following the completion of the OTA program, graduates are able to sit for the National Certification Examination for the OTA 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). Illinois requires all occupational therapy practitioners to be licensed by the Illinois Department of Financial & Professional Regulations (IDFPR) in order to practice once the individual has passed 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 access to NBCOT examination comparison pass rates from schools across the country, including L&C OTA students, visit https://secure.nbcot.org/data/schoolstats.aspx

Lewis and Clark Community College adheres to the Drug Free Schools and Communities Act, which requires college campuses to be drug and alcohol free.  In accordance with the Drug Free Schools and Communities Act, the use, possession, maintenance, distribution and/or sale of alcohol, cannabis, illegal drugs, controlled substances or unauthorized prescription drugs while on College property, in College-owned vehicles or while participating in any College activity is strictly prohibited.

In addition, the L&C Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) Program partners with external agencies to provide clinical experiences for OTA students.  These agencies require that all clinical participants undergo a drug test as a condition upon placement in a clinical program.  A negative result is required for a nursing student to be placed in a clinical program.  Some clinical agencies also require random drug testing throughout a student’s clinical experience and require a negative result for the student to continue his/her participation in the clinical experience.

Substances prohibited by the clinical agencies include, but are not limited to: amphetamines, methamphetamines, cocaine, cannabis, opiates, heroin, PCP, and alcohol. A student who tests positive for any of these substances, or who refuses to undergo the required drug test, is subject to disqualification for clinical participation by the clinical agency, which will result in the student not receiving his/her OTA degree due to a failure to meet the clinical component of the L&C OTA Program.

Occupational Therapy Assistant - OCCUP/ASST.AAS

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Associate in Applied Science Degree