Occupational Therapy Assistant Schools in Colorado

Colorado has 3 ACOTE (Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education) accredited Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) School which provides an associate degree in Occupational Therapy. Plus, the state also has 1 ACOTE accredited Occupational therapy Schools in Colorado which provides an entry-level master degree or Doctor of Occupational therapy degree. The license is required to practice as an OTA in Colorado; one can appear for the licensure examination after clearing the OTA associate degree from accredited OTA schools.

The list of Occupational therapy assistant schools in Colorado is-

1. National American University – Centennial Campus
2. Pima Medical Institute-Denver
3. Pueblo Community College

Occupational Therapy in Colorado-

The occupational therapist (OT), Occupational therapy assistant (OTA) and OT/OTA students have their own state association, i.e. OTAC (Occupational Therapy Association of Colorado).

The OTAC is a non-profit volunteer organization which provides a professional community for its members. The OTAC is a state-based professional organization for the occupational therapy profession in Colorado.

Occupational therapist and Occupational therapy assistant work closely with the patient to facilitate the recovery. OT assistant works on all therapy setup and assists OT on assessment and intervention implementation.

The Occupational therapist Assistant has good job opportunities in Colorado. An OTA can also become an Occupational therapist by applying through the bridge program.

Occupational Therapy Assistance License in Colorado-

Graduates of the OTA Program are required to sit for the certification examination administered by the NBCOT (National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy). Upon successful completion of the NBCOT exam graduates must apply to Colorado’s Department Of Regulatory Agency (DORA) for authorization to practice as a COTA (Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant) within the state of Colorado. An OTA becomes COTA after passing the NBCOT exam.

The minimum requirements for the license are –

• An Associate degree in Occupational therapy assistant.
• NBCOT exam’s passing certificate.
• Verify other licenses;
• Social Security Number;
• Healthcare Professions Profiling Program- the candidate has to answer a series of questions during the online application.
• Initial License fee: $25.

Temporary/limited OTA License:

A limited permit may be granted to any person who meets the qualifications to be admitted to the examination for licensure and is waiting to take the examination or awaiting the announcement of the results of the examination. According to the application requirements for a limited permit, he/she may practice as an occupational therapy assistant under the direction and appropriate supervision of an OTR or COTA.

A limited permit shall only be valid for 3 months from the date of issuance by the Board, upon receipt of a failing result, or 2 weeks following the expiration of the applicants’ eligibility to test period, whichever occurs first. Limited permits are issued only once. They cannot be renewed or extended under any circumstance.

Colorado Occupational Therapy Assistant Schools with Overview-

#1 National American University – Centennial Campus

The OTA School at National American University offers an Associate of Applied Science Occupational Therapy Assistant degree. The program is offered in a blended online and on-campus format designed to provide a strong foundation in the theory and nature of the occupation, and the dynamic interaction of clients and their environments. The OTA program emphasizes lecture, laboratory, discussion, demonstration, and practical hands-on application.

National American University
Degree Offered–	Associate degree in Occupational Therapy (OTA-entry level)
University Campus	Centennial Campus
Public or Private-	Private institute
Program Director-	Michelle Moore, AA
Course Duration-	2 years
Class Size	14 to 21 per year
OTA Admission	——
Application Procedure	Apply to the OTA program through the college’s website.
Minimum Requirement	Graduation from a recognized high school; Admission to NAU must be made before application to the OTA clinical core; 2.8 GPA with minimum C grade in all the foundational courses; Science credits to be having earned in the last 5 years; An essay and a personal statement on why the applicant wants to be an OTA; On site interview with OTA Admissions Committee; Completion of at least 8 observation hours with an OTR or COTA; 3 letters of recommendation. At least 2 letters from an instructor, guidance counselor, health care professional. 1 recommendation letter may be a personal reference.
Address	Occupational Therapy Assistant Program 8242 S. University Boulevard, Suite 100 Centennial, CO 80122-3178 Email- mmoore@national.edu
Website	www.national.edu/

#2 Pima Medical Institute-Denver

PMI’s OTA program is offered on various campuses in different states. In Colorado, the program is offered at Denver campus. Other campuses include Mesa and Tucson (Arizona), Las Vegas (Nevada), El Paso & Houston (Texas), and Renton (Washington).

The OTA Program is 80 weeks in length. The total number of program hours is 1,712 at all campuses except Las Vegas. The graduates will receive an Occupational therapy Associates degree.

Pima Medical Institute-Denver
Degree Offered–	Associate degree in Occupational Therapy (OTA-entry level)
University Campus	Denver campus
Public or Private-	Private Institute
Program Director-	Solomon, Amy, OTD, MS, OTR/L
Course Duration-	5 semesters (20 months)
Class Size	—
OTA Admission	—
Application Procedure	Apply to the OTA program through the college website.
Minimum Requirement	A high diploma or a recognized GED equivalent. A high school transcript or an evidence of completion of GED testing. A minimum score in the entrance exam.
Address	Occupational Therapy Assistant Program 7475 Dakin Street, Suite 100 Denver, CO 80221 Email- asolomon@pmi.edu
Website	www.pmi.edu/ota

#3 Pueblo Community College

The OTA School at Pueblo Community College offers an Associate of Applied Science Occupational Therapy Assistant degree. The school has advanced classroom and labs, which assists students in gaining realistic opportunities that they will encounter as an Occupational Therapy Assistant. 

The school offers two options for the program. Option 1 is to complete general education courses prior to applying the program for additional application points (Recommended). And Option 2 is to complete general education courses during the core program.

Pueblo Community College
Degree Offered–	Associate degree in Occupational Therapy (OTA-entry level)
University Campus	Pueblo campus
Public or Private-	Private Institute
Program Director-	Tricia Vigil
Course Duration-	18 months
Class Size	Around 20
OTA Admission	Every fall
Application Procedure	Apply to the OTA program through the college website.
Minimum Requirement	Cumulative GPA of 2.50. PCC Basic Skills Assessment test/ACT and SAT scores. All unofficial transcripts. 2 recommendation letters (non-relative). 5 hours occupational therapy (OT/OTA) volunteer work. Work experience (if any). A personal interview.
Address	Occupational Therapy Assistant Program 900 West Orman Avenue Pueblo, CO 81004-1499 Email- tricia.vigil@pueblocc.edu
Website	www.pueblocc.edu/ota

Occupational Therapy Schools in Colorado-

There is only 1 Occupational therapy school which offer an entry-level Master of Science degree in OT. Master degree / Doctorate degree in OT is required to become an Occupational therapist.

List of OT school-

1. Colorado State University

Get complete info about the OT Schools in Colorado

Occupational Therapy Assistant Jobs in Colorado-

The job outlook for occupational therapy assistant is very good in Colorado. Overall employment of occupational therapy assistants is projected to grow 28 percent from 2016 to 2026, much faster than the average for all occupations. Occupational therapy will continue to be an important part of treatment for people with various illnesses and disabilities (as per the United States’ Bureau of Labor Statistics).

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were about 570 employed and licensed occupational therapy Assistants in Colorado in May 2017 and the requirement of license practitioner is increasing. Huge opportunities are there in Colorado for the occupational therapist (OT/OTR) and occupational therapy Assistant (OTA/COTA).

Occupational Therapy Assistant Salary in Colorado-

Employment and salaries for Occupational Therapy Assistants vary based on work setting and geographical location. The current salary range in the local area is $37,000-$55,000 annually with an estimated 30% increase in jobs over the next 10 years. (Retrieved from http://swz.salary.com)

As per indeed.com, the average salary of an occupational therapy assistant in Colorado was $54,000 (in 2017) and According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average annual and hourly income of occupational therapy assistants were $54,690 and $26.29 respectively in May 2017.