The COTA Name Debate Update

How about Certified Occupational Therapy Associate ?

This response is to NAN from CA.  I sure am glad that I do not work with you.  I have always been very respected by the OTs, as well as the PTs, that I work with.  I have a lot I would like to say about your disrespect

Whatever it is funny to see people fight about My TITLE LOL  Be my Last post on this site it is REALLY STUPID IF I AM AN ASSISTANT OR ASSISSS OR NOT

I would also like to ask Nan, if she thinks she could assume her caseload independently if she didn't work with any COTAs.  You would like to be so quick to dismiss, but I will you one thing.  That pretty little pay check you get every week would be cut in half if it weren't for COTAs.  Also, the OT profession wouldn't be half as prevalent as it is without COTAs either.  I would also like to address Karen- students often don't realize the loaded word of assistant would subject them to questioning of their abilities until after they are in the workforce.  As far as spending my time displaying my skills, 55 hours a week is enough as far as I'm concerned!  Just because I take 10 minutes to address a topic I feel is important doesn't diminish my work ethic.  And if that's the case, why are you posting here as opposed to "displaying your skills".

To Jason, I would ask you to address this issue in the PT world as well.  We all know PT and OT mimic each other, so regardless of who gets this accomplished first, we'll both benefit!

I totally agree with Joe and Sandra about nans comment.  It is good to have OTRs to do evals and D/Cs for us COTAs because they have to do all the paperwork that is a pain in the butt.  We get to tx. the patients and that is why most of us COTAs went into the field of OT for anyways.  We did not go to school for 4 years to sit  all day doing boring paperwork(evals and D/Cs).  I love what I do to as a COTA too.  Why would I have wanted to go to school for 4 years to sit and do paperwork when I could go to school for 2 and work with patients?

Totally agree with you Joe. Nan needs more education (in grammar and the role of the COTA) or an attitude adjustment. I have been practicing as a COTA  for 33yrs. Never have I had an OTR say that I was his/her assistant. You see, I am an Occupational THERAPY (not THERAPIST) Assistant. I am always treated with respect for the knowledge and talents I have. Nan also needs to realize the reason many of us are COTAs is because we enjoy the "hands on" and the practical side of OT. My North Dakota license states I need 2 hrs of supervision a wk.. The only thing I don't do is evaluations. The name change has been around for many years and it has never passed. I'm not sure if it ever will. I'm fairly comfortable with our current title, although when introducing myself I do tell my clients I work in OT. I do this because I'm tired of explaining the difference between the OTR and COTA. I do think there are better titles out there. What are they??? I think this discussion is good and should continue. Just because the name change didn't pass does not mean it's over...

This is in response to Nan of California. You say that OTA is "the easy way out", who would support you if you did not have us. Plus, we (COTA's), chose the field to help people, not wonder if we have the support of an OTR/L. By the way, some of your spelling and grammar might indicate some more education.

Sincerely,J

Joe LaMay, COTA/L 11 years

I beg the differ you are an OTR/L> assistant. I believe that you have to be supervised by an OTR/L.  As well as be co-signed by an OTR/L until you can evaluate a pt than you are what you are our assistants no if and or buts. I went to school and I chose to be an OTR. You chose the easy route as an assistant then no gripping about it. Go back to school and then you can be an OT. If it wasnt for us OTR's to evaluate the pt. then you  would not have a job LOL

I struggled with the title "Assistant" for the first few years I was practicing, but I finally just let it go.  I am proud of the skills I have developed over the last 17 years as a COTA and I do what my professional license says:  I assist patients to reach their therapy goals.  I am not an assistant to a therapist.  I would much rather have the title of COTA than be something like a therapy technician or whatever else they may come up with.  

I agree that you should never let a title get you down - if I did I would have quit being an OT long ago.

So few people know what an OT is but they all know what a SLP is  ( in school settings in particular) or a PT ( in rehab) ...

There is also something else to consider.. when you went into this program to be a COTA  did you not look into the title an what it stood for??

If you do not want to be an assisant ( you are not Aides you are Assistants !!) then apply for OT programs.

I often have people resenting my role,   and their perceptions of  my wages and practice ( you get paid a lot to play don't you??- I can do this and I only get paid an aides wage!) a comment often heard from teachers aides - are ridiculous.. But  I take this as an opportunity to educate them on my skills as an OT to to encourage those I feel would be good OT's  to go back to school.

In my experience I have met many competent COTA's and I learn from them as much as they learn from me ...BUT the bottom line is you went to school to be a COTA  NOT an OT so I  eencourage you  to place less time on changing yout title and more time on displaying you skills  that you learned in your program.. a "better"  title means more schooling and education more time and   money spent and most importantly increased skills in the field of OT...  go  for it !!!  

So what do you want to be called? OTR/L ?

I only hope that if the motion passes and a name change is implemented that it will finally put this issue to rest.  This subject has sharply divided us and frankly I am tired of all the whining about it.  In the 24+ years I've been a practitioner, this topic has reared its ugly head at least 3 times that I know of (I have kept several of the articles over the years).  I have always felt, and maintain to this day, that professional image is what you make of it.  If you are having a problem with being disrespected, don't automatically blame your title.  I too work in the public school setting and don't feel I have to "explain myself" to every parent or teacher I meet (and I don't see physician assistants doing that with me every time I go to the doctor either).  I would like to caution everyone against getting "stuck" on this topic and allowing it to shape who you are professionally.  If you truly feel that your title has gotten in your way, seek out other OTAs who have not let the word "assistant" become a stumbling block....and follow their lead.

It's about time COTA's get this name change!I think this will define for once and for all,that indeed COTAs are therapists,not aides and do have a college degree.Best of luck!

To the OTA's:

If the name change succeeds then the PTA's may also want a name change.  The name change is a good thing, I despise the assistant word and it can be belittleing as a career name.  

Please continue.  

Having worked in the public school setting for the past 19 years, I feel that a name change is long over due.  We have struggled for years to be looked at as professionals due to the term "assistant".  Teacher assistants, which do not require a college educaion, are often what we get compared to in our field, not just in education but pay as well.  A name change would be of benefit to public school setting.

Thanks Teri for the information.  Do you think Motion 3 will be approved?     Do you know how to contact Lindsey Lawrence?  Thank you.

Thanks Teri for giving the links to AOTA's site. I was also unaware of the Zoomerang survey.

Kathleen- Sorry I do not have a list of COTA e-mail addresses. Posting here on the AdvanceWeb  blog page was the best I can do. Maybe our state boards need to make their members aware?

You are right the Representative Assembly met last week in task groups and are finalizing motions to go to the full assembly.  AOTA members still have time to vote on the issues until March 27. Here is a chance to give input to the decisions that are made for the profession. COTAs can communicate to the OTA Representative Lindsey Lawrence.  I am the Representative for WI and this is the notice I sent out.  Here are the links

The Representative Assembly, AOTA’s Congress, has called for an online meeting and will meet online from March 30 – April 10, 2009.  This meeting is in place of the usual meeting held at the Annual AOTA Conference. The meeting will be addressing the Definition of OT/OTA Roles within the Model Practice Act and all other relevant documents, a Title Change for Occupational Therapy Assistants, Building Diversity in Occupational Therapy Now To Meet the Centennial Vision and several others.

These documents can be found in the members’ section of the AOTA Web site (http://www.aota.org/Governance/RA/Online.aspx ). I would appreciate any comments or questions regarding these topics via my email below.  Or, you can complete a simple Zoomerang survey at:

http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/?p=WEB228TL3FKMQY  

Deadline for that completion of the Zoomerang is March 25.  

Tim, I am a member and I did go on the website you list to provide input but I can not find it.  I would am thrilled and so excited that this has been taken seriously and to the point where we are being heard.  When I started the forum on this topic well OVER ONE year ago, I never thought it would get this far and bring out such responses, yet I am so pleased to know that there are many out there that are voicing themselves and feel the same.  Please let me know how I can make my voice heard to the AOTA and I will do it.

Thanks so much for continuing the blog on this issue and bringing it so far.

Tim,

That is great news.  Is there anyway you could forward a group  e-mail to COTAs so they know about this?  Do you have a list of AOTA members who are COTAs or OTAC members?  Or Calif. licensing board?  They may not address this issue again so we really need people to write in.  Thanks!