Occupational Therapy Assistant Schools in Hawaii

Hawaii has only one ACOTE (Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education) accredited Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) School which provides an associate degree in Occupational Therapy. The state doesn’t have any ACOTE accredited Occupational therapy Schools in Hawaii which provides an entry-level master degree or Doctor of Occupational therapy degree. The license is required to practice as an OTA in Hawaii; one can appear for the licensure examination after clearing the OTA associate degree from accredited OTA schools.

The only Occupational therapy assistant school in Hawaii is-

#1 University of Hawaii/Kapiolani Community College

Occupational Therapy in Hawaii-

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

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

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

Occupational Therapy Assistance License in Hawaii-

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 the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA, Hawaii) for authorization to practice as a COTA (Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant) within the state of Hawaii. 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.
• An original “Verification of Certification” (no photocopies) issued by the NBCOT.
• Applicants shall be beyond the age of 18 years and a United States citizen, a United States national, or an alien authorized to work in the USA.
• If a license will be issued in an ODD-NUMBERED year, Fees will be $279; If license will be issued in an EVEN-NUMBERED year, the fees will be $186.

 Temporary/limited OTA License:

A temporary permit to practice as an occupational therapy assistant (OTA) may be granted to persons who have completed the educational and experience requirements for licensure and are waiting to take the certification examination. A person with a temporary permit may only practice occupational therapy assisting under the direct supervision of a Hawaii certified occupational therapist.

OTA School in Hawaii-

#1 University of Hawaii/Kapiolani Community College

The Kapiolani Community College (Kapiolani CC) Occupational Therapy Assistant program offers an associate in science degree. The Occupational Therapy Assistant Program at Kapiolani CC is in line with the University of Hawaii Community College and the American Occupational Therapy Association. The OTA Program at Kapiolani CC was established in 1973; it is the only OTA program in Hawaii.

The College provides Students the faculty-supervised clinical learning experiences in a variety of these settings. It also provides lifelong learning goals and a high-quality educational opportunity. Kapiolani CC  prepares students to practice ethically to meet employment standards and to address the complex needs of individuals and communities.

Program Cost is estimated for  Resident  $10,991.50 and for Non-Resident  $24,687.50. Though financial aid is made available by the college through FAFSA for eligible students.

Students are selected on a BEST QUALIFIED, FIRST ACCEPTED basis.

University of Hawaii/Kapiolani Community College
Degree offered	Associate of Applied Science degree in Occupational therapy Assistant
College Campus	Honolulu Campus.
Public or Private-	Public Institute.
Program Director-	Eva Shing.
Course Duration-	2 Years.
Class Size	Up to 18 Students.
OTA course begins	Fall Semester
Prerequisites	BIOL 130 Human Anatomy & Physiology (4) OR PHYL 141 Human Anatomy & Physiology I (3) AND PHYL 142 Human Anatomy & Physiology II (3); BIOL 130L Human Anatomy & Physiology (1) OR PHYL 141L Human Anatomy & Physiology I Lab (1) AND PHYL 142L Human Anatomy & Physiology II Lab (1); ENG 100 Composition I (3); MATH 100 Survey of Mathematics or higher; HLTH 118 Therapeutic Interpersonal Skills (3).
Application Procedure	Attending an OTA Program Information Session is mandatory; Complete the online University of Hawaii System Application; Submit Admission Application to the Health Career Counseling Center (Kauila 106) by the appropriate deadline; Apply to the program.
Minimum Requirement	Meet all the prerequisites with ‘C’ or higher; Unofficial college transcripts for courses completed within the University of Hawaii; Official College transcripts for courses completed outside of the University of Hawaii; Minimum prerequisite GPA of 2.75 or higher; Minimum KCC cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher; Participate in an interview Occupational Therapy Assistant Admissions Committee; A writing sample is required as part of the application.
Address	Occupational Therapy Assistant Program Health Sciences Department 4303 Diamond Head Road, Kauila 210 D Honolulu, HI 96816-4421 Email- hlthsci@hawaii.edu
Website	www.kapiolani.hawaii.edu/ota

Occupational Therapy Schools in Hawaii-

The state doesn’t have any ACOTE accredited Occupational therapy Schools, which provides an entry-level master degree or Doctor of Occupational therapy.

Occupational Therapy Assistant Jobs in Hawaii-

The job outlook for occupational therapy assistant is very good in Hawaii. 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 60 employed and licensed occupational therapy Assistants in Hawaii in May 2017 and the requirement of license practitioner is increasing. Huge opportunities are there in Hawaii for the occupational therapist (OT/OTR) and occupational therapy Assistant (OTA/COTA).

Occupational Therapy Assistant Salary in Hawaii-

Employment and salaries for Occupational Therapy Assistants vary based on the 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 Hawaii was $59,000 (in 2017) and According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average annual and hourly income of occupational therapy assistants were $56,940 and $27.37 respectively in May 2017.