Occupational Therapy Assistant

County of Los Angeles•Los Angeles, CA

41d•Onsite

About The Position

The Occupational Therapy Assistant performs occupational therapy procedures to help acute or rehabilitative patients with mental or physical disabilities attain, regain, or maintain physical or mental functioning, and performs structured assessments and screenings. LA Health Services is LA County’s integrated healthcare system and the second-largest public health system in the nation. Our system includes four public hospitals, more than 20 community health centers, Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Correctional Health Services, and community-based programs that connect people to care where they are. We serve as the safety net for more than 10 million residents, providing care regardless of ability to pay, insurance coverage, or immigration status. As one connected system, we deliver extraordinary care—from prevention and primary care to emergency, specialty, trauma, and recovery services across Los Angeles County. With more than 2.9 million visits annually and a workforce of over 23,000 dedicated staff, LA Health Services is proud to deliver high-quality, compassionate, and accessible care to everyone, no matter how they come through our doors.

Requirements

Satisfactory completion of an occupational therapy assistant curriculum approved by the American Occupational Therapy Association Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE).
Current certification or a limited permit for certification as an Occupational Therapy Assistant by the California Board of Occupational Therapy (CBOT).
A valid California Class C Driver License or the ability to use an alternative method of transportation when needed to carry out job-related essential functions.

Nice To Haves

Experience assisting occupational therapists with therapeutic procedures and treatment programs in a hospital, clinic, rehabilitation center, or residential care facility setting.
Experience assisting occupational therapists with therapeutic procedures and treatment programs in a school, learning center, or home care setting.

Responsibilities

Assists occupational therapists in patient evaluation by performing standardized gross evaluation procedures including range of motion measurement, grasp and pinch measurement, and homemaking checkout.
Performs a variety of functional tests to assess patients’ self-care level.
Engages patients in targeted exercises or exercises developed to explore their interests, therapy needs, performance capacities, and physical and/or mental limitations.
Facilitates patient participation in therapy activities by discussing with patients their goals and treatment objectives, selecting specific tasks or activities most appropriate to patients' needs and interests, and encouraging and motivating patients to participate in the treatment program.
Advances the patients through progressively more difficult or strenuous activities, and modifies activities based upon observations of the patients' developmental stage, performance, and interest.
Implements treatment procedures to stimulate muscle activity to develop or improve movement, including exercise, activities of daily living, arts and crafts activities, homemaking skills, social activities and games crafted to help patient reach, regain, or preserve both physical and mental functioning.
Selects and applies equipment, machines, tools, materials, and supplies appropriate for patient treatment including pulleys, lapboards, towels and dowels and ambulatory slings.
Provides education to patients and their families about the use and care of equipment and devices. Examples include exercisers, mobile arm supports, splints, adaptive utensils, self-care aids, and craft activity tools.
Updates patients' records as to progress in therapy and treatment goals and reports observations to occupational therapists, other providers and agencies to provide total care.