Occupational Therapy Assistant - Shared Program

The Occupational Therapy Assistant program is offered through a contractual agreement with Madison Area Technical College. General education courses may be taken at Blackhawk Technical College. All occupational specific/core courses must be taken through Madison Area Technical College.

Occupational therapy is a health profession serving persons whose everyday functioning is complicated by developmental disability, physical illness or injury, emotional problems, or aging changes. Occupational therapists use activities designed to:

1. Improve the physical, sensory, cognitive, social and emotional skills needed for daily activities.
2. Offer alternative approaches and adaptive devices when such capacities are impaired or lost .
3. Ultimately promote a healthy balance and maximum independence in each client’s self-care, work and leisure performance.

This program prepares occupational therapy assistants who collaborate with occupational therapists. OT assistants are employed in community settings providing mental health, residential care and home health services as well as in hospitals and schools. Graduates also serve as activity directors conducting health maintenance activity programs for the elderly in senior centers, day-care centers and nursing homes. Students interested in enrolling in the Occupational Therapy Assistant program should contact the Blackhawk Technical College counseling office for admissions information.