How much is the salary of an occupational therapy assistant?
There are many reasons why a patient may require occupational therapy rehabilitation services. Some of the conditions are birth defects, car accidents, heart disease, mental health problems, mental disabilities, sports injuries, falls, and spinal cord injuries.
Description
Occupational therapy assistants are also known as OTAs. They treat children and adults of all ages with disabilities, injuries, and illnesses under the supervision of health care therapists. Initially, the assistants work together with the OTs to develop a treatment regimen for the patient. They then provide hands-on, hands-on assistance by guiding patients through the treatment plan step by step. They are based on the therapeutic use of daily routine work in the treatment of patients; For example, an occupational therapy assistant may teach a patient, who lost his motor skills in an accident, how to eat, dress, tidy up, and may drive him to and from the occupational therapy center. Sometimes they may teach patients to use special equipment to make certain daily activities easier.
Critical in the treatment process is proper documentation and evaluation of a patient’s progress. Observing and recording details of patients’ progress and distributing this information to therapists is the duty of an OT assistant. Periodically, the therapist will review these reports, assess the patient’s condition at that time, and adjust treatment if necessary. OTAs often handle clerical and administrative duties as well, but depending on your work environment, these tasks may be performed by professional therapy assistants. They typically answer phone calls, maintain equipment, schedule appointments, and file insurance claims. OTAs typically work in hospitals, nursing homes, doctor’s offices, occupational workshops, and special schools.
Education, Training and Certification
A student must go to an accredited community college or technical school that offers the OTA program to become a vocational therapy assistant. The program lasts for 2 years and graduates are considered to have obtained an associate degree. The 2-year occupational therapy assistant programs include classroom and clinical field work. The practical training component provides them with practical experiences. Occupational therapist “bridge” education programs are available to qualified occupational therapy assistants to further advance their career.
In most states, occupational therapy assistants must be licensed before they can practice. One must complete the 2-year associate degree program and pass an exam to become licensed.
Occupational therapy assistants do not require any certification to practice. However, the title COTA (Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant) can only be awarded to an individual who has successfully passed the written exam administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy. For those who want to take this exam, completion of accredited programs is required.
Factors Affecting Occupational Therapy Assistant Salary
– Experience: This is one of the most crucial factors that affect the salary of the assistant. More experienced therapists typically command a higher salary compared to those who are new to the profession. Newcomers will start with an average salary of $30,000 per year, but as they gain more experience, an annual salary of more than $50,000 is not uncommon.
– Education: Even if certification is not required in all states, many employers nonetheless look for OTAs that are certified. There are currently over 300 accredited programs in the United States, graduates of these programs will often start out with a higher salary.
– Location: This is also very important in determining the salary of an occupational therapy assistant. Salaries may differ from state to state. Nevada is the highest paying state for an OTA due to increased demand as a result of the booming casino industry.
– Employer: Working for different employers will result in different salaries. Home health care services, employment services, nursing care facilities, offices of other health professionals, and specialty hospitals are the highest paying employers in this occupation.
Occupational Therapy Assistant Average Annual Salary
The average annual salary for a therapist is $52,150. This is calculated by adding all wages within the occupation and dividing that value by the total number of employees. The lowest 10% of this occupation earns less than $33,750 and the top 10% earns more than $71,960. His average hourly wage is $25.07. The bottom 10% earn $16.22 while the top 10% earn $71,960.
Cities that pay more:
1. El Paso, Texas: $72,690
2. San Diego, California: $70,100
3. Arlington, Texas: $68,530
4. Las Vegas, Nevada: $68,430
5. New Brunswick, New Jersey: $67,550
States that pay more:
1. Nevada: $68,240
2. Texas: $64,090
3. New Jersey: $62,560
4.California: $61,010
5. Maryland: $59,560
State with the highest level of employment:
1.Ohio
2. Pennsylvania
3. Texas
4. New York
5.California