So the question is should OTA's perform assessments on clients? It is easy to answer this question in an OTA sort of mind because that is what I will be soon. I am going to try something different and answer this question with an OT hat on. If I was an OT and my license was supporting an OTA, I would make sure that I felt confident that my OTA was competent and experienced giving certain assessments. Doesn't this sound familiar?? Service competency, right? I believe the OT/OTA relationship is based on trust and communication. You don't have to best friends, but best working friends. The two should work together and communicate about clients, problem solving, and treatments. OTA's have strenghts and weaknesses just like OT's. If the two can work together and communicate effectively then a stronger working relationship is sure to present itself. Assessments are tools for OT's to use to evaluate and set up a treatment plan. OTA's can be an important part of this process if there is service competence, experience, and knowledge behind the individual. Many assessments are standardized and this can make this test an easy task for OTA's. As it stands OTA's are allowed to give assessments but at the same time, OT can decided that an OTA is not ready to give a certain assessment. Experience and shadowing can increase an OTA's scoop of practice and help and OTA gain confidence in themself and the OT. I found this blog on the internet and I think it helps express what I have said above. I especially like the following line, "There must be a certain level of trust and confidence within both the OT and COTA in interacting with each other in order for the relationship to work optimally. If the trust is not there, then the communication will falter. The OTR and COTA must realize that this working relationship is not a case where one necessarily supersedes the other, but rather that they are both able to learn and contribute to each other's clinical and book knowledge". How true this statement is.
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