Assist occupational therapists in providing occupational therapy treatments and procedures. May, in accordance with State laws, assist in development of treatment plans, carry out routine functions, direct activity programs, and document the progress of treatments. Generally requires formal training.

Other names for Occupational Therapist Assistants: Behavior Specialist, Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant (COTA), Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA), Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant-Licensed (COTA-L), Health Service Worker, Independent Living Specialist, Licensed Occupational Therapy Assistant, Occupational Therapist Assistant, Occupational Therapy Assistant, Occupational Therapy Technician, Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA), Rehabilitation Assistant,

• Observe and record patients' progress, attitudes, and behavior, and maintain this information in client records.
• Maintain and promote a positive attitude toward clients and their treatment programs.
• Monitor patients' performance in therapy activities, providing encouragement.
• Select therapy activities to fit patients' needs and capabilities.
• Instruct, or assist in instructing, patients and families in home programs, basic living skills, and the care and use of adaptive equipment.
• Evaluate the daily living skills and capacities of physically, developmentally or emotionally disabled clients.
• Aid patients in dressing and grooming themselves.
• Implement, or assist occupational therapists with implementing, treatment plans designed to help clients function independently.
• Report to supervisors, verbally or in writing, on patients' progress, attitudes and behavior.
• Alter treatment programs to obtain better results if treatment is not having the intended effect.
• Work under the direction of occupational therapists to plan, implement and administer educational, vocational, and recreational programs that restore and enhance performance in individuals with functional impairments.
• Design, fabricate, and repair assistive devices and make adaptive changes to equipment and environments.
• Assemble, clean, and maintain equipment and materials for patient use.
• Teach patients how to deal constructively with their emotions.
• Perform clerical duties such as scheduling appointments, collecting data, and documenting health insurance billings.
• Transport patients to and from the occupational therapy work area.
• Demonstrate therapy techniques such as manual and creative arts, or games.
• Order any needed educational or treatment supplies.
• Assist educational specialists or clinical psychologists in administering situational or diagnostic tests to measure client's abilities or progress.

• Keyboards
• Arm orthopedic softgoods
• Adaptive communication switches for the physically challenged
• Commercial use dishwashers
• Back or lumbar or sacral orthopedic softgoods
• Balance beams or boards or bolsters or rockers for rehabilitation or therapy
• Bead accessories
• Braille devices for the physically challenged
• C clamps
• Canes or cane accessories
• Clay or modeling tools
• Kilns for firing ceramics
• Wood chisels
• Therapeutic heating or cooling pads or compresses or packs
• Letter or symbol boards for the physically challenged
• Vascular sequential compression devices or tubing
• Vascular or compression apparel or supports
• Continuous passive motion CPM devices or accessories
• Crochet hooks
• Crutches or crutch accessories
• Desktop computers
• Dynamometers
• Facsimile machines
• Gait belts for rehabilitation or therapy
• Glue guns
• Goniometers
• Hammers
• Power drills
• Power sanders
• Headpointers or mouthsticks for the physically challenged
• Heat guns
• Clinical hydraulic lifts or accessories
• Full body immersion hydrotherapy baths or tanks
• Clothes dryers
• Game pads or joy sticks
• Lacing or stringing accessories
• Weaving accessories
• Leather accessories
• Laundry type washing machines
• Leg orthopedic softgoods or accessories
• Macrame accessories
• Mechanical stethoscopes or accessories
• Shears
• Precious metal die castings
• Commercial use microwave ovens
• Punches or nail sets or drifts
• Screwdrivers
• Headpointers or mouthsticks for the physically challenged
• Saws
• Needlenose pliers
• Notebook computers
• Headpointers or mouthsticks for the physically challenged
• Orthotics or foot care products
• Commercial use ovens
• Page turners for the physically challenged
• Positioning devices
• Personal computers
• Photocopiers
• Medical staff isolation or cover gowns
• Awls
• Rasps
• Leather accessories
• Reflex hammers or mallets
• Rivet tools
• Leather accessories
• Protective gloves
• Goggles
• Sewing needles
• Patient shifting boards or accessories
• Arm orthopedic softgoods
• Slip or groove joint pliers
• Clay or modeling tools
• Blood pressure cuff kits
• Squares
• Patient stretchers or stretcher accessories
• Medical staff isolation or surgical masks
• T squares
• Tablet computers
• Voice synthesizers for the physically challenged
• Therapeutic heating or cooling pads or compresses or packs
• Touch pads
• Gait belts for rehabilitation or therapy
• Mats or platforms for rehabilitation or therapy
• Triangles
• Bench vises
• Walkers or rollators
• Wheelchairs
• Leather accessories
• Wire cutters
• Wood burning tools
• Writing aids for the physically challenged
• Writing aids for the physically challenged
• Utility knives

Accounting software

Action games

Graphics or photo imaging software

Word processing software

Presentation software

Calendar and scheduling software

Spreadsheet software

Optical character reader OCR or scanning software

Data base user interface and query software

Computer based training software

Medical software

Internet browser software

Device drivers or system software

Voice recognition software

Electronic mail software