Occupational Therapy Assistant Schools in Connecticut

Connecticut 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 2 ACOTE accredited Occupational therapy Schools in Connecticut which provides an entry-level master degree or Doctor of Occupational therapy degree. The license is required to practice as an OTA in Connecticut; 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 Connecticut is-

1. Goodwin College
2. Lincoln College of New England (LCNE)
3. Manchester Community College

Occupational Therapy in Connecticut-

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

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

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 Connecticut. An OTA can also become an Occupational therapist by applying through the bridge program.

Occupational Therapy Assistance License in Connecticut-

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 Connecticut’s Department Of Public Health for authorization to practice as a COTA (Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant) within the state of Connecticut. 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.
• Official transcript of occupational therapy education verifying degree awarded and date of graduation.
• Application fee of $200.

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.

The permit is valid for 120 calendar days from date of application. Temporary permits are not renewable and may not be issued to individuals who have previously failed the examination or are licensed in another jurisdiction.  

OTA Schools in Connecticut with Overview-

#1 Goodwin College

In this college students will get a chance to gain hands-on experience through: training in activities of daily living; fabrication of splints; adapting the home, work, and school environments; vocational training; and therapeutic use of functional activities. As part of clinical work, students will learn from experienced, practicing Occupational Therapists and Occupational Therapy Assistants within a variety of health care and community settings.

For added flexibility, all Occupational Therapy Assistant courses are offered during the evening and on weekends as a cohort model. students can complete their degree in 16 months full-time.

Goodwin College
Degree Offered–	Associate degree in Occupational Therapy (OTA-entry level)
University Campus	East Hardford campus
Public or Private-	Private college
Program Director-	Deanne Anderson
Course Duration-	4 semesters
Class Size	37 to 42 students per year
OTA Admission	In September
Application Procedure	Apply to the OTA program through college’s website; Interview with the program director.
Minimum Requirement	TEAS (pre-admission test) minimum 50% score needed for admission; 2.7 GPA on high school transcripts; Applicants must qualify for a minimum of ENG 101 and MATH 125; Documentation of 8 hours of observation in last 12 months; HSC 105 (medical terminology), BIO 120 with a minimum C grade.
Address	Occupational Therapy Assistant Program Health and Natural Sciences One Riverside Drive East Hartford, CT 06118-1837 Email- danderson@goodwin.edu
Website	www.goodwin.edu

#2 Lincoln College of New England (LCNE)

The OTA School at LCNE offers Associate of applied science degree in occupational therapy assistant. Currently, the LCNE received a notification that ACOTE granted their OTA program an extension of time to demonstrate compliance with Standard A.5.6 and will remain in Probationary Accreditation until April 2019.

***Check the current ACOTE accreditation on official LCNE website before applying into the OTA program.

Lincoln College of New England
Degree Offered–	Associate degree in Occupational Therapy (OTA-entry level)
University Campus	Southington campus
Public or Private-	Private college
Program Director-	Roberta L. Cascone, M.S., OTR/L, CHT
Course Duration-	——–
Class Size	20 students per year in each term
OTA Admission	Fall and Spring.
Application Procedure	Apply to the OTA program through college website.
Minimum Requirement	Graduation or a state equivalency diploma.; 8 hours of observation; Official high school and college transcripts; Complete Pre-Entrance Exam Requirements; Complete interview with OTA program committee.
Address	Occupational Therapy Assistant Program 2279 Mount Vernon Road Southington, CT 06489
Website	www.lincolncollegene.edu

#3 Manchester Community College (MCC)

The Occupational Therapy Assistant program at MCC combines coursework with a four-month supervised clinical experience that focuses on the psycho-social, physical and developmental aspects of practicing occupational therapy.

Manchester Community College
Degree Offered–	Associate degree in Occupational Therapy (OTA-entry level)
University Campus	Great path campus
Public or Private-	Public
Program Director-	Maggie Moriarty
Course Duration-	18 months
Class Size	19 to 26 students per year
OTA Admission	Fall
Application Procedure	Apply to the OTA program through college website.
Minimum Requirement	High school graduation certificate; A brief Essay; Prerequisite- BIO* 115: Human Biology; PSY* 111: General Psychology I • Eligibility for MAT* 109: Quantitative Literacy or MAT* 165: Elementary Statistics Average grade point above 2.5 in all prerequisites; An Assessment Test- SAT score- ENG 101 and MATHS with a minimum C grade.
Address	Occupational Therapy Assistant Program Division of Math, Science, and Health Careers P.O. Box 1046 Great Path, M.S. #17 Manchester, CT 06045-1046 Email- mmoriarty@manchestercc.edu
Website	www.manchestercc.edu

Occupational Therapy Schools in Connecticut-

There are 2 Occupational therapy schools 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 schools-

1. Quinnipiac University and
2. Sacred Heart University.

Get complete info about the OT Schools in Connecticut

Occupational Therapy Assistant Jobs in Connecticut-

The job outlook for occupational therapy assistant is very good in Connecticut. 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 510 employed and licensed occupational therapy Assistants in Connecticut in May 2017 and the requirement of license practitioner is increasing. Huge opportunities are there in Connecticut for the occupational therapist (OT/OTR) and occupational therapy Assistant (OTA/COTA).

Occupational Therapy Assistant Salary in Connecticut-

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 Connecticut was $64,000 (in 2017) and According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average annual and hourly income of occupational therapy assistants were $64,080 and $30.81 respectively in May 2017.